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MADISON – Ask about Casey O’Brien’s start at Wisconsin, and Mark Johnson’s mind goes not to the 19-year-old freshman who scored all of two goals in that screwy, COVID-shortened season but further back.
“She attended our hockey school one summer when she was really young and obviously got on campus,” the longtime UW women’s hockey coach recalled.
“You know, even at a young age, her skill set was obvious. And then, how was she going to develop? She kept working at her game and kept getting better and better.”
More: What to know about Wisconsin women's hockey vs Minnesota in NCAA Frozen Four semifinals: Time, TV, schedule, streaming
O’Brien’s time as a Badger will conclude this weekend, four years, three months and three weeks after she first saw a puck drop while wearing the cardinal and white.
In the five seasons since then she has become an elite offensive threat, an all-around player, a dear friend and teammate, a leader, the program’s all-time top scorer and a two-time national champion.
And O’Brien can exit with two more trophies.
Wisconsin (36-1-2) plays in the Frozen Four – the semifinals are Friday and championship Sunday in Minneapolis – and along with two teammates she is up for the Patty Kazmaier Award to be presented Saturday to the nation’s top player.
“If you asked me my freshman year what I thought or what I hoped for coming out of my five years here, it wouldn't be any of the accomplishments that have come along,” O’Brien said.
“It would be getting better as a player, as a person. And hopefully a national championship or two. Really excited to go for the third.”
O’Brien grew up in New York City and then in Massachusetts before landing at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a college-prep boarding school with an elite hockey training program in Faribault, Minnesota. As a junior she was named the USA TODAY high school player of the year.
Twice O’Brien medaled with Team USA at the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 world championships, a gold in 2018 and silver in ’19. She also missed part of her high school senior season for hip surgery.
O’Brien’s first year at Wisconsin started while the country was still wrestling with the pandemic.
“It was definitely a weird year,” O’Brien said. “My freshman year, with it being the COVID year, we weren't sure we were going to play for a few months. And then when we did start playing, we got shut down for another, I think, six weeks.
“And so it was kind of just taking it day by day. It was obviously a big adjustment coming in as a freshman. Everybody on the team was so talented, and so I think that year was mostly for development and finding my game, finding my confidence.”
At that point, the 5-foot-4 O’Brien’s role was to use her quickness to chase down pucks in the corners and be a playmaker. She skated in all 21 games, scoring 10 points on two goals and eight assists, and celebrated her first national title.
The following year O’Brien would become more of an offensive threat, finishing second to Daryl Watts for goals, assists and points on a team that went 26-8-4 and lost in the NCAA regionals.
Each year since she has led the Badgers in points, assists or both, but O’Brien remains scrappy and her game has continued to evolve from one end of the rink to the other. She won a second national title in 2023.
“As she came to us, one of the things that she talked about, we discussed, was can we take your game and really become a 200-foot player?” Johnson said. “That’s one of the things that she’s been able to do.
“Good on faceoffs, good at killing penalties. And so she became an all-around player. Her stats obviously are at a real high level. So offensively, she didn’t miss out on anything, but she became more of a well-rounded player.”
After setting the single-season assists record last season with 50, O’Brien broke that this season. After finishing second in scoring nationally behind teammate Kirsten Simms in 2023-24 – and then having wrist surgery – O’Brien moved to the top with 85 points on 25 goals and 60 assists heading into the Frozen Four.
Along the way – with the benefit of a fifth season due to the COVID year – she took the Badgers’ all-time scoring record away from Hilary Knight. O’Brien sits at 271 career points.
“On the ice every year, she just gets better and pushes everyone to the next level,” said Sarah Wozniewicz, a senior teammate, classmate and road roommate.
“This year it’s just been incredible to watch her play and be her teammate and see what she can do and break records, so many records.”
Simms, now a junior, was among the first to greet O’Brien when she broke the record.
“She’s obviously such an incredible player, and she’s shown that since she’s come in here her freshman year,” Simms said. “She’s someone that I’ve honestly looked up to since I was in youth hockey before I got here. I was super excited to get the opportunity to play on a team with her, and now I’ve got an opportunity to play aside her for last two years, and it’s just been unbelievable.
“She’s so talented and so fun to play with. It’s sad that our time comes to end soon together, but I’m just so proud of her, and all the things she’s done here are truly incredible.”
O’Brien isn’t done.
The Badgers (36-1-2)meet rival Minnesota (29-11-1) in a national semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Friday and hope to advance to play the Ohio State-Cornell winner for the NCAA title at 3 p.m. Sunday. Two victories would set a UW single-season mark and give Wisconsin a record-extending eighth title and O’Brien three in five years.
In between, O’Brien, junior defender Caroline Harvey or junior forward Laila Edwards will become the sixth Badger to win the Kazmaier Award for player of the year Saturday.
“Being named in the same group as them is an award within itself,” O’Brien said. “Our focus is on the natty, but I think we all appreciate how special this is, and it makes it all the better that we’re doing it together.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's Casey O'Brien heads to final women's hockey Frozen Four
Continue reading...
