FREMONT, Neb. – The two-time defending runner-up national champions are ready to hit the ice as the Beaver women's hockey team starts the 2024-25 season on the road this weekend against a familiar foe in the Midland Warriors.

Minot State plays in Nebraska on Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. before returning to the friendly confines of the Maysa Arena to host Arizona next weekend at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night, Oct. 4, and Saturday afternoon, Oct. 5, at 3:45 p.m.

This weekend will be the first action for the Beavers against a foe since the ACHA Division I National Championship game against Adrian (Mich.) back in March as head coach Ryan Miner opted for more practice early on, saving his exhibition contests for the team's lull between the Women's Midwest College Hockey (WMCH) Tournament and nationals.

"So it's been a lot of practice, a lot of prep," Miner said. "Obviously, we're making improvements, we're looking good; but I think a lot of our players, including our coaching staff, are just ready to get on the ice for a game."

Two games against a very tough foe in the Warriors (2-0-0 overall), who already have 4-0 and 3-1 wins over Lindenwood on the books this season.

And while Midland lost two of its three top scorers and starting goalie Hannan Stone, they do return leading goal scorer Callie Maguire, who already has 3 goals and 2 assists this fall after 24 goals and 12 assists last year.

Rylee Martin has added 4 assists this season after recording 19 points last year, and the Warriors have gotten standout performances in goal from Meghan Stewart, who had the 4-0 shutout win, and Natalie Rampton, who picked up the other victory against Lindenwood.

Stewart had a standout season last year going 8-0-0 with 5 shutouts for Midland.

Of course, the Beavers return plenty of impact players themselves, starting in goal with Haylie Biever who set a single-game school record with 70 saves in a double-overtime, 2-1 win over Liberty in the national semifinals. Biever and Minot State snapped a five-year run of national titles for the Flames with the OT victory.

Biever needs 7 more shutouts to match the all-time career record of 18 set by her former teammate, Jordan Ivanco, but she won't have to win games alone as Minot State returns plenty of offensive and defensive depth from last year's national runner-up championship squad.

Krissy Rink, who led a very balanced offensive attack with 8 goals, returns as does Kaitlyn Snyder, who had 7 goals, while top defenders Paige Ackerman and Aspen Cooper lead a defense that was prolific on both ends of the ice. Ackerman and Cooper each had 6 goals, while Ackerman led the team in points with 17 – adding 11 assists – and Cooper had 16 points as she added 10 helpers.

Joining the Beavers' experienced core will be nine newcomers to add depth and skill to the lineup as the team looks to build momentum from game one toward the ultimate goal – winning that final game this time around.

"Right now our goal is to just get through this first weekend," Miner said, adding, "... if you look back at last year, we had a slow start, so I think in my head right now, and the team's head, we have to get off to a good start and win some games early to kind of build that momentum throughout the season."