DULUTH — It can be tough for a freshman to break through in their first season with the Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey program.
now a sophomore, did so last year as rookie to finish second in goals with 18, but she was just the second freshman to crack the Bulldogs’ top six in scoring going back to the 2019-20 season.
This year, there are three freshman forwards among UMD’s top six goal scorers going into the final regular-season home series of the 2025-26 season against St. Thomas scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday at Amsoil Arena.
Madi Burr of Paris, Ontario, and Molly Cole from Langley, British Columbia, are tied for fifth with six each. Rae Mayer of Chesapeake, Virginia, is third on the team in goals with 12 and third in points with 20 through 30 games.
“To be honest, I got here and I had no expectations,” Mayer said. “Even now, I’m just so grateful to be here. That keeps me really positive. I have an opportunity and I’m doing what I love. I’m with people I absolutely love. It’s been awesome. I get my confidence from the girls around me. I wouldn’t be able to do the things that I do without my linemates, my teammates. It really all comes from them and my coaches and the support.”
The Bulldogs are without leading goalscorer Thea Johansson this month
while the senior forward plays for Sweden at the 2026 Olympics
in Milan, Italy. Johansson leads the Olympics in goals with four and is tied for third in points.
The freshmen have helped fill the goalscoring void, most notably a week ago against Bemidji State at Amsoil Arena
with Burr and Cole both scoring in the sweep.
Minnesota Duluth forward Madison Burr (18) shoots the puck against Wisconsin forward Charlotte Pieckenhagen (24) on Saturday, Jan. 10 at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Clint Austin / File / Duluth Media Group
Burr registered two goals and an assist
against the Beavers last Saturday.
She has four goals and four assists since the start of 2026.
UMD coach Laura Schuler said Burr had an exceptional series against BSU.
“She can put the puck in the net and she plays such good heads-up hockey,” Schuler said. “She can make plays. She’s a player for us who I see will continue to get better and better. She’s getting so much ice time, and as a Bulldog, that’s usually rare in your first year.”
Cole started her college career strong with three goals in her first five game, but went 13 games without a point between Nov. 11 and Jan. 30. She got back on track in recent weeks with two goals in her last three games,
including a “snipe” last Friday
that caught the eye of her coach.
Minnesota Duluth forward Molly Cole (13) celebrates a second-period goal against Bemidji State with teammates on Friday, Feb. 6 at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Clint Austin / File / Duluth Media Group
“What a goal. Holy smokes that was a snipe,” Schuler said after Friday’s game. “She’s working really, really hard in practice. She’s getting a lot of ice time now. I’ve just been super impressed with her. She’s been working so hard off the ice. It’s nice to see her get rewarded like that.”
Kraemer in 2024-25 was the first freshman to finish in the top six in scoring at UMD since Clara Van Wieren finished third with six goals in 15 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 COVID-19 season.
UMD relied on freshmen to lead the team in scoring during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. Centennial High School’s Gabbie Hughes and Anneke Linser both finished in the top six in 2018-19, with Hughes leading the Bulldogs with 19 goals and 37 points. Linser had 10 goals that season.
Minnesota Duluth forward Rae Mayer (2) skates with the puck against Bemidji State on Friday, Feb. 6 at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Clint Austin / File / Duluth Media Group
Naomi Rogge, with 16 goals and 24 points, and Ashton Bell, with 11 goals and 23 points, led the Bulldogs in goals and points as freshmen the year before.
Hughes and Linser were part of a large freshman class of nine players, one year after UMD brought in eight freshmen that included Rogge and Bell.
Schuler brought in eight freshmen this season, including six forwards. Mayer, Cole and Burr have appeared in all 30 games this season for UMD, while freshman forward Ava MacLeod has played in 28 of 30.
“You look at our history, sometimes freshmen come in, maybe not see a ton of minutes just because of how many veteran players we have,” Schuler said. “But we had a big turnaround and needed these players to come in and make a statement.”
Minnesota Duluth forward Molly Cole (13) skates with the puck against Bemidji State on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Clint Austin / File / Duluth Media Group
The Bulldogs’ freshmen combined for 14 goals in the team’s first 18 games of the season, and have 10 in the first 12 games of 2026.
Burr said the chemistry between the freshmen and the rest of the team has revealed itself in recent weeks.
“It’s been so much fun. The first half was awesome,” Burr said. “Coming in, I was so excited to meet everybody and it just exceeded my expectations. Now the second half, we’re so much closer as a group. That’s showing now.”
Minnesota Duluth forward Madison Burr (18) shoots the puck against St. Cloud State on Friday, Jan. 16 at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Clint Austin / File / Duluth Media Group