MINOT, N.D. – This year's countdown is filled with memorable individual performances, the first of which came from a freshman on the women's hockey team who became the future leader for the Beavers before originally anticipated.
No. 8 on Buckshot's Best of 2025 is the All-American season by Minot State women's hockey freshman goalie Jillian Ackerman.
The Minot High product and younger sister of Beaver standout defenseman
Paige Ackerman, Jillian joined the Beavers in 2024-25 expecting to gain collegiate playing experience in a back-up role to senior
Haylie Biever, who is No. 2 in Minot State's history in career save percentage (93.5) and career saves (1,926), and No. 3 in career shutouts (13).
Ackerman's first experience came under the bright lights on the road against the 6-time ACHA National Champion Liberty Flames when she came off the bench to replace Biever mid-game and allowed one goal in relief to No. 1 Liberty.
Getting her first collegiate start the very next game, Ackerman allowed just one more goal in earning her first collegiate win, a 2-1 victory over the host and No. 1-ranked Flames.
After that stellar debut, Ackerman added 4 more wins in her next 5 starts, splitting time in goal with Biever before taking over as Minot State's starter in net following an injury to Biever in late January.
Ackerman led the way in goal, from there, with 6 straight wins, backstopping the Beavers all the way to the Women's Midwest College Hockey (WMCH) Tournament title game before the No. 1 Liberty Flames stopped Ackerman and Minot State, 2-1.
Following the WMCH Tournament, she was named to the WMCH All-Rookie Team, the All-WMCH Tournament 1st Team, and the All-WMCH 1
st Team for her play all season.
Ackerman and the Beavers finished their season in pool play at the ACHA National Tournament where Minot State's freshman goalie stopped 21 shots against No. 2 Midland before the Warriors earned a 1-0 victory 7 minutes, 34 seconds into overtime. She then made 5 saves playing half the game in Minot State's season-ending 5-2 win over Indiana Tech.
Following the national tournament, Ackerman was named an ACHA 1
st Team All-American as the freshman from Minot finished her debut season with a 12-2-1 record that included four shutouts. She posted a 94.9 save percentage, allowing 17 goals on 437 shots, which ranks No. 2 in a single season in Beaver history, and compiled a 1.13 goals against average, which ranks No. 3 for the Minot State women's hockey program as she allowed just 17 goals in 904 minutes.
BUCKSHOT'S BEST OF 2025
No. 10: Minot State soccer finishes 4
th in NSIC, hosts playoff game
No. 9: Minot State men's hockey claims MCH Tournament title in 1
st season as an MCH member
No. 8: Beaver women's hockey goalie and freshman
Jillian Ackerman earns All-American honors
No. 7: Revealed December 26
No. 6: Revealed December 27
No. 5: Revealed December 28
No. 4: Revealed December 29
No. 3: Revealed December 30
No. 2: Revealed December 31
No. 1: Revealed January 1
