News Story 8

Event Center Begins Booking More Shows

BSU Student Surveying to Help Determine Prospective Performances

By Amy Borgman

The Bemidji Regional Event Center has been completed for over a month now, and many college students and residents are anticipating the upcoming concerts it will host. So far, the Event Center has hosted multiple men’s hockey games and a few successful performances including one by Larry the Cable Guy. The person in charge of booking talent is Bob LeBarron, executive director for Venuworks. LeBarron has worked for talent agencies in Minneapolis, at the University of Massachusetts, San Jose State University, and the University of New Hampshire. Now, he is using that experience to provide an entertainment outlet for Bemidji residents.

LeBarron stands outside of his office near Gate 2 at the Event Center.

photo by Amy Borgman

The Event Center has been open to the public for about a month and a half, and with the exception of hockey games, future talents are beginning to take shape. Will they all be country? Will they all be family oriented like the upcoming Sesame Street On Ice? LeBarron said he plans to craft a survey for students to participate in either on Facebook or on-campus at BSU that would indicate what type of music college students are interested in and how much they would be willing to pay for a ticket. They would even attach an incentive to taking the surveys like the chance to win free tickets to a show or a hockey game. His goal is to host acts at the event center that everyone can enjoy seeing at some point. Right now, the main focus is still men’s hockey but before the one-year anniversary mark, he hopes that everyone has had an opportunity to see a performance that appeals to them.

Venuworks is a national management and consulting firm in charge of contacting promoters and talent to fill certain arenas. “Excluding the hockey games, we work with outside promoters to bring in events,” said LeBarron. “We’re not talent buyers – we don’t buy shows. We utilize promoters to help mitigate the risk of booking certain shows. The building is almost like a rental.” Lebarron’s job is to work with local and national promoters that may be interested in doing performances at the Event Center. The shows need to fit the approximate size of audience they’re expecting, and fit the approximate price range that is comfortable for the people of the area. For example, Blake Shelton, a modern country music singer, is performing at the Event Center in January, and is paying a much smaller fee to rent the building than he would for a larger venue such as New York.

LeBarron has worked in the entertainment business for 15 years and has connections with independent promoting companies like Police Productions, Outback Concerts, and Rose Productions. The small size and population in Bemidji is not enough to attract shows from larger national promoters like Live Nation and AEG, which host concerts for artists like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. Also, due to Venuworks research, country is a seemingly well-received genre of music in Bemidji, which makes it wise for LeBarron to book independent upcoming country musicians like Blake Shelton.

Beaver Hockey is the major source of income for the time being, but LeBarron hopes to change that within the coming months.

photo by Amy Borgman

            Since Venuworks is still very new to Bemidji, it is still trying to find that main demographic, and college students are definitely in the running. “I’ve worked on college campuses before, and whether it’s The University of Massachusetts or Bemidji State,” he said “it’s difficult because, generally, college students have very eclectic music tastes, so it’s hard to reach everyone in mass for a concert.” His experience on colleges and working with campus organizations is advantageous for reaching the students at Bemidji State University and understanding their desires.

Posters for upcoming performances line the halls of the Event Center.

photo by Amy Borgman

Venuworks has, however, began to dabble in certain online media like Twitter and Facebook in an attempt to show college students what’s available. Until they receive some more feedback and plant their feet in Bemidji-related social media outlets, the shows will continue to be promoted with posters around town, and word-of-mouth.

Price is also a major factor in the process of acquiring certain talent. The large price of construction for the Event Center was a major deterrent for some residents. The entire South shore development cost around $85 million and the arena itself cost around $45 million. Residents are left wondering, will the profit from events ever pay back the tremendous amount of money it cost to build the facility? LeBarron’s guess is, yes, two to four years down the line he assumes the profits will surpass the initial construction amount and will begin to bring profit into the community. Another factor that helps the financial state of the Event Center is that it has recently merged with the Sanford Health Center and will receive sponsorship funds once they change the official name to the Sanford Center.

