Melanie Gagnon

Melanie Gagnon was an ice hockey player for the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey program.

Playing career
She participated in the Western Shield with the St. Adolphe Hawks from 2000-2003, and captured gold in 2003 Gagnon was a member of Team Manitoba at the 2003 Canada Winter Games. Gagnon played in the Esso Nationals in 2004 with Alberta, winning silver, She also played with Manitoba from 2001-2003

NCAA
In her freshman season (2005-06), Gagnon appeared in 39 games. She registered eleven points (two goals and nine assists). Her plus/minus rating of +17 was second among defensemen. On October 7 against Connecticut, Gagnon had her first career point. On November 4, she had a career-high two assists versus Ohio State. Her first career goal was scored on November 13 as the Gophers beat Brown by a 3-0 tally. In the NCAA regional, Gagnon socred the game-winning goal over Princeton.

In March 2009, Gagnon 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, Gagnon, Jocelyne Larocque of the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, and Mercyhurst forward Bailey Bram all competed in the event.

WWHL
Gagnon competed with the Calgary Oval X-Treme in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons, helping the team win the Western Women's Hockey League Championship in 2004 and 2005. During in the 2004-05 season, scoring nine points while appearing in 16 games.

Hockey Canada
From 2003 to 2008, Gagnon was a five time member of the Canadian Under 22 team. Gagnon captured gold at the 2004 and 2005 Air Canada Cup in Germany

Awards and honors

 * 2009 AHCA Second Team All-American

Awards and honors

 * Letterwinner, Minnesota Golden Gophers ice hockey (2006)
 * 2006 WCHA All-Rookie Team
 * 2007 All-WCHA Third Team selection
 * 2009 Patty Kazmaier nominee

Personal
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. Bulldogs player Jocelyne Larocque is her cousin. Gagnon was also a softball player and won medals at the provincial level in Manitoba in 2002 and 2003.