U18 Women’s National Team begins World Championship preparations

Only last September, Austria’s U18 women’s national ice hockey team secured promotion to Division IA by winning in Radenthein. From 9–15 January, they will battle Italy, France, Germany, Hungary and Norway for promotion to the Top Division in Ritten (ITA).

03 January 20233 min read

Magdalena Luggin, Karla Kronberger, Anna Billa, Franziska Flick, Gloria Henek, Hannah Leitner, Laura Leitner, Lena Artner, Hanna Danninger, Zoey Hobitsch, Leonie Kutzer, Tamina Schall, Hanna Schwarzer, Laura Nagy and Serena Unger are among the 14 gold-medal winners from the last World Championship in the squad. Zoey Hobitsch, the MVP of the World Championship Division IB, is also included.

The fact that promotion to the Top Division is nevertheless still a long way off is underlined by Head Coach Mario Bellina: “All teams are travelling to Ritten to compete for promotion. A lot can always happen in a tournament. We need to take it game by game and try to improve from game to game. Then we can go a long way in this tournament too.”

Only four months ago, they won gold at the U18 World Championship Division IB in Radenthein, which had been postponed several times due to COVID. The aim is to carry the experience and team spirit from then into the upcoming tournament, Mario Bellina: “As coaches, we now want to build a team in preparation like the one we had in Radenthein. We had a great atmosphere there, on and off the ice. Every single player contributed to the success. We expect the players who were in Radenthein to be able to inspire the new ones and set an example with their winning mentality. Then we will be on the right track.”

Over the coming days, intensive work will focus on play in their own zone and scoring. The aim is to exit the defensive zone quickly and play forward. In front of the opposition net, the next step needs to be taken in order to score the necessary goals at the World Championship.

Regarding their chances of promotion, the Head Coach: “In my opinion, a lot is possible. Much will depend on how we perform.”

2023 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship Division I, Group A

9–15 January 2023, Ritten/Italy

Schedule

Austria vs. Italy
Mon, 9 January 2023, 20:00

France vs. Austria
Tue, 10 January 2023, 16:30

Germany vs. Austria
Thu, 12 January 2023, 13:00

Hungary vs. Austria
Fri, 13 January 2023, 20:00

Austria vs. Norway
Sun, 15 January 2023, 13:00

World Championship preparation squad

#	Surname	First name	Pos.	Date of birth	L/R	Club
1	FALMBIGL	Davina	GK	05.01.05	L	EAC Junior Capitals / DEC Salzburg Eagles
2	LUGGIN	Magdalena	GK	06.11.05	L	Okanagan Hockey Club Europe
3	KRONBERGER	Karla Emilia	GK	16.07.06	L	KSV EHV Neuberg Highlanders / DEC Devils Graz

1	BILLA	Anna Marlene	D	21.06.06	L	KSV EHV Neuberg Highlanders / EAC Junior Capitals
2	FLICK	Franziska	D	19.06.05	L	Union Kremser EV / EAC Junior Capitals
3	HENEK	Gloria	D	05.11.07	L	EHC Winterthur (SUI)
4	KLAMMINGER	Julia	D	24.11.05	L	DEC Devils Graz / KSV EHV Neuberg Highlanders
5	LEITNER	Hannah	D	11.05.06	L	HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie
6	LEITNER	Laura	D	15.04.05	L	Södertalje SK (SWE)
7	NAGY	Laura	D	02.10.06	L	Newark Ironbound (USA)

1	ARTNER	Lena Maria	F	14.06.05	L	EKU Mannheim (GER)
2	BRUNNER	Elisa	F	07.03.07	L	EC Götzens / EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
3	DANNINGER	Hanna	F	09.02.06	L	DEC Salzburg Eagles & Sportunion DEC IceCats Linz AG
4	HOBITSCH	Zoey Alexandra	F	03.08.06	L	EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV / KSV EHV Neuberg Highlanders
5	KOHLER	Emma Maria	F	11.10.06	L	SC Rheintal (SUI)
6	KUTZER	Leonie	F	26.03.05	L	SC Rheintal (SUI)
7	LINTNER	Emma	F	15.12.08	L	EC-KAC / KEHV Lakers
8	LÜFTENEGGER	Alma Caroline	F	20.02.05	L	Guildford JIHC (GBR)
9	SCHALL	Tamina	F	24.03.05	L	EC-KAC / KEHV Lakers
10	SCHWARZER	Hanna	F	16.12.05	L	DEC Salzburg Eagles / Sportunion DEC IceCats Linz AG
11	UNGER	Serena	F	18.12.07	R	KSV EHV Neuberg Highlanders / DEC Devils Graz