Axel Begley

Photo by: Matt Krohn

Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn

Photo by: Bjorn Franke

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Position:
Defense
Ht./Wt.:
6-2 / 190
Class:
Junior
Shoot/Catch:
L
Hometown:
Mahtomedi, Minn.
High School:
Hill-Murray School
Previous Team:
Wisconsin (NAHL)

PRONUNCIATION

2025-26 | JUNIOR
Academic All-Big Ten
• Skated in 26 of the team's games in his third campaign
• Posted one point during the year, the first of his college career, with a goal
• Secured his first goal as a Gopher to spark a come-from-behind upset victory over No. 5 Penn State (Nov. 21)
• Held a season-high plus-2 rating twice, coming versus No. 5 Penn State (Nov. 21) and two games later at No. 4 Denver (Nov. 29)
• Put 12 shots on target during the campaign
• Totaled 11 blocked shots for the year, including a career-best three at Ohio State (Dec. 5)
• Earned third letter

2024-25 | SOPHOMORE
Minnesota's John Mayasich Outstanding Student-Athlete Award
Academic All-Big Ten
• Played in 15 games during his second season at Minnesota and showed his versatility by skating as both a forward and defenseman
• Put a total of four shots on target during the campaign, including a pair at Ohio State (Jan. 11)
• Tallied three blocked shots with one on three separate occasions
• Ended the year with a plus-1 rating
• Earned second letter

2023-24 | FRESHMAN
• Made 14 appearances with the Maroon and Gold in his first year of college hockey
• Debuted for the Gophers during the season opener against St. Thomas (Oct. 13)
• Finished the year with seven blocked shots, including a season-high two at Notre Dame (Feb. 17)
• Fired two of his four total shots at home against Penn State (Feb. 10)
• Earned first letter

JUNIOR/HIGH SCHOOL
• Played two seasons in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with the Wisconsin Windigo (2022-23) and Minnesota Magicians (2021-22)
• Made 84 appearances during his NAHL tenure, totaling 41 points from the blue line behind 10 goals and 31 assists
• Led the Windigo in scoring by a defenseman with nine goals and 28 assists for 37 points in 59 games and also topped the team with a +33 rating, which ranked third in the NAHL
• Tallied eight multi-point performances for the Windigo, all of which came in the final 25 regular-season games
• Named the Bauer Midwest Division Star of the Week for April 3-9, 2023, where he put up three assists in two games
• Joined the Magicians for 28 games after finishing his prep career at the Hill-Murray School in 2022
• Spent four years on the varsity hockey team at Hill-Murray and served as team captain during his senior campaign
• Appeared in more than 100 career prep games with 13 goals and 60 assists for 73 points
• Won the 2020 Minnesota State High School League championship with the Pioneers and recorded three assists during three tournament outings

PERSONAL
• Son of J.J. and Jill Begley
• Father, J.J., played college hockey at Minnesota State (1991-93) and St. Thomas (1993-95)
• Has two older brothers, Jake and Wyatt
• Brother, Jake, is a goalie at Colorado College
• Received the NAHL Academic Achievement Award
• Was a teammate of former Gopher Charlie Strobel on the Pioneers' state title team in 2019-20