The high cost and immense production of the Event Center will put Bemidji on the map for talent promoters.

photo by Amy Borgman

LeBarron is hopeful that they will book some exciting, new talent for Bemidji. “Bemidji is an untapped market unlike Minneapolis, so it’s going to take some chances for new musicians to want to perform here.” He also understands that college students make a large part of the population in Bemidji and that they are getting income and willing to go out and spend their income. Venuworks pledges to do its best to book acts that will entertain college students and local Bemidji residents alike.

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Homelessness Problem in Bemidji and Surrounding Areas -- Final News Report

Tara Hjermstad

Homelessness Problem in Bemidji and Surrounding Areas

Growing at a Rapid Pace

     Driving into the parking lot of the Paul Bunyon mall, there is a man standing with a sign that reads, "Need money for food." Cars drive by honking and waving, very few of them actually stopping to hand the man money. One car stopped and handed him the meals they had just gotten from the McDonald's drivethrough.

     Homelessness in the Bemidji area has long been prevelant, but has really been increasing in the past few years. Homelessness does not necessarily mean rough, pan-handling feed-the-pigeons type either; many that are homeless in Bemidji have a place to stay, just not a place to call their own.  

Photo from Federal Register.com

     Bemidji and the surrounding areas offer many resources for those that are homeless; a few of these being: homeless shelters in Bemidji, Cass Lake and Red Lake, People's Church in Bemidji, Salvation Army, Churches United and St. Phillips church. Most of these, with the exception of a few of the local homeless shelters, require a background check and have a no drug, alcohol or violence policy. If any of these three things occur, immediate withdrawl is the result. According to statistics, these shelters are the busiest from the months of October through April, due to the unbearable northern Minnesota weather.

     Anyone with a past of drugs, alcohol or violence, any felonies or criminal charges, will have a tough time finding a shelter to stay at, often resulting in them "crashing" with a friend or relative without a broken past. This is often the case for homeless felons and/or child predators, since they are not allowed in these programs. There is, however, a building in the Bemidji area that offers a spot for those that are without shelter because of things like this. 

     Kami Kelm, child protection case manager, previously a job counselor at the job shelter and who helped homeless youth, said, "Bemidji is unique in the networking that happens, as far as providers here; the professionals do a nice job, do not make people sit in a 'box' and work with each case individually case. She also used to work with Evergreen, a group that works with the area's youth, who are surprisingly ranged from 16-21 years of age -- half of this age group being college-age "youth."

     Kelm encourages families or anyone that is homeless to contact Bycap, an agency in Bemidji that has every resource available in the Bemidji area for homelessness. They are in charge of getting contacts and reaching out to other sources to get the homeless back on track to finding shelter.

     She also said that in order to get into any programs that will begin the process of finding shelter can be very difficult; the requirements can often be too much for a person applying. She suggested Community Resource Connections, also called CRC, as an option as well, saying that they are the "gurus" of resources of all the programs offered.

     Sometimes, there is room and funding available to assist in immediate housing, however, if a person needs long-term living facilities, there is a process in doing so. First, they must apply and meet with a financial worker to determine the reason(s) for their homelessness.

     There is often times requirements, such as: must be searching for a job or have a job within so many months of approval, providing proof of income, proving residents in the household - including children - and what is being done to positively change the situation. These programs are designed to teach money saving and the responsibility of bills. After they are referred to the workforce center, down the road they are introduced to the Minnesota welfare programs with a job counselor to accomodate for these hardship programs.

     Kelm said that not all homeless in Bemidiji are jobless. It is common for families to have two-incomes, such a mother and father, that are both working full time, but simply cannot afford daycare and rent, and therefore, having to prioritize between the two, thus rent having to be cut.

     If there is a situation with children involved, according to Cathy Brook, child protection social intake worker, it is judged by the well-being of the children. As long as the children are warm, have good ventilation and a roof over their head with a loving parent(s), they are typically not taken, unless by the request of the parent admitting that they are unable to care for the child(ren) at the time. If that's the case, there are resources offered to the parent(s) until they are able to have the children returned under healthier circumstances. Social Services does work toward having the child(ren) in school, and will offer the parents options on how to make that happen.

