All-American Casey O'Brien, defender Katie Kotlowski will return to Wisconsin hockey for fifth year

MADISON – Prior to the final series of the regular season, the Wisconsin women’s hockey program honored its six seniors.

It turns out two of those players will be back next season.

UW announced Wednesday that forward Casey O’Brien and defender Katie Kotlowski will use their COVID exemption to return to the Badgers for a fifth season..

The announcement came during an offseason that saw the Badgers lose defenders Sophie Helgeson and Maddie Wheeler and goaltender Jane Gervais to the transfer portal.

Wheeler signed with Ohio State.  Helgeson and Gervais have yet to make commitments, according to the transfer portal blog kept by The Rink Live.

O’Brien’s return gives the Badgers a two-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award. She finished in the top three this past season when she posted 23 goals and career highs in assists (50) and points (73).

O’Brien’s return means six of the top seven scorers will return from a team that lost to Ohio State in the national championship game.

Her return also means each of the team’s three first-team All-Americans – Kirsten Simms and Caroline Harvey are the others – will also return next season.

Kotlowski, a La Crosse native, will return with 138 games of experience. She tied her career high for goals (four) and points (11) this season.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin hockey's Casey O'Brien Katie Kotlowski will return next year