SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—The NCAA announced the four participants in the 2004 women’s hockey Frozen Four last night, and there was little surprise in the selections. No. 1 Minnesota will face No. 4 Dartmouth next weekend, while No. 2 Harvard squares off once again with No. 3 St. Lawrence.

Everything turned out exactly the way former Crimson editor David R. DeRemer ’03 predicted in his number-crunching on U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO).

While coaches were hopeful of their teams’ chances, not all were confident in the selections system.

“There is that subjectivity in there and they do look at the availability of players and I just don’t know what’s going to happen with that,” said Dartmouth coach Mark Hudak following his team’s 4-2 loss to St. Lawrence on Saturday night. “I think if we had won today we would have put ourselves in a great position. Now, we have to play a bit of a waiting game.”

The wait was a stressful one for Hudak and the Big Green because the team will be without sophomores Gillian Apps and Cherie Piper, both of whom will leave to train with the Canadian National Team this weekend.

“It’s not so much what we want to adjust as much as what we have to adjust,” Hudak said in reference to the upcoming Frozen Four. “We’re going to lose two good players. But we’ll have to change up our lines and we’ll probably tweak our forecheck again and certainly put out some new power plays.”

Because of a clause in the tournament’s handbook regarding player availability come time for tournament play and team selection, Dartmouth wasn’t the only team concerned about it’s Frozen Four chances.

“Obviously it’s in the back of my mind a bit,” St. Lawrence coach Paul Flanagan said during the same press conference. “I think to get caught up in what could and couldn’t be beyond—it’s just such a distraction, it’s tough. “Whatever happens after [we play], happens.”

Flanagan will be without star forward Gina Kingsbury, who will join Piper and Apps to train for the Canadian National Team.

A question concerning Kingsbury’s decision to leave sparked an emotional response from player and coach alike.

“I’m flying out tonight at 7:15…I don’t really have much more to comment—I wish I could stay,” a tearful Kingsbury said.

“Gina’s heart is at St. Lawrence and she’s been unbelievable for four years,” Flanagan said. “I just think it’s so damn unfortunate that an athlete has to choose between her school and her country. It’s just not fair. She’s going to be with us, we’re going to be with her, but it’s just not fair.

“I’m going to start crying again,” Kingsbury remarked, unable to hold back the tears.

“Me too,” answered Flanagan, patting his senior on the back in support. “It’s not fair to ask her, because she shouldn’t have to make a decision, and it’s just not fair.”

Fortunately for these two schools, their teams make the four-team tournament. Others on the bubble—Minnesota-Duluth and Wisconsin—were not as fortunate.