2008-09 Bemidji State Team Outlook
The Bemidji State women's hockey team is looking to keep improving on its successes coming off a rebuilding season that saw the Beavers go 6-25-5 and 2-22-3 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) in the 2008-09 season. After losing 14 returning players after the 2007-08 season, the young team was launched into a high level of competition most freshmen don't get to see.
The Beavers will return all but four players return to the ice, including the top four scorers from the 08-09 season: forwards, Erin Cody (12g, 16a), Erin Johnson (10g, 11a), Annie Bauerfield (8g, 13a), and defensemen Montana Vichorek (3g, 10a). The four combined for 59-percent of the Beaver's offensive output a year ago.
The trio of Cody, Bauerfield, and Johnson will be called upon to lead the BSU offense this year as the three provided for nearly half of the total offense last year. They also provided for the majority of the offense on special teams scoring a combined 11 out of a total 18 power play goals and accounting for all the shorthanded goals. Their production on the power-play will be a key to the success for the Beavers this season.
Seniors Franny Dorr and Nicole Rawlings, and sophomores Erin Babineau, Kaylee Keys and Lauren Williams, will be complement Cody, Bauerfield, and Johnson up front. Babineau and Keys played supporting roles as freshmen tallying nine and six points respectively.
Emily Erickson was a freshman on the team last year, but after playing five games she suffered a season-ending injury and took a medical redshirt. As a highly-recruited forwarded and a Minnesota Miss Hockey finalist two years ago, she returns for another go at her freshman year.
Incoming freshman MacKenzie Thurston comes to BSU as another highly regarded recruit. She was part of the Provincial Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Silver Medalist team in the 2007-08 season. Playing at such a high level should make for a fairly easy transition to the WCHA.
Jackie Robertson returns for her senior season as one of the team captains. Robertson anchors the blue line this season as the oldest and most experienced member of the D-line. Also returning on defense are sophomores Marlee Wheelhouse and Brittany DeBoer. Marlee Wheelhouse comes back after posting eight points last season.
Sophomore Montana Vichorek returns as the most effective offensive defensemen. Vichorek tallied 13 points, scoring three goals, two of which were on the power play. Her freshman campaign ranks sixth best in school history for points in a season by a defenseman. Those 13 points were also good enough to elevate her to ninth on the list for most points in a career by a defenseman. In addition, Vichorek was named WCHA Rookie Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 28.
The team will also be returning sophomore goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova who garnered All-WCHA Second Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team honors last year after posting a .915 save percentage, while making a league-best 882 saves in conference play. Tomcikova rose to the occasion in her freshman year, replacing Emily Brookshaw, garnering the highest individual award in team history as she was named to the All-WCHA Second Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team. She was also the first player ever named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week three consecutive times, winning for the weeks of Dec. 10, Dec. 17, and Jan. 7.
Tomcikova will have to take a temporary leave of absence when she is called up for the Olympic Games come this February. The Beavers wont have to worry as they will have a solid goaltending corps as sophomores Alana McElhinney and Eri Kiribuchi return in net.
McElhinney, who was the backup last year, saw action in seven games. Coach Sertich is hoping that McElhinney will be able to share time in net with Tomcikova to help build her experience.
Kiribuchi has yet to see time in net for the Beavers, but brings with her solid high-level experience, as part of the Japanese women's national team.
