Years at CSB: Seven
The College of Saint Benedict hockey team hung with each and every opponent it played in 2016-17, and head coach Jen Kranz looks to turn those close games into wins in her seventh season with the program in 2017-18.
CSB finished the 2016-17 season 4-18-3 overall and 1-14-3 in the MIAC. Of those losses, three came in overtime and eight were by a single goal. Saint Benedict took both Concordia – which finished third in the league – and St. Thomas, which won the MIAC playoffs, to overtime before losing by a single goal. Both of CSB’s losses to the Tommies were by a single goal.
Saint Benedict started the 2016-17 season with a sweep of Northland College in late October. In the first game of her senior season, forward Elli Marvin recorded the first hat trick of her career, and the first for the CSB hockey program since at least 2009-10. She was named MIAC Athlete of the Week for the second time in her career following the sweep, in which she recorded six total points on four goals and two assists.
Marvin, who earned All-MIAC First-Team honors for the second time in 2016-17 and is the first CSB hockey player to earn multiple first-team accolades since Susan Engel from 2001-05, led in all three main offensive categories. She finished third in the MIAC in points (27) and fifth in goals (14) and assists (13). That is the most points and assists in a season for a CSB hockey player since 2001-02 and the most goals since 2004-05.
Sophomore goalie Julia Carle also earned MIAC Athlete of the Week honors after making 66 saves to help CSB to a tie and a win against St. Kate’s in February.
Saint Benedict finished 7-15-3 overall and 5-10-3 in the MIAC in 2015-16 and swept St. Thomas – ranked No. 4 in Division III at the time – for the first time since 1999-00. CSB also beat and tied Gustavus that season. CSB finished 7-13-2 overall and 6-10-2 in the MIAC in 2014-15. CSB swept Gustavus Adolphus – ranked No. 7 in the NCAA Division III at the time – in a home/away series late in the season. The loss was the Gusties’ first in MIAC play since 2003-04. CSB finished the year 7-18 overall and 4-14 in the MIAC.
Kranz is 35-94-15 overall and 22-73-13 in the MIAC in her first six seasons at the helm. She guided CSB to a 5-13-4 overall record and a 3-13-2 record in the MIAC in her second season with the team in 2012-13. Kranz finished her first season 5-17-3 overall and 3-12-3 in 2011-12, and picked up her first win as a head coach in her first game on the bench when the team played Marian and won 4-2 on Oct. 29, 2011.
CSB’s recent wins over St. Thomas and Gustavus are just a part of the increased success against ranked opponents. CSB tied No. 9 Concordia 3-3 in 2012, and the next year tied the Cobbers again by the same score. Also in 2012-13, Saint Benedict beat St. Catherine, which was receiving votes in the national poll, 3-0 and handed the Wildcats their first MIAC loss of the year.
Kranz has coached 11 All-MIAC Honorable Mention selections and three All-MIAC picks. She has also coached 26 Blazers who have earned Academic All-MIAC accolades.
Kranz came to CSB after serving as an assistant coach at nearby St. Cloud State from 2006 to 2011. With the NCAA Division I Huskies, she assisted in daily practice planning, with a concentration on coaching forwards. She also served as the team’s recruiting coordinator and monitored the academic progress of her players.
Competing in the rugged Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), a league where members Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth and Wisconsin had combined to win all 12 NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey Championships at the time, she helped the Huskies to a third-place finish in 2009-10. That season the Huskies became the first team in league history outside of the UM, UMD and UW to finish in the top three. She also helped SCSU to two fourth-place finishes, in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
During the 2010-11 season, Kranz served as an assistant coach for the Under-18 U.S. Women’s National Team, winning a gold medal at the 2011 World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden.
Before SCSU, Kranz served as a coach at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minn., from 2002-06. From 2004-06, she served as the assistant girls prep hockey coach and helped the team win back-to-back USA Hockey Girls Under-19 national championships. During her tenure at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, she was responsible for recruiting, travel and budget management, and also served as the public information coordinator for the private school’s athletic programs.
A native of Waukesha, Wis., Kranz played collegiately at NCAA Division I Providence College from 1998-2002, scoring 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 104 career games with the Friars. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 2002 from Providence.
Kranz has also been active as a coach and team leader with USA Hockey, serving as an evaluator for the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association since 2000, while also working with the Minnesota Select’s 15 camp since 2008 and coaching at the USA Hockey Central District Camp. She and her husband, Joey, live in St. Cloud.
Additional Coaching Experience:
2010-2011: Assistant coach for Under-18 US National Women's hockey team
2008-Present: Works with Minnesota Select's 15 camp in Mankato, Minn.
2006-2011: Assistant women's hockey coach at St. Cloud State University
2002-2006: Assistant girls' hockey coach at Shattuck-St. Mary's
2000-Present: Evaluator for Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association
College Education:
2002: Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Providence College
Athletic Career:
Scored 22 career points while playing hockey at Providence College
Year
| Year |
Overall |
MIAC |
| 2011-12 |
5-17-3 |
3-12-3 Ninth (tie) |
| 2012-13 |
5-13-4 |
3-13-2 Eighth |
| 2013-14 |
7-18 |
4-14 Ninth (tie) |
| 2014-15 |
7-13-2 |
6-10-2 Eighth |
| 2015-16 |
7-15-3 |
5-10-3 Eighth |
| 2016-17 |
4-18-3 |
1-14-3 Tenth |
| Totals |
35-94-15 |
22-73-13 |
Kranz's Milestones:
1
st victory - Oct. 29, 2011 Marian University
25th win - Nov. 7, 2015 Marian University