     Glenda Duhammel, adult services intake worker, is available for anyone over the age of 18 with questions about any services available and the requirements that must be met in order to qualify. There are specific people that she works with: those with developmental issues, long-term care (elderly) and those entering nursing homes, those with mental issues and anyone else ages 18-65 that don't fit into any of the above categories, but has any sort of issue that is refusing them of work, such a MS, brain injury or a car accident. There is also a chemical dependency category, but she is not a part of this. She did not want to comment on where exactly are the "spots" in town to find the homeless, instead said that the local street services and police department "know where they can be found."

     Duhammel stated that in order to apply for any services, they must first be elligable for Medical Assistance. She noted that many of those that are applying, often times have other burdens they're facing too, such as: chemical or alcohol dependency, mental illness or don't own vehicles, and these issues must be addressed as well. They don't always have to be looking for a job, but if they are unemployed and seeking assistance, they must have a legitimate reason for it, such as a doctor's note, to get by without a job and still receive assistance.

     She also said that many that are re-applying have been turned down due to changes in legislation. An example being, in order to apply for a services, a person must be elligable for Medical Assitance, however, the person applying may be elligable for only prescriptions from MA, but not the actual medical insurance, therefore blocking them from any other services that they are seeking.

     If the proper proof of income or requirements for these services is not provided, the income being received by the applicant can be sanctioned, or decreased or even taken away.

     Brook, who used to work in the Sherriff's office, said that about nine years ago there used to be a warming room just inside the front entrance of the station, and often times at night there would be homeless people in there trying to warm up. They were not asked to leave, unless they were causing trouble. This is the same with most of the businesses in town that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week; unless there are problems coming from it, homeless people on their property has not really been an issue.

    Contrary to what some may think, being homeless is not illegal, as long as there is no trespassing and the same rules and laws that apply to everyone else in the neighborhood are being followed. Although, Brook said that some break the law just so they can be put in jail where at least they're given "three square meals and a warm bed."

     According to Kelm, homelessness is actually a choice for some; the reasoning behind this decision is different from one case to the other. She added that instead of handing out cash to those pan-handling, give them a free meal or donate the money to the local homeless shelters.

     There are homeless shelters in Bemidji, as well as Cass Lake and Red Lake. In order to work with most of the services on the reservation, it is required to be Native American and most often, live on the reservation. The Beltrami County has branches in both Cass Lake and Red Lake that can be used under certain circumstances for those living in the city of Bemidji. 

     There are several shelters and resources in the Bemidji area that offer help to those in need. Shelters around the community want to spread the word of how to help and what the community can do to solve the problem of homelessness in our area

Photo of the Village of Hope, homeless shelter
photo from Village of Hope website

News Story 2

Homeless and Helpless

The Sad Reality of Growing Poverty in Beltrami County and Facilities that Reach Out to Help

By Amy Borgman

Poverty is an unfortunate and rising issue throughout the United States. Minnesota as a whole is not terribly burdened by the issue with the fifth lowest poverty rate in the nation. Although Beltrami County has one of the highest rates of poverty in Minnesota including at least 5,000 families living on public assistance at any given time. City officials have not overlooked these unsettling statistics.

Clothing, blankets, food, and empty cigarette packs show signs of inhabitance underneath the Mississippi River Bridge.

photo by Amy Borgman

 Bemidji and surrounding cities have developed multiple resources for persons living in poverty over the years. Centers like: The Evergreen House, Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety (previously, The Northwoods Coalition for Battered Women), Ours to Serve: House of Hospitality, and The Red Lake Homeless Shelter all work in unison with one another to better help those in need. The United Methodist Church also opens up their soup kitchen every Thursday from 5-6 p.m.

