Women’s Hockey leads WCHA with 18 Scholar-Athletes
The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team lead the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 18 student athletes honored as 2019-20 WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award recipients announced by the league Thursday afternoon. A total of 73 student-athletes from the WCHA were honored as 2019-20 WCHA Scholar-Athletes.
“On behalf of the Women’s League of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, I want to congratulate our 2019-20 WCHA Scholar-Athletes,” Dr. Perry Leo, University of Minnesota Faculty Athletics Representative and Women’s League Chairman, said. “This year’s class is another in a long line of outstanding young women who have excelled in the classroom and on the ice at our member institutions. Our Scholar-Athlete honorees continue to give exemplary effort and dedication to all facets of the collegiate academic and athletic experience.”
The WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award was developed through member men’s and women’s institutional Faculty Athletics Representatives and approved by the WCHA membership for the 2005-06 season. To earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete, league-member student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters or three quarters, or may qualify if his/her overall GPA is at least 3.50 for all terms at his or her present institution.
“It’s exciting to see so many of our student-athletes excelling at a high level on and off the ice,” Jennifer Flowers, WCHA Women’s League Commissioner, said. “This is a testament to the commitment of our member institutions to the WCHA mission of providing an elite on- and off-ice experience to the young women who compete in the top league in women’s hockey.”
Bemidji State players recognized as 2019-20 WCHA Scholar-Athletes are: Lexi Baker (So., G, Lakeville, Minn.), Paige Beebe** (Jr., F, Ham Lake, Minn.), Lauren Bench*** (RS-Jr., G, Eagan, Minn.), Clair DeGeorge** (Jr., F, Anchorage, Alaska), Kerigan Dowhy** (Jr., G, The Pas, Man.), Abby Ecker** (RS-So., D, Grey Eagle, Minn.), Lindsey Featherstone** (Jr., F, Woodbury, Minn.), Abby Halluska*** (Sr., F, Delano, Minn.), Jacqueline Kaasa*** (Sr., F, North Hudson, Wis.), Tina Kampa (Jr., D, Maple Grove, Minn.), Mak Langei** (Jr., D, East Grand Forks, Minn.), Haley Mack*** (Sr., F, East Grand Forks, Minn.), Ellie Moser (So., F, Farmington, Minn.), Graysen Myers (So., F, Fargo, N.D.), Heather Olson (Sr., D, Bemidji, Minn.), Kiki Radke*** (Sr., F, Hastings, Minn.) and Claudia Verkerke (So., F, White Bear Lake).
(** indicates two-time recipient, *** indicates three-time recipient)
Over the 15 years of the award, there have now been more than 1,200 men’s and women’s WCHA Scholar-Athlete honorees representing every WCHA member institution. Forty-two of this season’s 73 women’s recipients are repeat honorees, with 18 of those earning recognition for the third time.
BSU is off this weekend, and will open the playoffs on the road next weekend either at Ohio State or at MN Duluth.