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Bench Named to HCA Goalie Award Watch List
2/5/2021 11:24:00 AM | Women's Hockey
The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced a new award recognizing the nation's top women's hockey goaltender.
MINNEAPOLIS -- University of Minnesota redshirt senior goaltender Lauren Bench has been named to the Watch List for a new award to recognize the top women's goalie in NCAA Division I hockey. The Women's Hockey Goalie of the Year Award will be presented for the first time this year, the Hockey Commissioners Association announced Friday.
Bench is among a list of 21 NCAA goaltenders named to the HCA Women's Hockey Goalie of the Year Award Watch List. She is also one of seven WCHA goaltenders on the list as each of the league's seven teams has a representative on the list.
A native of Eagan, Minn., and graduate of Burnsville High School, Bench joined the Gophers as a graduate student. This season, she has appeared in 11 games for Minnesota, posting an 8-3-0 overall record with a .934 save percentage and a 2.01 goals against average.
Bench began her collegiate career by playing at Bemidji State for four seasons from 2016-17 to 2019-20. A 2019 All-WCHA Third Team honoree, Bench played in 73 career games for the Beavers in three seasons from 2017-18 to 2019-20 after redshirting the 2016-17 season. She posted a record of 30-36-4 with 10 shutouts at BSU and had a .912 save percentage and a 2.45 goals against average for her career with the Beavers.
Bench graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bemidji State in 2020 with a B.S. in Chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry/biotechnology and a minor in biology. She is currently pursuing her M.Ed. in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Minnesota with plans to attend medical school.
A committee of voters made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, and media will pare down the Watch List within the next two weeks and then ultimately choose the winner, who will be announced in March during the NCAA Frozen Four.
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Bench is among a list of 21 NCAA goaltenders named to the HCA Women's Hockey Goalie of the Year Award Watch List. She is also one of seven WCHA goaltenders on the list as each of the league's seven teams has a representative on the list.
A native of Eagan, Minn., and graduate of Burnsville High School, Bench joined the Gophers as a graduate student. This season, she has appeared in 11 games for Minnesota, posting an 8-3-0 overall record with a .934 save percentage and a 2.01 goals against average.
Bench began her collegiate career by playing at Bemidji State for four seasons from 2016-17 to 2019-20. A 2019 All-WCHA Third Team honoree, Bench played in 73 career games for the Beavers in three seasons from 2017-18 to 2019-20 after redshirting the 2016-17 season. She posted a record of 30-36-4 with 10 shutouts at BSU and had a .912 save percentage and a 2.45 goals against average for her career with the Beavers.
Bench graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bemidji State in 2020 with a B.S. in Chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry/biotechnology and a minor in biology. She is currently pursuing her M.Ed. in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Minnesota with plans to attend medical school.
A committee of voters made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, and media will pare down the Watch List within the next two weeks and then ultimately choose the winner, who will be announced in March during the NCAA Frozen Four.
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