It was about 10 years ago when I had heated arguments with some that felt adding women's hockey at UND was a huge mistake.
In retrospect, it was unquestionably the right decision to add the sport. It has not harmed men's hockey, as those same doubters claimed it could. Instead, women's hockey has carved out its own place. We now see mutual respect and support between the two programs.
The arrival of the Lamoureux twins of Grand Forks, of course, immediately made Fighting Sioux women's hockey a league and national contender. Not just for now, either, but for the future. God bless them for transferring home from the University of Minnesota.
I saw the future in person earlier in the week. I drove to Crookston to watch the Minnesota Section 8A girls hockey tournament featuring at least six players that will play for the Sioux either next year or in a year or two. I was curious to see how good those players are and see them before they hit college.
My report is this: Girls hockey has come a long way in a short time. The fact that many of the best players in Minnesota are playing high school hockey in the shadow of UND bodes extremely well for the future success of the Fighting Sioux.
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In the tournament play I saw on Monday, I paid special attention to the six players headed UND's way. They are not the caliber at this time of the Lamoureux twins, but they aren't far behind. That they can be mentioned in the same sentence as the twins speaks loudly to the talent level of girls hockey in places like Warroad, Roseau, Crookston, East Grand Forks and Thief River Falls.
While my focus was on players I'll be soon following at UND, Wisconsin recruit Karley Sylvester of Warroad stood out. She was the best player on the ice Monday night, demonstrating the same strength and grit I've seen in the Lamoureux twins.
With top-end talent being recruited by UND head coach Brian Idalski from other places as well, it's easy to see the Sioux as a national champion in short order.
It took the Fighting Sioux men's hockey program 13 seasons to win a national championship from the first team in 1946-47 to the first of seven NCAA titles in 1958-59.
I would say it's a good bet the UND women will hang their first national championship banner quicker than that. It's not an unreasonable goal.
I would also say that those who feared the worst if UND added women's hockey can't make much of an argument these days.
The year will come when we'll see national championships the same season in both men's and women's hockey. How good will that be?
Foss is a Hall of Fame journalist who reported on sports for 36 years for the Herald until his retirement. He writes a weekly column from October through April. Contact him at virgfoss@yahoo.com or at (701) 772-9272.
