RPI’s Selander drafted to NWHL
TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ( RPI) student- athlete Lovisa Selander has been selected by the Boston Pride in the 2018 National Women’s Hockey League ( NWHL) Draft, it was announced on Thursday. The fourth player drafted in program history, she was selected 20th overall in the fourth round.
“The Boston Pride got a great goalie, a great leader and a great person,” said second-year head coach Bryan Vines. “Lovisa has a very bright future in professional hockey. We are excited to follow her next season with the Pride.”
A senior goaltender and captain from Sollentuna, Sweden, Selander has started 16 games for the Engineers this season, going 4-8- 4 with a 1.94 goals against average and a .944 save percentage. She has two shutouts, including a 58- save outing in defeating Robert Morris, 1- 0, on October 12, helping her earn ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Month for October. She also turned away all 44 shots she faced in a 1- 0 win over Quinnipiac on December 8.
Selander earned a spot with the Swedish National
Team over the summer and made her first international appearance with the senior squad at the Four Nations Cup in early November. She made one start, against Canada, stopping 45 shots in a 6-1 defeat.
Named Preseason AllECAC Hockey, Selander went 9-16-5 record with a 2.22 goals against average and a .932 save percentage in 30 games (all starts) last season. Notching one shutout, she went 6-10-3 with a 2.06 goals against average and a .936 save percentage in 19 conference games.
An All-ECAC Hockey Second Team selection in 201718, Selander has played in 113
career games at Rensselaer, posting a 32- 62-18 record with a 2.31 goals against average and a .931 save percentage. Ranking first in school history in total saves (3,441) and ties (18), the former SDE Riksserien standout continues to climb in other categories including, games played (second), starts (second, 111), minutes (second, 6,583:20), save percentage (third), win (fourth), goal against average (fifth) and shutouts (fifth, 9).
Nationally, Selander ranks seventh all-time in saves and 23rd in save percentage.
Selander will be the fifth Engineers alumnae to play in the NWHL and the ninth to play professionally overall. Former teammates Alexa Gruschow ‘16 – the 201718 NWHL Most Valuable Player – along with Lauren Wash ‘16 and Lindsey
Hylwa ‘ 15 have all played for the Metropolitan Riveters, while Jordan Smelker ‘14 is a current member of the Pride. Smelker was drafted by the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) in 2014, chosen 43rd overall in the 10th round. After winning the Clarkson Cup with the Blades, she signed on with the Pride for the inaugural season of the NWHL in 2015-16.
Whitney Naslund ‘10, who was selected by the Blades in the 2011 draft (63rd overall), played in the CWHL along with Andie LeDonne ‘13, Sonja van der Bliek ‘11 and Smelker. Delaney Middlebrook ‘15 has played professionally in Sweden for the last four seasons. A 2011 draft choice of the Brampton Thunder (24th overall),
van der Bliek has been the lone RPI goaltender to join the pro ranks, playing for the Thunder and Toronto Furies. She compiled an 11-17-3 record in 37 appearances, posting a 3.07 goals against average and an .896 save percentage.
Founded in 2015, the NWHL is in its fourth season and is comprised of five teams that roster current and former national team players from all over the world, as well as former NCAA stars from across the country.