Mark Johnson just pulled off an incredible recruiting pull. He went into the Minnesota Golden Gophers family and convinced one of the royal daughters to be a Badger. Star 2027 recruit Emily Pohl has decided to bring red and white into a family full of maroon and gold. And it's a big deal for Wisconsin women's hockey even beyond that angle.
Pohl had narrowed her choices down to Wisconsin, Penn State, and Minnesota. It was that final visit to Madison that won her over. According to Kedrick Stumbris, who wrote a very detailed article about her commitment, having Chyna Taylor (a current Wisconsin commit) as a roommate for the U18 Selects Series was a big help in making her a Badger.
#Badgers picking up a commitment tonight from 2027 forward Emily Pohl.
— Kedrick Stumbris (@KedrickStumbris) October 7, 2025
Pohl was in for an official visit with Wisconsin this weekend, getting the last word after she took officials to Minnesota and Penn State. pic.twitter.com/Q0dtwE0U1M
Emily Pohl a lefty forward out of Minnesota has committed to Wisconsin women's hockey
Emily's parents are John Pohl and Krissy Pohl, though back in college, she would have been known by Krissy Wendell. John helped the Golden Gophers win the 2002 men's hockey national championship and was All-WCHA First Team and NCAA All-Tournament Team during that season.
Krissy also played for the Golden Gophers and was one of the star players of the team that went back-to-back winning national championships in 2004 and 2005. In that 2005 season, Krissy received the honor of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which is given to the best women's hockey player in the NCAA.
Enough about the parents, because the decision for Emily was to carve her own legacy and begin her own journey, and she saw the best opportunity as with Mark Johnson and the Wisconsin Badgers. It was the Badgers who took the title back after that 2005 season and proceeded to win the National Championships in 2006, 2007, and then skipped a year but won it again in 2009. That run proved that the Badgers are the new powerhouse and national championship team.
They've since won it five more times, including last season. Pohl wants to be part of that system and these teams that put the best women's hockey players on the ice and hoist banners, and lift trophies. This was a big get for Mark Johnson and the Badgers.