The Bemidji State Beavers are a women's college hockey team representing Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota, United States. They play at the NCAA Division I level, and compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).

History

The Bemidji State University intercollegiate women's ice hockey program began competition in the 1998–1999 season. The first head coach was Ruthann Cantile. She was head coach from the program's founding to the start of WCHA play, and the beginning of national NCAA Championships in 2001.

Over the next several years, Bemidji State met with little success, while playing against the best teams in the nation, in conference play. The Beavers were able to recruit 2002 German Olympian Defender Nina Zieganhals in 2003. After disappointing seasons under Jason Lesterberg (2000–01) and Bruce Olson, who left the program during the 2005–06 season, Bemidji State hired Steve Sertich for the 2006–07 season. Sertich presided over the team for eight years until his retirement in 2014.

On February 27, 2010, Bemidji State ended its 14-game playoff losing streak in a 2–1 victory over St. Cloud State. The next day, the Beavers defeated St. Cloud State in Game 3, and advanced to the WCHA Final Face-Off for the first time in school history. Zuzana Tomcikova had 27 saves and the win was the Beavers 12th win of the season. It tied the school record for most wins in a season (accomplished in 2001–02). The Beavers advanced to play the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the WCHA semi-finals but were eliminated.

On October 16, 2010, Beaver goaltender Alana McElhinney made a career-high 56 saves. In the game, Bemidji State had its first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked team as they defeated the Mercyhurst Lakers by a 5–3 mark. In addition, this was the second women's game ever played at the new Bemidji Regional Event Center.

October 29–30, 2010: Erin Cody had the biggest weekend of her collegiate career. She was involved in all seven of the Bemidji State's goals, as the Beavers swept St. Cloud State. Cody had five goals and two assists, and was a factor in both game-winning goals. Cody earned the First Star of the Game honors in both games. In the first game, Cody scored a natural hat trick (a power-play, shorthanded, and even-strength goal). All three goals were scored in the first period and set a Beavers record for most goals scored by a single player in one period. In the second game, Cody had two goals and two assists.

On January 28, 2012, the Badgers hosted a record crowd of 12,402 at the Kohl Center as Wisconsin swept the Bemidji State Beavers. Alex Rigby made 28 saves to obtain her sixth shutout of the campaign. Her rival between the pipes, Bemidji State goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova made 32 saves.

The Beavers made history on March 7, 2015, as they defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers by a 1–0 tally in the semifinals of the WCHA Final Face-Off. The game-winning goal was scored by Stephanie Anderson in the third period. Beavers goaltender Brittni Mowat made 37 saves, registering her seventh shutout of the season, a new program record. In addition, it marked the first time that the Beavers advanced to the championship game of the WCHA Final Face-Off.

On February 29, 2020, the Bemidji State Beavers beat the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the fourth overtime period of their WCHA Quarterfinal match, making it in the longest game in WCHA women's ice hockey history, and the second longest in NCAA history. Beaver forward Reece Hunt scored the game-winning goal at 8:43 of the fourth overtime. The game lasted four hours and 50 minutes, with 128:43 of on-ice time. The final score was 2–1. The victory marked Jim Scanlon's 100th win as head coach for Bemidji; he is the first coach in the women's ice hockey program's history to reach 100 wins.

