BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Women's Hockey team returns to Sanford Center for the first time in 41 days and hosts No. 3 University of Minnesota for a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series.
 
The Beavers (5-14-3, 2-11-1 WCHA) face-off against the Golden Gophers (18-4-0, 12-4-0 WCHA) for the second time this season and begin their league series Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:02 p.m. Game two will be held Saturday at 3:32 p.m.
 
Each game will be streamed exclusively online on B1G+ with play-by-play provided by the Beaver Radio Network. The Beaver Radio Network broadcast is also available for each game online at www.beaverradionetwork.com or on the radio at 94.3 FM The Legends.
 
Bemidji State Notes

• Bemidji State returns home to Sanford Center for the first time since Dec. 5-6, 41 days.
• Four of the Beavers five wins have been at home this season.
• Bemidji State will look to end a three-game winless streak (1-2-0).
• The Beavers face the Gophers for the second time this season after their first series back on Nov. 14-15.
• BSU is returning home after a road trip to University of St. Thomas where they were swept by the Tommies in its Lee and Penny Anderson Arena debut.
• Bemidji State was outscored 6-2 in the series with the Tommies with Shelby Sandberg and Isa Goettl scoring both BSU goals.
• 12 WCHA games remain before the WCHA Playoffs begin Feb. 27.
• Sophomore Morgan Smith leads the team with 15 points (8g-7a) through 22 games.
• She has six points (4g-2a) over the last nine games.
• Junior captain Hailey Armstrong paces the Beavers with 10 goals in 22 games and is tied for 15th in the WCHA.
• She reaches double-digits in goals for the second time in her career and ties a career-best of 10 set last season.
• Junior Kate Johnson leads the team with 11 assists and is third on the team with 12 points.
• After a slow start, senior alternate captain Raeley Carney has come on strong over the last nine games posting seven points (3g-4a) and has tied a career-high in points.
• The Beavers' goals per game average of 1.73 this season is the best since the 2019-20 season (1.92).
• Junior Carmen Bray leads the Beavers' blueline with six points off six assists.
• Head coach Amber Fryklund has split time in net between senior Ava Hills and sophomore Kaitlin Groess.
• Groess leads the team with a 3.37 goals against average and a 4-9-2 record and has started the last five games.
• Hills paces the team with a .900 save percentage, is 1-5-1 and leads the WCHA averaging 29.9 saves per game.
• Bemidji State's penalty kill has been excellent as of late and has not allowed a power-play goal since Nov. 28 killing of its last 18 opponent power play.
• It ranks 3rd in the WCHA and 11th nationally with a penalty-kill percentage of at .860 (43-50).
• Redshirt sophomore Isa Goettl leads the team scoring three of the Beavers' six power-play goals.
• Hailey Armstrong's three game-winning goals this season and is tied for fifth most in the WCHA. She is two shy of tying a program career record from most game-winning goals.
• Bemidji State leads the WCHA and is 16th nationally with 309 blocked shots.
• Freshman defender Katy Comstock leads the WCHA with 41 blocked shots despite her 5-foot-0-inch stature.
• Junior Raeley Carney leads the team and is 10th in the WCHA with a .559 face-off winning percentage.
• Sophomore Morgan Smith's 449 face-offs taken are the third most in the WCHA.
• The Beavers are in year two under the leadership of head coach Amber Fryklund.
• She has brought in 11 newcomers to the green and white including transfers Carmen Bray (St. Cloud State) and Elly Klepinger (Minnesota).
• Junior Hailey Armstrong captains the Beavers during the 2025-26 season and will be assisted by Smith and senior Raeley Carney.
• Eight freshmen join the team in Senja Leeper (Minnetonka HS), Lola Macuiba (Shawnigan Lake School), Kasey Senden (Hill-Murray HS), Addie Morris (Benilde-St. Margaret's), Paige Smith (Edmonton Jr. Oilers), Maddie Kaiser (Balmoral Hall Prep), Katy Comstock (Warroad HS) and Ashlyn Hazlett (Minnetonka HS).

For more information on the Bemidji State women's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X or Instagram, or like them on Facebook.
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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