Northwoods Coalition is a safe facility for persons engaged in abusive relationships to take refuge. Located at 1101 Beltrami Ave.

 photo by Amy Borgman

The most frightening aspect of the poverty in Beltrami County is the high rate of children who are impoverished. Bemidji Pioneer writer, Brad Swenson, stated in an article last October that nearly one fourth of the children in Beltrami County are living in poverty. Thankfully, The Evergreen House has been helping Bemidji youth for 30+ years. They take in children ages 9 through 17, offer recovery services for boys ages 14 through 18, and offer family counseling. Bill Maddox of the Evergreen House states, “Most of the people we see come in here are runaways or in need of transitional housing. Although, a lot of kids are able to make it into foster families and we’re here for them throughout the process.” The Evergreen House has a sign that reads, “Safe House” meaning it is GLBT friendly and an overall secure place for young people to stay. The organization was founded in 1977 and is located at 821 Beltrami Ave NW.

Ours to Serve: House of Hospitality is another helpful organization that operates out of Bemidji. It is an alternative housing facility on Mississippi Ave in downtown Bemidji. They run background checks on potential tenants and cater to those without histories of drug or alcohol addictions. It’s a type a safe house for those living in poverty and in need of assisted living.  The organization is also opening a second larger housing facility on Irvine Ave. 

Ours To Serve, House of Hospitality has strict regulations on entering their facility without the consent of the inhabitants, which is good to insure safety.

photo by Amy Borgman

The new House of Hospitality edition, Village of Hope is estimated to be able to house 28 homeless individuals.

photo by Amy Borgman

 The House of Hope is projected to be a very helpful and necessary facility in the future of growing poverty. Executive director of the project, Rebecca Hoffman, has been fighting for the project for years and was proud to break ground on it on April 29 2010.The project is nearly finished now, and will shed hope for many of those living in poverty in Bemidji.

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News Story 6

A Comforting Place for Victims of Domestic Violence

Bemidji’s Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety Provides Refuge for Families Dealing with Violence

 By Amy Borgman

1 in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. It’s an unsettling statistic and the subject is of growing concern throughout the world. Pop musicians Eminem and Rhianna have shed light on the issues of domestic violence recently with their song, “Love the Way You Lie”. Some critics say it glorifies the subject while others argue that it raises awareness for the horrific act. The fact that Rhianna was in an abusive relationship with rapper Chris Brown blurs the message even more. Kathryn Lavelle of Bemidji’s Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety had this to say about it: “That kind of thing is tough because I am a singer/songwriter and use music as a form of catharsis – especially during the ten years that I was in an abusive relationship.” She believes that responsibility and reason set in with parental control and monitoring. “My son wanted to listen to Eminem when he was younger, and I had to explain the type of things that he was rapping about so my son didn’t think the violence and hatred was true or right.”

Kathryn sifts through e-mails from family, friends, and clients.

           photo by Amy Borgman

But what about the children that don’t have parents who care about what they listen to? They have no one to explain the negative connotations of abuse and aggression. They grow up thinking it’s an acceptable way to live their lives. Those are the people that the Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety strives to help.

            The foundation was formed in 1978 and was originally called the Northwoods Coalition For Battered Women. Its inception was inspired by the Battered Women’s Movement of the late 1970’s; they changed the name two years ago so that it addressed a broader demographic. The program is funded by donations from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless, the Bemidji Rotary Club, and community members dedicated to ending domestic abuse.

The Coalition is located at 1101 Beltrami Ave NW, Bemidji.

photo by Amy Borgman

 The organization has recently added the Nokomagiisis Program, which provides assistance services for Native elders and children undergoing abuse. Unfortunately, it is a growing problem within reservations that causes emotional and mental strife in many families. The Northwoods Coalition offers counseling, group sessions, and educational outreach in tribal communities to help eliminate the issue. Kathryn feels that a lot of the abuse stems from historical trauma and isolation. The Coalition is helping to alleviate such issues on reservations, but it is a daunting task. It is a trend that is built into families and abusive patterns often live on in the children or next generations. In a lot of cases, if a child has an abusive parent they are most likely to be abusive in their adolescence or adult life as well. Kathryn claimed, “I’ve seen a lot of children come back as adults in abusive relationships and it’s very disheartening.”

