Croatia women's national ice hockey team

Croatia

Association	Croatian Ice Hockey Federation
Head coach	Dusko Janjatovic
Assistants	Marijo Budja
Captain	Diana Kruselj-Posavec
Most points	Diana Kruselj-Posavec (56)
IIHF code	CRO
IIHF ranking	20
Highest IIHF ranking	20 (first in 2010)
Lowest IIHF ranking	31 (2007)
First international
Hungary 3 - 2  Croatia (Budapest, Hungary; February 24, 2007)
Biggest win
Croatia 30 - 1 Bulgaria  (Liepāja, Latvia; September 3 2008)
Biggest defeat
Slovakia 18 - 0 Croatia  (Bad Tolz, Germany; September 7, 2008)
IIHF World Women's Championships - Division III
Appearances	2 (first in 2008)
Best result	3rd
International record (W–L–T)
10-12-0

The Croatian women's national ice hockey team represents Croatia at the International Ice Hockey Federation's IIHF World Women's Championships. The women's national team is controlled by Croatian Ice Hockey Federation. As of 2011, Croatia has 39 female players ^[1]. Croatia is ranked 20th in the IIHF World Ranking.

History

Seeing that in Croatia (by status since January 2008) there is only one women's ice hockey club Grič its players are also the only members of the national team. From season 2006/2007 Grič players have been participating in the Slovenian league, along with one Slovenian and one Austrian club.

For several years they have also been participating in an Elite Women's Hockey League with clubs established in the hockey-playing countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Austria and Slovenia).^[2]

World Championships record

In 2007 the Croatian team was the first time involved in the World Championship competition. In the Division IV the team achieved a big surprise by winning the first place in Division IV and was promoted in the Division III.^[3]

Records

Year	World Championship
2007	Finished 28th (First place in Division IV and promoted to Division III)
2008	Finished 24th (3rd in Division III)
2009	Division III Cancelled [4]
2011	Finished 24th (5th in Division III)

Olympic record

Main article: Ice hockey at the Olympic Games

The women's team of Croatia has never qualified for an Olympic tournament. In 2008 the team participated in the qualifying tournament for the Winter Olympic Games 2010 in Vancouver. They lost to Slovakia, Latvia and Italy and beat Bulgaria. They won 4th place.

All-time Record against other nations

As of September 14, 2011

Team	GP	W	T	L	GF	GA
Belgium	2	2	0	0	5	1
Hungary	4	2	0	2	10	20
Bulgaria	1	1	0	0	30	1
Turkey	1	1	0	0	19	1
Estonia	1	1	0	0	12	0
Iceland	1	1	0	0	3	0
New Zealand	1	1	0	0	4	3
Romania	1	1	0	0	3	2
South Korea	1	0	0	1	2	3
Great Britain	1	0	0	1	4	8
Australia	1	0	0	1	1	5
Italy	1	0	0	1	0	8
Latvia	1	0	0	1	0	9
Netherlands	1	0	0	1	0	9
Slovakia	1	0	0	1	0	18
Slovenia	3	0	0	3	6	18

Current roster 2011

^[5]

Goaltenders

Number	Player	Club
25	Lana Belic	Croatia KHL Grič
1	Petra Belobrk	Croatia KHL Grič

Defensemen

Number	Nom	Club
21	Katja Bednjanec	Croatia KHL Grič
8	Ela Filipec - A	Croatia HK Celeia
5	Diana Kruselj-Posavec - Captain	Croatia HK Celeia
14	Ivana Pintar	Croatia KHL Grič
6	Martina Smolec	Croatia HK Celeia

Forwards

Number	Player	Club
15	Tijana Delic	Croatia HK Celeia
22	Anja Kadijevic	Croatia KHL Grič
18	Ivana Kecerin	Croatia KHL Grič
9	Matea Klanac	Croatia KHL Grič
19	Nadja Matic	Germany SERC Lady Wings
13	Sonja Meke	Croatia KHL Grič
12	Iva Mondecar - A	Croatia KHL Grič
24	Danijela Prokopec	Croatia KHL Grič
23	Zelkja Prokopec	Croatia KHL Grič
10	Marija Radonic	Croatia KHL Grič
11	Ana Siranovic	Croatia KHL Grič

Coaching staff

^[5]

• Head Coach: Dusko Janjatovic
• Assistant Coach: Marijo Budja
• Team Leader:: Robert Bednjanec
• Equipment Manager: Dubravko Stimac
• Team Staff Sanja Pecigos-Bednjanec

References

1. ^ "Croatia". International Ice Hockey Federation. http://www.iihf.com/iihf-home/countries/croatia.html. Retrieved March 12, 2011. 
2. ^ "EWHL TEAMS". http://www.ewhl.com/default.aspx?SIId=179. Retrieved December 25, 2008. 
3. ^ "Ako niste znali ženski hokej se igra i u Hrvatskoj". http://www.javno.com/hr/sport/clanak.php?id=32873. Retrieved December 25, 2008. 
4. ^ 2009 Women's Division III, IV and V all Cancelled, http://forums.internationalhockey.net/showthread.php?t=7423
5. ^ ^{a b} "CRO-Croatia, Team roster as of February 1, 2011" (pdf). International Ice Hockey Federation. http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/255/IHW2550CRO_33_1_0.pdf. Retrieved March 12, 2011. 

External links

• Croatian Ice Hockey Federation Official Website
• Croatia Women all time results