BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Sophomore goaltender Sophia Villanueva of the Bemidji State University Women's Hockey team has been named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Goaltender of the Week, as announced by the league Monday afternoon.
 
Villanueva started both games of the Beavers' road series at No. 9 St. Cloud State University October 23-24 and stopped 54 of the 58 shots she faced. She finished the weekend with a .931 save percentage and 2.06 goals-against average over 116:44 in net.
 
The sophomore averaged 27 saves per game and surrendered just four goals during the series, with the Huskies' fifth goal of the weekend scored into an empty net. Villanueva also helped Bemidji State hold St. Cloud State scoreless on all three of its power-play opportunities.
 
She is the first WCHA weekly award winner for the Beavers this season and last since Kaitlin Groes (Goaltender) on Nov. 10, 2025. It is her second weekly award from the WCHA after earning WCHA Rookie of the Week honors last season at Minnesota Duluth.
 
The weekly honor is presented by OS Hockey. Villanueva was joined among this week's award recipients by Jocelyn Amos of Ohio State as Forward of the Week, Sloane Hartmetz of Minnesota as Defender of the Week and Alexis Ehrman of St. Cloud State as Rookie of the Week.
 
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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