Loving photos grace the walls of Kathryn’s office to bring happiness to her workday.

photo by Amy Borgman

 Staff and volunteers at the Coalition understand that sheltering victims of domestic violence won’t stop the issue entirely, that is why they are thankful for other programs like the Boys and Girls Club, the Evergreen House, La Casa de Esperanza, and many other shelters. The Boys and Girls Club and the Evergreen House help to provide healthy growth for children and young adults in transitional periods. And La Casa de Esperanza (House of Hope) is a Latina organization for battered Latina women living in St. Paul and throughout the metro area. The growth of supportive organizations such as these will demand more people to become aware of the prevailing issues of domestic violence and hopefully want to help to stop it.

The one demographic that has not been mentioned yet as a victim of domestic violence is man. Kathryn said that the Coalition has about 2 cases per year that deal with men in abusive relationships with women. The overall number of men reporting cases of abuse is surprisingly high – about 600,000 per year compared to 1.5 million cases towards women.

Frightening reminders of violence are seen on posters around the building. 

photo by Amy Borgman

This past month was Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the coalition participated in many events throughout the city. On October 9^th, the coalition organized a Peace Walk to spread awareness and share victims’ stories. On the First Friday Art Cruise, at the Wild Hare, Kathryn Lavelle showcased poetry that was catharsis for her while she was in an abusive relationship. Then, on October 29th they held a wreaths and roses ceremony for fatalities due to domestic violence in front of the Bemidji Courthouse. Kathryn argues that is where the biggest changes should occur to eliminate the traumas of abuse – in our legal system. If protection laws received more attention from officials, then maybe there wouldn’t have to be a coalition anymore. “If we shut down, I would be ecstatic because that would mean an end to domestic violence.”

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News Story 4

Bemidji Caters to Eating Locally

Local and Organic Food is Making an Impact in Bemidji

By Amy Borgman

        The idea of eating locally is spreading like wildfire. Within the last two years, there has been: The 100-Mile Diet, other local and organic diets, blogs, books, restaurants, and clubs that are all contributing to the local food movement. And the movement is going strong with its many benefits to the economy, the environment, and health. Bemidji is no stranger to this progressive shift in the food industry.

Moni Schneider sits outside of the Bistro she proudly opened 9 years ago.

Photo by Amy Borgman

         Moni Shneider, co-owner of the Wild Hare Bistro is a major proponent of the local food idea. Local farmers flock to the Wild Hare regularly to advertise and potentially sell their fresh produce. The owners of the Hare are more than willing to spend a few extra dollars for local produce they know is fresh and circulating profit throughout the community. Over time, they even develop friendships with the farmers that provide food for their restaurant. They look forward to their business each year. A few friends of Moni’s even own a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm named, Farmcopia, on the outskirts of Bemidji. This makes it even easier for them to get their hands on fresh new ingredients for the bistro.

The Wild Hare tends a produce garden outside of the bistro at 6th St. and Minnesota Ave. that provides fresh herbs and vegetables to use in their menu items.

Photo by Amy Borgman

        Because of the abundance of agriculture in Bemidji, The Wild Hare is able to have a weekly local special. The lunch special will comprise of their most recent and in-season fruits or vegetables. Moni loves the idea of using local ingredients, “It forces us to be creative. We’re not always using the same junk like some other restaurants do."

Crowded shelves at Harmony Co-op will soon be moving to its new location at 3rd Street and Irvine Ave. in March 2011.

Photo by Amy Borgman

          

        Local and organic food proponents are birds of a feather, especially in a small city such as Bemidji. Mackenzie Lindahl has worked at the Harmony Natural Food Co-op since 2001 and the Wild Hare since 2006. She came to Bemidji for a degree in Mass Communication in 1999, and has since stayed for her loyalty and appreciation for the community. The nice part about her job is, she can get off work at the Hare and bring what is left of their supply of produce to the Co-op to be sold. This creates a cycle for local and organic food to circulate throughout the community. As the Dairy Manager for the Co-op, however, Mackenzie’s specialty is definitely cheese. A few years ago, The WCR – Women Chefs and Restaurateurs organization even sent Mackenzie on a cheese tour of Wisconsin where she discovered neighboring varieties to bring back to The Hare.

Harmony Natural Food Co-op currently resides at 117 3rd St., Bemidji.

