10/23 girls hockey: West Salem’s Unser to play at Wisconsin

By KIRK BEY | kbey@lacrossetribune.com

There’s no doubt in Lauren Unser’s mind the first moment will be overwhelming. And to be honest, she doesn’t know how she’ll react.

Getting to play NCAA Division I women’s hockey in 2009 for the University of Wisconsin, the team Unser verbally committed to this week, has a way of making one’s insides quiver. The West Salem High School senior said she might cry with joy the first time she slips on a Badgers uniform and skates onto the ice at the Kohl Center.

Unser, who will sign her National Letter of Intent in November and receive a partial scholarship, knows opportunities like this one don’t happen to everyone. Sure she’s enjoyed playing club hockey for the Madison Capitols the past few years. She’s savored the opportunities hockey has given her, including three trips to New York to attend the Olympic Development National Camp as well as being selected to represent the United States in a World National Development camp this past summer in Finland.

But playing for the Badgers, who have won two NCAA national titles and are 8-0 and ranked first in the country? Unser still is a bit taken aback something so good has happened to her.

“It’s definitely still sinking in,” Unser said Thursday. “To be joining the No. 1-ranked team in the country, I guess I never thought of what that would be like.

“I don’t know when it’s going to hit me. I still can’t believe it, and I don’t think I will believe it until I sign my (National) Letter of Intent.”

Unser, who also is a member of the West Salem girls cross country and track and field teams, said 17 Division I hockey programs sought her services. Unser initially considered Minnesota, and she also looked at both Ohio State and Boston University.

However, the appeal to play for Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson, a member of the United States’ Olympic gold-medal winning hockey team in 1980, was hard for Unser to turn down. Unser had the opportunity to meet and be coached by Johnson at Olympic Developmental National Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., and she was impressed.

“He (Johnson) is a wonderful coach. He gets along with everybody, and he’s fun to talk to,” Unser said. “It’s definitely intimidating to be around him because he’s such a big figure (in collegiate hockey).”

Unser knows she likely won’t play a major role next season for the Badgers. But she’s more than willing to watch and learn. And somewhere along the line, take a moment simply to enjoy the opportunity she’s been given.

“I know this is going to be great,” Unser said. “I always hoped something like this would happen to me.”