“She attended our hockey school one summer when she was really young and obviously got on campus,” the longtime UW women’s hockey coach recalled.
“You know, even at a young age, her skill set was obvious. And then, how was she going to develop? She kept working at her game and kept getting better and better.”
More: What to know about Wisconsin women's hockey vs Minnesota in NCAA Frozen Four semifinals: Time, TV, schedule, streaming
O’Brien’s time as a Badger will conclude this weekend, four years, three months and three weeks after she first saw a puck drop while wearing the cardinal and white.
In the five seasons since then she has become an elite offensive threat, an all-around player, a dear friend and teammate, a leader, the program’s all-time top scorer and a two-time national champion.
And O’Brien can exit with two more trophies.
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Wisconsin (36-1-2) plays in the Frozen Four – the semifinals are Friday and championship Sunday in Minneapolis – and along with two teammates she is up for the Patty Kazmaier Award to be presented Saturday to the nation’s top player.
“If you asked me my freshman year what I thought or what I hoped for coming out of my five years here, it wouldn't be any of the accomplishments that have come along,” O’Brien said.
“It would be getting better as a player, as a person. And hopefully a national championship or two. Really excited to go for the third.”
O’Brien grew up in New York City and then in Massachusetts before landing at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a college-prep boarding school with an elite hockey training program in Faribault, Minnesota. As a junior she was named the USA TODAY high school player of the year.
Twice O’Brien medaled with Team USA at the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 world championships, a gold in 2018 and silver in ’19. She also missed part of her high school senior season for hip surgery.
O’Brien’s first year at Wisconsin started while the country was still wrestling with the pandemic.
“It was definitely a weird year,” O’Brien said. “My freshman year, with it being the COVID year, we weren't sure we were going to play for a few months. And then when we did start playing, we got shut down for another, I think, six weeks.
“And so it was kind of just taking it day by day. It was obviously a big adjustment coming in as a freshman. Everybody on the team was so talented, and so I think that year was mostly for development and finding my game, finding my confidence.”
At that point, the 5-foot-4 O’Brien’s role was to use her quickness to chase down pucks in the corners and be a playmaker. She skated in all 21 games, scoring 10 points on two goals and eight assists, and celebrated her first national title.
The following year O’Brien would become more of an offensive threat, finishing second to Daryl Watts for goals, assists and points on a team that went 26-8-4 and lost in the NCAA regionals.
Each year since she has led the Badgers in points, assists or both, but O’Brien remains scrappy and her game has continued to evolve from one end of the rink to the other. She won a second national title in 2023.
You must be registered for see images attach
“As she came to us, one of the things that she talked about, we discussed, was can we take your game and really become a 200-foot player?” Johnson said. “That’s one of the things that she’s been able to do.
“Good on faceoffs, good at killing penalties. And so she became an all-around player. Her stats obviously are at a real high level. So offensively, she didn’t miss out on anything, but she became more of a well-rounded player.”
After setting the single-season assists record last season with 50, O’Brien broke that this season. After finishing second in scoring nationally behind teammate Kirsten Simms in 2023-24 – and then having wrist surgery – O’Brien moved to the top with 85 points on 25 goals and 60 assists heading into the Frozen Four.
Along the way – with the benefit of a fifth season due to the COVID year – she took the Badgers’ all-time scoring record away from Hilary Knight. O’Brien sits at 271 career points.
“On the ice every year, she just gets better and pushes everyone to the next level,” said Sarah Wozniewicz, a senior teammate, classmate and road roommate.
“This year it’s just been incredible to watch her play and be her teammate and see what she can do and break records, so many records.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Simms, now a junior, was among the first to greet O’Brien when she broke the record.
“She’s obviously such an incredible player, and she’s shown that since she’s come in here her freshman year,” Simms said. “She’s someone that I’ve honestly looked up to since I was in youth hockey before I got here. I was super excited to get the opportunity to play on a team with her, and now I’ve got an opportunity to play aside her for last two years, and it’s just been unbelievable.
“She’s so talented and so fun to play with. It’s sad that our time comes to end soon together, but I’m just so proud of her, and all the things she’s done here are truly incredible.”
O’Brien isn’t done.
The Badgers (36-1-2)meet rival Minnesota (29-11-1) in a national semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Friday and hope to advance to play the Ohio State-Cornell winner for the NCAA title at 3 p.m. Sunday. Two victories would set a UW single-season mark and give Wisconsin a record-extending eighth title and O’Brien three in five years.
In between, O’Brien, junior defender Caroline Harvey or junior forward Laila Edwards will become the sixth Badger to win the Kazmaier Award for player of the year Saturday.
“Being named in the same group as them is an award within itself,” O’Brien said. “Our focus is on the natty, but I think we all appreciate how special this is, and it makes it all the better that we’re doing it together.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's Casey O'Brien heads to final women's hockey Frozen Four
Continue reading...