Photo by Amy Borgman

            As local eating popularity continues to grow, so will its presence in Bemidji. Harmony Co-op, the Wild Hare, Sunrise Natural Food and Crafts, and Local Farmers Markets are inspiring the notion that Bemidji recognizes its local food offerings.

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News Story 3

Lower Funding Means Big Changes

Large budget cuts cause concern at Bemidji State University

Amy Borgman 

It’s no doubt now that Bemidji State University, along with other state colleges, is undergoing a huge budget cut. On Tuesday October 19^th, the Beaux Arts Ballroom hosted an open forum with university president, Dr. Richard Hanson. He announced that the 2011 school year would experience a 10% budget cut which means it will receive 5 million dollars less than last year. Fall 2010 registration brought 864 enrolled freshmen, and this frightening decrease in funds could blur students’ opinions about continuing their education at Bemidji State.

 Dr. Hanson spoke to an audience of 200 or so anxious faculty and students.

Photo by Amy Borgman

            

             Dr. Hanson began the discussion with a slideshow that highlighted budget elements and introduced a recalibration plan. There were a lot of facts and figures that were clicked over and statements about how the university would approach the impending issue. Then, he took a moment to speak honestly on how he plans to address the problem. He stated, “I am not inexperienced. There is great promise in recalibration”, and that campus administrators would tackle the issue systematically so that the university would only come out better and stronger in the end. This promising change also introduces the unsettling reality that the university will soon be eliminating professors, programs, majors, and other constituents in order to make ends meet. Some programs may just be merged with others and some majors may even be enlarged. The details on any future dealing are still very unclear being that the issue was uncovered only recently.

Dr. Lisa Erwin, Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment, and Bill Maki, Vice President of Finance and Administration, sit in on the discussion.

Photo by Amy Borgman

In efforts to boost confidence in the wavering crowd, President Hanson then referred to his “3 money buckets” analogy to explain the funding that Bemidji State is currently receiving. One leaky bucket was from MNSCU, one steady bucket was from tuition fees, and one hopeful bucket was from philanthropic services. He is confident about receiving some charitable revenue for the reason that administration will be working with a renowned fundraising consultant in January to discuss potentially lucrative campaigns for the university.

Students, faculty and staff were eager for answers to tough questions regarding their futures at Bemidji State University.

Photo by Amy Borgman

           The main reason President Hanson held the forum, however, was for students and faculty to have the chance to ask questions and stress their concerns about the imminent issue. A repeated worry that was brought to attention was that the Liberal Arts Department seemed to be in the gravest danger. Stipulations had surfaced in the forum earlier that afternoon that the Liberal Arts would be afflicted the most by the cuts, as the fine arts often times are. Many BFA and English majors stressed that they didn’t understand why it had to be their department. Dr. Hanson assured the wary students that they would graduate with the major they signed up for. However, he failed to mention the affect it would have on the many undeclared freshmen.

BFA Grad Assistant, Sara Dennison, raised concern for the future of her department.

Photo by Amy Borgman

Another student raised the question of tuition fees and how much of that money is going toward Bemidji State University’s Board Early Separation Incentive or the BESI Program. Public documents on the president’s page on BSU’s website state that around half of student tuition fees are going toward the program set up for early retirement. His response was that tuition money belongs partially to students and they should therefore have a say in how it is spent. He declared, “ I am a strong proponent of speaking up for what you believe in”. If students wished to see any changes they would just have to raise their voices.  

            There was an array of questions asked about things like the stability of individual departments, sports programs, and communication with students. Dr. Hanson answered them to the best of his knowledge, but repeatedly assured that certain questions were still very far away from being answered.

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BSU Women’s Hockey off to Best Start in School History

The Halfway Point Marks a Season of Firsts and More to Come



Beavers out to prove they belong
Photo by: Eric Story



Story #8 - Final

Word Count: 965

Eric Story

With winter break upon us and fall semester officially over, the BSU women’s hockey team wrapped up arguably the best start first half of a season in school history. The Beavers entered enter winter break with an impressive 8-7-3 overall mark, and 6-5-3-2 record in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play. Their eight wins ties a school high for most wins before the semester break, but getting there was no easy task.

