Feb. 14, 2008

MADISON, Wis. - The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced today the third annual group of WCHA Scholar-Athlete recipients. Bemidji State’s Haley Balcom (Sr., D, Elk River, Minn.), Jennifer Bauer (Fr., G, St. Catharines, Ontario), Brooke Collins (Jr., D, Pilot Mound, Manitoba), Frances Dorr (So., F, Roseville, Minn.), Tara Hiscock (Sr., F, Turtle River, Minn.), Lisa Kissick (Jr., F, Carman, Manitoba), Jessica Ptachick (So., G, Apple Valley, Minn.) and Monica Rawlings (Jr., F, Maplewood, Minn.) were among the record 78 WCHA athletes bestowed the award for the 2007-08 season.

The eight honorees are a record for Bemidji State, and was the second-most by a female WCHA squad in the three-year history of the award to only this year’s Minnesota State University, Mankato team that had nine players named Scholar-Athletes.

Of the 78 winners, 43 were women’s hockey players and 35 were men’s hockey players from around the league. There were also 24 repeat winners overall, with four coming from Bemidji State in Collins, Hiscock, Kissick and Rawlings. Hiscock is the only current BSU player to have earned the award in its inaugural 2005-06 season.

The WCHA Scholar-Athlete award was developed through Association member team Faculty Representatives and approved by the conference membership beginning with the 2005-06 season. To earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete, conference-member student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters or three quarters, or may qualify if his or her overall GPA is at least 3.50 for all terms at his or her present institution.

The Beavers are on tap for a two-game series Feb. 15-16 against the No. 5-ranked University of Wisconsin. The first game will be played at the Kohl Center and the second game will be played at the Eagle’s Nest. Both contests will begin at 2:07 p.m.

After the final regular season road trip to Wisconsin, Bemidji State will return home for the regular season finale with Ohio State Feb. 22-23. The eight Scholar-Athletes will be recognized and honored prior to the first game of the series with the Buckeyes and will be presented with a plaque at that time for their accomplishments. Also, prior to the second game BSU will recognize its five seniors as they will play their last home game.

--Information courtesy of Western Collegiate Hockey Association

2007-08 WCHA WOMEN SCHOLAR-ATHLETES

Bemidji State University: Haley Balcom (Sr., D, Elk River, Minn.); Jennifer Bauer (^Fr., G, St. Catharines, Ontario); *Brooke Collins (Jr., D, Pilot Mound, Manitoba); Frances Dorr (So., F, Roseville, Minn.); *Tara Hiscock (Sr., F, Turtle River, Minn.); *Lisa Kissick (Jr., F, Carman, Manitoba); Jessica Ptachick (So., G, Apple Valley, Minn.); *Monica Rawlings (Jr., F, Maplewood, Minn.).

University of Minnesota: *Gigi Marvin (Jr., F, Warroad, Minn.); Michelle Maunu (So., D, Esko, Minn.); Anya Miller (Sr., D, Elk River, Minn.).

University of Minnesota Duluth: Emmanuelle Blais (So., F, Lasalle, Quebec); Karine Demeule (Sr., F, Montreal, Quebec); Tawni Mattila (Jr., F, Duluth, Minn.); Sarah Murray (So., D, Fairbault, Minn.); Heidi Pelttari (So., D, Tampere, Finland); Jaime Rasmussen (So., D/F, Garden Grove, Calif.); *Myriam Trepanier (Jr., D, St-Michel-de-Bellechase, Quebec).

Minnesota State University, Mankato: ***Kristina Bunker (Sr., F, Blaine, Minn.); ***Jodi Helminen (Sr., F, Brighton, Mich.); *Jenna Hewitt (So., F, Ramsey, Minn.); Britni Kehler (Sr., G, Mitchell, Manitoba); *Lindsay Macy (Sr., F, Owatonna, Minn.); Kathleen Rosso (So., D, Rogers, Minn.); Amanda Stohr (Sr., F, South St. Paul, Minn.); Andreanne Thibault (Sr., D, L’Orignal, Ontario); Ashley Young (So., F, South St. Paul, Minn.).

University of North Dakota: Andrea Cook (So., F, Reston, Manitoba); *Casie Hanson (Jr., F, St. Peter, Minn.); Jodi Holland (So., F, Rochester, Minn.); *Alyssa Johnson (Jr., F/D, Fergus Falls, Minn.); Brittany Kirkham (So., G, Nepean, Ontario).

Ohio State University: *Liana Bonanno (Jr., G, Mount Sinai, N.Y.); Rachel Davis (So., D, Horton, MI); *Erin Keys (Sr., F, St. Paul, Minn.);
Raelyn LaRocque (So., F, The Pas, Manitoba); ***Mallory Peckels (Sr., F, Minocqua, Wis.).

St. Cloud State University: ***Laura Fast (Sr., F, Calgary, Alberta); Caitlin Hogan (So., F, Oakdale, Minn.); Kelly Meierhofer (So., D, Sauk Rapids, Minn.); Brita Schroeder (Jr., D, Big Lake, Minn.).

University of Wisconsin: Maria Evans (^Fr., F, Chanhassen, Minn.); Emily Morris (Sr., D, Massena, N.Y.).

* = repeat honoree; ^ = redshirt freshman

-bsu-