MINNEAPOLIS — The defending NCAA champion Minnesota women’s hockey team has released its schedule for next season.

The Gophers officially start the regular season on the road at Penn State with a Thursday-Friday series on Oct. 1-2. The Penn State series is a rematch of the Gophers’ 2014 season opener, in which Minnesota defeated the Nittany Lions 8-0.

Minnesota’s unofficial season opener is an exhibition game against the Minnesota Whitecaps at Ridder Arena on Sept. 25. The Gophers play another exhibition game against the Whitecaps on Jan. 6.

The Gophers’ WCHA slate includes games against St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth, Bemidji State, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

Minnesota will face SCSU in the 2015 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game. The nonconference game will be played in Roseville on Dec. 11.