Year by year Won championshipLost championshipConference championsLeague leader

Year Coach W L T Conference Conf. W Conf. L Conf. T Finish Conference Tournament NCAA Tournament2024–25Amber Fryklund6301WCHA42408th WCHALost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin Did not qualify2023–24Jim Scanlan4302WCHA32418th WCHALost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State Did not qualify2022–23Jim Scanlan5301WCHA22608th WCHALost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State Did not qualify2021–22 Jim Scanlan 11 20 3 WCHA 8 18 2 6th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin Did not qualify2020–21 Jim Scanlan 2 16 2 WCHA 2 16 2 7th WCHA Did not qualify Did not qualify 2019–20 Jim Scanlan 16 18 3 WCHA 9 13 2 5th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Did not qualify 2018–19 Jim Scanlan 13 21 2 WCHA 10 12 2 5th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Did not qualify 2017–18 Jim Scanlan 16 19 3 WCHA 9 13 2 5th WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Lost Semifinals vs. Wisconsin Did not qualify 2016–17 Jim Scanlan 12 20 3 WCHA 7 18 3 7th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Did not qualify 2015–16 Jim Scanlan 22 11 3 WCHA 19 9 2 3rd WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Did not qualify 2014–15 Jim Scanlan 21 17 1 WCHA 13 14 1 5th WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota Lost Championship vs. Wisconsin Did not qualify 2013–14 Steve Sertich 11 21 4 WCHA 8 17 3 6th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals to North Dakota Did not qualify 2012–13 Steve Sertich 6 26 2 WCHA 5 22 1 8th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals to Minnesota Did not qualify 2011–12 Steve Sertich 17 17 3 WCHA 11 15 2 6th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. North Dakota Did not qualify 2010–11 Steve Sertich 14 17 4 WCHA 11 13 4 5th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. North Dakota Did not qualify 2009–10 Steve Sertich 12 19 7 WCHA 9 12 7 6th WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Did not qualify 2008–09 Steve Sertich 6 25 5 WCHA 3 22 3 8th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Did not qualify 2007–08 Steve Sertich 4 29 3 WCHA 1 25 2 8th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Did not qualify 2006–07 Steve Sertich 11 20 5 WCHA 9 15 4 6th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Did not qualify 2005–06 Bruce Olson; Interim: Jim Ingman, Sis Paulsen 11 23 2 WCHA 10 18 0 6th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota–Duluth Did not qualify 2004–05 Bruce Olson 9 24 2 WCHA 5 22 1 8th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Did not qualify 2003–04 Bruce Olson 5 27 2 WCHA 3 20 1 7th WCHA Did not qualify Did not qualify 2002–03 Bruce Olson 9 17 7 WCHA 5 13 6 5th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State Did not qualify 2001–02 Jason Lesteberg 12 13 8 WCHA 7 11 6 5th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State Did not qualify 2000–01 Ruthann Cantile 9 24 1 WCHA 6 17 1 6th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin Did not qualify 1999–00 Ruthann Cantile 15 18 2 WCHA 5 17 2 6th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin Did not qualify 1998–99Ruthann Cantile 2 20 0 WCHA

Current roster

Olympians Nina Ziegenhals, defenseman, Germany; 2002 Winter Olympics Zuzana Tomcikova, goaltender, Slovak Republic; 2010 Winter Olympics

World Championships Stephanie Anderson, forward, North St. Paul, Minn. First Beaver player to win a gold medal in a world championship on April 4, 2015 when the United States National Team defeated Canada 7–5 to capture the 2015 IIHF World Championships in Malmo, Sweden. Ivana Bilic, played for Team Canada's Development Team, in the 2016 Nations Cup, January 4–6, 2016.

Beavers in professional hockey = CWHL All-Star = NWHL All-Star= Clarkson Cup Champion= Isobel Cup Champion= Walter Cup Champion Player Position Team(s) League(s) Years Eva Maria Beiter-Schwärzler DSC Oberthurgau Swiss Women's AStephanie Anderson Minnesota Whitecaps (2016-17, 2019-2023), Kunlun Red Star (2017-18), Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays (2018-19)NWHL, PHF, CWHL Ivana Bilic Defense Connecticut WhaleModo (2018–19)Brynäs IF(2019–20) NWHL SDHL Tess Dusik Göteborg HCSwedish Hockey League Dam Div1 Clair DeGeorge ForwardMinnesota PWHL (2023-34), Montreal Victoire (2024-25), Toronto Sceptres (2025-26)PWHL 2023-24Lauren Bench ForwardMoDo Hockey (2022-23), Minnesota PWHL (2023-34), Djurgårdens IF (women's ice hockey) (2025-26)PWHL Swedish Women's Hockey League 2023-24Haley Mack Minnesota Whitecaps NWHL (2020-2021) Jenn Sadler Mississauga Chiefs CWHLZuzana TomčíkováGoaltenderMoscow Tornado EWCC-Women

Awards and honors Reece Hunt, WCHA Rookie of the Month (February 2020) Lauren Bench, WCHA Goaltender of the Month (December 2019) Kerigan Dowhy, WCHA Goaltender of the Month (February 2018) Ivana Bilic, 2016 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year Brittni Mowat, Goaltender, 2015 All-USCHO.com Women's Second-Team Jim Scanlan, Head Coach, 2015 USCHO.com National Coach of the Year Alexis Joyce, Defenseman, 2015 All-WCHA Rookie Team Alexis Joyce, WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (Week of January 24, 2017) Mak Langei, 2020-21 WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year Brittni Mowat, Goaltender, 2015 All-WCHA First Team Brittni Mowat, Goaltender, 2015 CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-Americans, First Team Zuzana Tomcikova, Goaltender, 2012 CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-American: Second Team Zuzana Tomcikova, Goaltender, 2012 Patty Kazmaier Award nominee Steve Sertich, Head Coach, 2010 WCHA Coach of the Year Zuzana Tomcikova, Goaltender, 2010 Co-WCHA Player of the Year2010 Awards Western Collegiate Hockey Association Jill Luebke, Goaltender, 2003 WCHA All-Rookie team Anik Cote, Goaltender, 2003 WCHA Student Athlete of the Year

See also Bemidji State Beavers men's ice hockey

References

External links BSU Women's Ice Hockey