| Vaasan Sport Naiset | |
 | |
| City: | Vaasa, Finland |
|---|---|
| League: | Naisten Liiga |
| Founded: | 1983 |
| Home Arena: | Vaasa Arena |
| Owner(s): | Vaasan Sportin Juniorit Ry |
| Head Coach: | Susanne Uppgård (2021–22) |
| Captain: | Pauliina Suoniemi (2021–22) |
Vaasan Sport Naiset were a women's ice hockey team in Finland. They played in Vaasa, on the west coast of Finland, at the Vaasa Arena. Founded in 1983, the team most recently played in the Naisten Liiga from the 2018–19 season until being relegated at the conclusion of the 2021–22 season . The team was dissolved following relegation.
History[]
The women’s representative team of Vaasan Sport debuted in the Naisten SM-sarja, predecessor of the Naisten Liiga, in the 1983–84 season. Sport quickly established themselves as a competitive team, finishing in the top half of the league during their first five seasons and achieving Finnish Championship bronze in 1986. The 1988–89 season was the first time the team finished in the bottom of the league, ranking seventh of eight teams. Following the disappointing season, the team was financially relegated.
Vaasan Sport gained promotion to the SM-sarja in 1993 but the team struggled with the high level of competition and finished in last place. They were able to stave off relegation in the 1993–94 qualifiers but were unable to do so in the following season and were relegated to the Naisten I-divisioona (renamed Naisten Mestis in 2012) in 1995.[1]
In the following two decades, Vaasan Sport played in either the second-tier I-divisioona or third-tier Naisten II-divisioona (renamed Naisten Suomi-sarja in 2003). The team spent at least seven consecutive seasons in the Suomi-sarja prior to their return to the Mestis in the 2015–16 season. The return to Mestis marked a positive shift in the performance of the team and they continued to markedly improve over the ensuing seasons, culminating in their promotion to the Naisten Liiga for the 2018–19 season.[2]
Players and personnel[]
2021–22 roster[]
| # | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 
|
Alva Eloluoma
|
D | – | 17 | 2021 | |
| 32 |
|
Sara Erkkilä
|
D | L | 20 | 2018 | Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 11 |
|
Fanny Fagerudd
|
F | L | 22 | 2019 | Pietarsaari, Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 18 |
|
Meri Haaranoja
|
D | – | 19 | 2021 | |
| 12 |
|
Wilma Hautamäki
|
D | L | 21 | 2019 | Pedersöre, Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 23 |
|
Sanna Karppinen
|
F | L | 26 | 2021 | |
| 17 |
|
Susanna Kupari
(A) |
F | L | 25 | 2020 | |
| 26 |
|
Julia Kuusisto
|
F | L | 18 | 2020 | |
| 13 |
|
Emma-Lotta Laamanen
|
F | L | 22 | 2021 | |
| 25 |
|
Neea Lehtimäki
|
D | L | 23 | 2018 | Kiukainen, Satakunta, Finland |
| 20 |
|
Sanna-Lotta Myllyniemi
|
F | R | 25 | 2018 | Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 14 |
|
Noora Mylläri
(A) |
F | L | 24 | 2013 | Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 30 |
|
Oona Mäki
|
G | L | 25 | 2019 | Seinäjoki, South Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 31 |
|
Melisa Mörönen
|
G | L | 27 | 2018 | Alavus, South Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 10 |
|
Emma Pitkänen
|
F | L | 28 | 2014 | Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 15 |
|
Emma Salpakari
|
D | R | 25 | 2020 | Suonenjoki, North Savo, Finland |
| 8 |
|
Pauliina Suoniemi
(C) |
F | L | 33 | 2014 | Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland |
| 28 |
|
Mari Tervala
|
D/F | L | 25 | 2021 | Joensuu, North Karelia, Finland |
| 19 | 
|
Lyubov Tokar
|
F | R | 21 | 2020 | Holon, Tel Aviv, Israel |
| 16 |
|
Kiia Tuovinen
|
F | L | 21 | 2019 | Haapavesi, North Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 21 |
|
Susanna Viitala
|
F | L | 25 | 2019 | Kokkola, Central Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| 7 |
|
Minna Väglund
|
D | – | 20 | 2020 |
Coaching staff and team personnel
- Head coach: Susanne Uppgård[6]
- Assistant coach: Juhani Sarilo
- Goaltending coach: Jonathan Iilahti
- Goaltending coach: Vesa Perkiö
- Team manager: Leena Kuusisto
- Equipment managers: Jani Kuusisto & Mika Myllyniemi
Team captaincy history[]
- Susanne Uppgård, 2015–2016
- Elina Ojala, 2016–2020
- Pauliina Suoniemi, 2020–2022
Head coaches[]
- Ove Kvist, 2013–2017
- Mika Nummi, 2017–2019
- Marko Haapala, 2019–1 December 2020
- Susanne Uppgård, 1 December 2020–2022
Team honours[]
Finnish Championship[]
Bronze Naisten SM-sarja Third Place (1): 1986
Notable alumni[]
Years active with Sport listed alongside players' names.
- Sari Krooks, 1983–1989 & 1993–94
- Hanna Hakala, 1986–1988
- Tiina Suominen, 1986–1988
- Ida Kuoppala, 2017–2019
References[]
- ↑ Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto. Jääkiekkokirja 2019–2020 (in fi). Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. OCLC 476321083.
- ↑ Terhi, Varjonen (2018-12-03). Naisten liigauntuvikko Sport tykkää vauhdista ja haasteista (fi).
- ↑ Joukkueet: Naiset, Joukkue (fi).
- ↑ Sport, 2021-2022 Roster – Naisten Liiga (W) (en).
- ↑ Kokoonpano Sport – Naisten Liiga, alkusarja (fi). Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
- ↑ Viljanen, Markus (2021-03-16). Kesken kauden päävalmentajaksi noussut Susanne Uppgård tavoittelee Sportin kanssa onnistumisia karsintasarjassa (fi-fi). Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
External links[]
- Team information and statistics from Eliteprospects.com and Eurohockey.com
- Official site (in Finnish)
- Vaasan Sport Naiset on Instagram
- Vaasan Sport Naiset on Twitter