University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Announce 2002-03 Incoming Class
6/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
STORRS, CT (June 27) – The University of Connecticut women’s ice hockey program and third year head coach Heather Linstad announced five recruits have committed to attend the University of Connecticut for the upcoming 2002-03 season. Scheduled to enroll in the fall are Janelle Armitage (Kinsella, Alberta), Dani Aud (Riverwoods, IL), Jennifer Holden (Richmond Hill, Ontario), Kaitlyn Shain (Calgary, Alberta) and Jill VanDam (Port Perry, Ontario).
Janelle Armitage hails from Kinsella, Alberta. She attended Viking High School in Viking, Alberta through her junior year, and then transferred to Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan for her senior season. A center for the Notre Dame Hounds, Armitage was part of the 2001-02 Provincial and Western Canadian Championship Team, and was named an All-League All-Star. She scored 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points while playing in 23 games at Notre Dame, while also participating in badminton, volleyball, track and field and Rugby. Armitage was selected to attend the 2000 and 2002 Alberta Winter Games, and was part of the 2000 U-18 Program for Excellence for Hockey Alberta.
A forward, Dani Aud is a native of Riverwoods, IL. During her freshman year of high school, she attended Wiliston Northampton School in Easthampton, MA, and then went on to Tabor Academy in Marion, MA to complete her high school career. At Tabor, Aud played hockey and completed the 2001-02 season scoring 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points. She also played for the South Coast Sharks during her junior and senior seasons scoring 40 points on 25 goals and 15 assists. Named to the 2001 Boston Globe New England Prep All-Star Team, Aud was a three-time Hockey Night In Boston participant for the Great Lakes and Midwest teams, and a 2001 HNIB All-Star.
Jennifer Houlden, a native of Richmond Hill, Ontario, will help to solidify the Husky defense. While attending the Langstaff Secondary School, Houlden was a nine-sport athlete, captaining the hockey, volleyball, soccer and ultimate Frisbee teams. She led the hockey team in scoring, was named the Athlete of the Year and received the Graham Hobbs Memorial Award for leadership and athletic excellence in 2001. Houlden also played for the Toronto Junior Sting, an intermediate youth team. She was the 2001-02 captain of the Sting, and helped her youth teams in winning the 2001-02 Silver Provincial Medal and the 1997-98 Gold Provincial Medal. Houlden was also a member of Team Ontario U-18 Team in 2001.
Kaitlyn Shain is a native of Calgary, Alberta. A goaltender, Shain played the 2001-02 season for the Airdrie Midget "A1", where she saw time in 45 games. Shain allowed 93 goals for a 2.06 goals against average, sporting a 29-7-9 record. Before Airdrie, she played for 2000-01 Midget "A1" for Sundre Boys. While playing for the Sundre Boys, Shain was named the Most Dedicated Player. She was also part of the 2002 Provincial Champions and 2002 Westerns Canadian Shield Silver Medallists. She was named to the 2002 Alberta Winter Games where the team achieved a Silver Medal.
Jill VanDam comes to UConn from Port Perry, Ontario. A forward, VanDam played four years, up to the present, for the Toronto Sting Intermediate AA Team where she was a two-year assistant captain. The team placed second in the Provincials Tournament. She attended high school in Port Perry where she played field hockey, volleyball and soccer. VanDam was selected Athlete of the Year, was named Ambassador of Port Perry and was chosen to attend the Ontario Leadership Center.
