Beaver Pride names Athletes of the Week

Bemidji State University’s Lanae Rash (G, 5-8, Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.) and Andrew Walsh (So., 6-2, 196, G, Dawson Creek, British Columbia) have been named Beaver Pride Athletes of the Week after recording outstanding athletic performances during the week of Dec. 10-16.

Rash averaged 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game to guide the Bemidji State women’s basketball team to a 1-1 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference home weekend Dec. 14-15. She scored 13 points and added six rebounds in a 78-63 loss to University of Mary before guiding the Beavers to a 63-51 victory Saturday against Minot State University. She had 18 points (15 in the second half) and six rebounds in the win and added three steals, while shooting 7-for-15 (46.7%) from the field and went 3-for-4 from the free throw line. In the two games, she also posted an assist and a blocked shot.

Rash picks up her third Beaver Pride Athlete of the Week selection of the season and the fourth for the BSU women’s basketball team in 2012-13. Rash was recognized as Beaver Pride’s athlete of the week Nov. 7 and Nov. 14, while junior Kate Warmack (C, 6-2, Jr., East Grand Forks, Minn.) earned the weekly award from the organization Dec. 5.

Walsh led the Bemidji State men’s ice hockey team to claim three of four points in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series versus No. 10 Denver Dec. 14-15. The sophomore was 1-0-1 in 124:50 of action, turning aside 57 of 59 Pioneer shots for a .966 save percentage. He allowed just one even-strength goal and finished the weekend with a 0.96 goals against average. In addition, he backstopped a BSU penalty-kill unit that allowed just one power-play goal on the weekend snuffing out 10-of-11 DU power-play opportunities (.909), which included a pair of five-minute major penalties.

This week’s award stands as the second of the season for Walsh, while it is the third of 2012-13 for a member of the BSU men’s hockey team. Walsh earned the award Oct. 24, followed by Sam Rendle (D, 5-10, 174, So., Grand Rapids, Minn.), the Nov. 28 honoree. Walsh owns five career awards from Beaver Pride, as he honored for excellence Oct. 26, Dec. 14 and Dec. 21 of last season.

For his efforts, he was also named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week.

Bemidji State, now 5-8-3; 4-7-3 WCHA, breaks for the holidays and returns to action Dec. 30-31 when it travels to Hanover, N.H. to participate in the Ledyard National Bank Classic. The Beavers’ first opponent will be University of Massachusetts at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 30 with its opponent Monday, Dec. 31 either Dartmouth College or University of New Hampshire.

Bemidji State women’s basketball (6-3; 2-3 NSIC, 2-3 NSIC North) also breaks for the holidays and returns to action after the New Year with a road trip at Northern State University Jan. 4 and Minnesota State University Moorhead Jan. 5.