Bemidji State University kicked off its 15th season of NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey Oct. 5-6 with a two-game split at Providence. The Beavers captured the first game of the series by a 2-1 score, and Providence gained the split with a 5-1 victory in Game 2.
The Beavers make their first regular-season home appearance Oct. 12-13 against St. Cloud State University; the games will begin at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 3:07 p.m. Saturday at the Sanford Center in Bemidji.
Bemidji State had arguably its finest season a year ago, finishing 17-17-3 overall with an 11-15-2-0 ledger in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association – arguably the nation’s toughest conference. The Beavers went undefeated in nonconference play, going 6-0-1.
After jumping out to a 6-2-2 start, including a 2-1 win over eventual national champion Minnesota, Bemidji State climbed into the Top 10 for the first time in the program’s history, eventually reaching as high as No. 7. After finishing sixth in the conference, the Beavers fell to NCAA Tournament-bound and third-seeded North Dakota in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
Steve Sertich enters his seventh season as head coach of the BSU women’s hockey program in 2012-13. Sertich has helped propel the Beavers to 43 wins in the last three years, the most wins in a three-year span in the program’s history.
MINNESOTA
Alexandria |56308| Abby Williams, senior, forward, Spanish
Chisago City |55013| Megan Lushanko, freshman, forward, undeclared
Cloquet |55720| Sadie Lundquist, senior, forward, sport management
Coleraine |55722| Emily Erickson, senior, forward, mathematics
Crookston |56716| Erika Wheelhouse, senior, defense, psychology
Grand Rapids |55744| Jessica Havel, senior, goalis, communications
Maplewood |55117| Allie Duellman, junior, defense, elementary education
North Saint Paul |55109| Stephanie Anderson, sophomore, pre-veterinary science
Rosemount |55068| Rachael Kelly, sophomore, forward, business
Savage |55378| Alex Citrowske, sophomore, forward, undeclared
Waconia |55387| Danielle Williams, junior, defense, exercise science
Walker |56484| Molly Arola, senior, forward, physical education
Woodbury |55125| Jenessa Philipczyk, freshman, defense/forward, biology
ALASKA
Fairbanks |99707| Whitney Wivoda, sophomore, forward, undeclared
WISCONSIN
Portage |53952| Alex Ehlert, junior, defense, psychology
CANADA
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Kelowna |V1Z2P7| Kristin Huber, sophomore, forward, exercise science
MANITOBA
Carman |ROG0J0| Emily McKnight, junior, defense, business
Fannystelle |R0G0P0| Natasha Kostenk, sophomore, forward, sport management
Oak Bluff |R0GIN0| Tess Dusik, junior, defense/forward, exercise science
Virden |R0M2CO| Kayleigh Chapman, sophomore, defense, physical education
Winnipeg |R3W1J7| Abby Ryplanski, sophomore, goalie, biology
ONTARIO
Milton |L9T5S4| Hanna Moher, freshman, forward, business
Missisauga |L5K2B8| Lauren Merkley, freshman, defense, liberal education
Monkland |K0C1V0| Alexane Rodrigue, freshman, goalie, biology
Ottawa |K2W1A2| Mackenzie Thurston, senior, forward, exercise science
Thunder Bay |P7K1A1| Kaitlyn Tougas, freshman, forward, nursing
Trenton |K8V6X6| Jaime Hatheway, senior, forward, business