At the midway point of the season the Beavers have established a series of firsts in program history. Coming off an impressive finish to the 2009-10 season that culminated with their first ever playoff win and first appearance in the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF. The Beavers entered the 2010-11 season with a brand new home and a mentality that they could hold their own against the WCHA conference powers.  

The Beavers would end up playing six of their nine series against teams ranked in the top 10 in the country, with five of six series against ranked teams being critical conference matchups. Entering the season the Beavers where just 10-139-11 all-time against ranked opponents.

BSU opened the season with a pair of road series, splitting with Wayne State University before dropping both games at No. 5 Wisconsin.

The Beavers returned home for an eight game home stand, with three of the four series against ranked teams. In their home opener the Beavers would break in their brand new home, the BREC, squaring off against No. 1 Mercyhurst.

BSU entered the matchup against Mercyhurst just 1-9-2 all-time against the Lakers, and 0-20-1 all-time against a No. 1 ranked team. The Beavers would drop their first game in their new home 0-4, but would shock the Lakers in the series finale to earn the programs first ever win over a nation’s top ranked opponent.



Beavers take to the ice for the first time in new home
Photo by: Eric Story



After the game you could see the glow as head coach Steve Sertich had a grin from ear to ear during his post game press conference.  “It was great to be able to knock-off a No. 1 team in the country, but you have to start with McElhinney in net,” said Sertich. “She was unbelievable and really was the difference.”



The win sparked a four game win streak, and an offensive explosion from senior forward Erin Cody. Cody tallied seven goals and five assists during the win steak, including a natural hat-trick in the first period of the Beavers 3-2 win over St. Cloud State. Her second goal of the period was a thing of beauty and made its way on to the Beavers highlight introduction the next week, which is played before each home game.



Defenseman Marlee Wheelhouse chipped the puck out of the neutral zone toward forward Sadie Lundquist, who dished it off to Cody. She made a beeline towards the goal with SCSU defenders chasing her. Making a fake move to the inside drawing SCSU goaltender Ashley Nixon to drop into butterfly, before pulling the puck to her backhand going around the net minder. With half her body over the end line, Cody squeezed the puck past the near post and into the far corner of the net. Cody’s three fist period goals marked the first time in BSU history a player scored three times in one period.

The last win of the four game streak was probably the biggest win of the year so far, because it came against a team that the Beavers had never beat. The 1-0 win over the University of Minnesota Duluth ended a winless record over the conference power. It took over a decade and the 50^th try finally beat the Bulldogs.



“This was a great win for our program,“ said Sertich. “This is our home now and I think we’ve played well here. We have been playing the top teams toe to toe, and we’ve got some momentum going. It’s been fun to win games in this building.”

Sophomore forward Emily Erickson knows the win was monumental for the program but she and the rest of the team are taking the season all in stride. “We have a lot of skill on this team and every girl in the locker room knows it,” said Erickson.  “We’re just going out this year to prove it to everyone else."



The Beavers continued to show they are a team that’s no longer a bottom feeder in the WCHA, with a win and a tie against No. 8 North Dakota. The Beavers then earned a tie and a loss on the road against No. 9 Ohio State before an instate showdown at home against the seventh ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers.

In the first game of the two game series the Beavers snapped 17-game winless streak against the University of Minnesota, beating the Golden Gophers for just the third time in program history by a score of 2-0.



“We’ve come so far,” said Cody. “I’ve been here before where they were basically playing keep-away from us from the very beginning. Just going out there tonight and knowing that we’re even with them and that we have a good chance to win, it just comes down to who wants it more.”

At the halfway point of the season the Beaver sit in fifth place in the WCHA, just one point behind the Gophers. Their four wins over ranked opponents so far is more than any previous team in program history has accomplished in an entire season.

While the team has already accomplished so much, there’s still half a season to play. With their goal set on exceeding last year’s playoff run.  In a season so far filled with firsts, the BSU women’s hockey team is out to prove last season’s run to the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF was no fluke.

“We're ready to make history all season long,” said Erickson.