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Wildcat forward Megan Lushanko, who will be a sophomore next season, was one of 15 Minnesota girls selected to participate in the USA Hockey National Girls Select (Advanced) 15 Development Camp, to be held the last week in July in Rochester, New York. She is one of 102 girls from around the country will participate in the camp. Megan is the daughter of Jami and Chris Lushanko of Chisago City.

Wildcat Head Coach Jason Mahlen recommended Lushanko and teammates Katie Johnson and Allison Ives to the tryout process for the development team. Lushanko and Johnson made the 20-player District 10 team and played in the Minnesota Spring Hockey Festival at Schwan Super Rink in Blaine in late April. A total of 240 Minnesota players participated in the festival. Lushanko and Johnson were two from that group selected to participate in the Minnesota Hockey Summer Camp in Mankato, June 13-18.

At the Mankato camp, six teams played a round robin schedule of games and attended dry land training sessions and classroom sessions daily. The staff at the Summer Camp was headed by Kevin Dickie of Minnesota Hockey and included prominent college and high school coaches teamed with current and former college hockey players serving as coaches, role models, and counselors for each team. "The Mankato camp was a positive experience," said Lushanko. "I learned how to make better decisions with the puck and play the game better." Lushanko and 14 others were selected to move on to the National Development Camp in New York.

The Lushanko family is understandably proud of their daughter. And Mahlen is also happy that one of his best players is doing so well. "I'm not surprised the she made the national team," said Mahlen. "Megan is a tenacious competitor and a great skater. Knowing how competitive she is, I can see her rising to the occasion against other girls of similar ability."

"I'm really excited," said Lushanko. "I've been on Select teams in Minnesota and gone to other elite tournaments, but this is my first national experience. And I'm excited to be going there with some friends I know well from being on those other teams, like Hannah Brodt of Roseville and Lisa Marvin of Warroad. It will be fun to meet other girls from different places, too. Since this is a national development, team, there will be a lot of Division 1 college coaches and other scouts there. It's a chance to see how far you can make it, to see if you have potential for the Olympics and things like that."

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