Jocelyne Larocque

Jocelyne Larocque
University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defenseman Jocelyne Larocque
Born	(1988-05-19) May 19, 1988 Ste. Anne, MB, CAN
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight	139 lb (63 kg; 9 st 13 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
CWHL team Former teams	Brampton Thunder Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Manitoba Maple Leafs Calgary Inferno
National team	Canada
Playing career	2006–present
Medal record Women's ice hockey Competitor for  Canada Olympic Games 2014 Sochi Team IIHF World Women's Championships 2012 United States Team 2011 Switzerland Team 2013 Canada Team 2015 Sweden Team

Jocelyne Dawn Marie Larocque (born May 19, 1988) is a Canadian women’s ice hockey player for Canada women's national ice hockey team^[1] and a former defensemen the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. With the Bulldogs, she is a two-time NCAA Division I national champion (2008, 2010).

Playing career

Larocque played hockey and basketball from 2002–04 at College Lorette Collegiate in Manitoba. During the 2003–04 season, she became the first female to appear in the Winnipeg High School Boys League. Lacroque attended the Hockey Manitoba Program of Excellence Camp from June 25 to 27, 2004.^[2] Larocque competed for Manitoba at the 2003 Esso Women's Nationals in Saskatoon as the Manitoba team finished eighth. In January 2005, she was a member of the Manitoba team that participated at the Canadian National Women's Under-18 Championship in Salmon Arm, B.C. Manitoba finished fifth, but Larocque was honored as Top Defenceman. She won the WWHL championship with the Calgary Oval X-Treme in 2005.^[3]

NCAA

In March 2009, Larocque competed in the NCAA Frozen Four along with two other players from her hometown of Ste. Anne, Manitoba, population 1,500. Known colloquially as the Ste. Anne Three, Larocque, Melanie Gagnon, senior captain of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and Mercyhurst forward Bailey Bram competed in the event.^[4] In 2009, Larocque was the first ever Bulldog defenseman to be named to the All-American first team.^[5]

On March 22, 2010, Larocque had an assist in the 2010 NCAA Frozen Four championship game.^[6]

In a February 12, 2011 game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, Larocque had a goal and three assists as the Bulldogs defeated Ohio State by a 5–1 mark.^[7] Already the all-time top-scoring defenseman in UMD history, she became UMD's 14th player and first defenseman to reach the 100 career point club.^[8] Larocque’s assist on a power play goal with 40 seconds remaining was her second career four-point game. Larocque was the top-scoring defenseman in the WCHA with six goals, 18 assists and 24 points in 26 league contests.^[9]

In post-season league honors,^[10] Larocque was named to the All-WCHA first team; was voted the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of the league's head coaches; was the top-scoring defenseman in the league with six goals, 18 assists and 24 points in 26 league contests; was named the WCHA Outstanding Student Athlete of the Year; and was named to the 2010–11 All-WCHA Academic Team.

Hockey Canada

She participated in the Canadian National Team Fall Festival that ran from Aug. 31 – Sep 9, 2007. She was an Air Canada Cup women’s champion in 2005–06 and 2006–07. On November 27, 2009 Larocque and Brianne Jenner were released from Hockey Canada's centralized roster to determine the roster for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.^[11]

Despite not qualifying for the roster competing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, she was named to the final roster for the 2010 MLP Cup^[12] Larocque had an assist in the semifinal of the 2010 MLP Cup.^[13] In addition, she attended the Hockey Canada Strength and Conditioning Camp in Calgary from May 25–30, 2010.^[14] In addition, Larocque competed with Canada at the 2010 Four Nations Cup and won a gold medal.^[15] Her Olympic debut with the national team came in a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

CWHL

Larocque was a member of the Calgary Inferno. In August 2013, she was traded to the Brampton Thunder for Bailey Bram.^[16]

Career stats

NCAA

Milestones

Team Canada

Awards and honors

• WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (Week of February 16, 2011)^[17]
• 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award Nominee^[18]
• 2011 WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year
• 2011 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year
• 2011 All-WCHA First Team
• 2011 First Team All-America selection^[19]
• 2014 Sochi Olympic Women's Hockey Gold Medal ^[20]

Personal

Former Gophers player and captain Melanie Gagnon is Larocque’s cousin.^[21] A team was named after her at the 2007 Female Atom Hockey Festival presented by the Manitoba Moose on December 29, at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.^[22]

References