Bethany Brausen of Roseville named Ms. Hockey

 

Bethany Brausen, a senior forward on the Roseville Area High School girls’ hockey team was named the winner of the 15th annual Ms. Hockey Award by Let’s Play Hockey newspaper at the annual Ms. Hockey Awards Banquet on Sunday, Feb. 28. The award, presented to the top girls’ high school hockey player in Minnesota, is based on the following criteria: academics, community/extra curricular activities, citizenship, coachability and, of course, on-ice performance.

 

A team captain, Brausen led the Raiders in scoring this season with totals of 35-35--70 and helped Roseville to its third state championship. She was named to the all-tournament team after finishing tied for second among all scorers with two goals and four assists. Brausen figured in all three goals (1-2--3) in the 3-1 semifinal victory over Hopkins, and had two assists in the Raiders’ 4-0 win over Edina in the championship game.

 

Brausen was held without a point in only three games this season and finished her high school hockey career with 216 points. In the 2009-10 campaign, she had 19 multiple-point and 10 multiple-goal games, including five-point games against Irondale (4-1--5) on Jan. 9, and White Bear Lake (1-4--5) on Feb. 3. Brausen also notched three hat tricks on the year.

 

A four-time all-conference and two-time all-state honoree, Brausen was named the 2008-09 St. Paul Pioneer Press Player of the Year and the 2009-10 Minneapolis Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year. Brausen becomes the fourth player from Roseville to be named Ms. Hockey after Winny Brodt won the inaugural award in 1996, Ronda Curtin won the 1999 edition and Renee Curtin won in 2001.

 

Following high school, Brausen will continue her hockey and academic career at the University of Minnesota.

 

“Bethany is a tremendous person who is also an outstanding hockey player,” Roseville head coach Vic Brodt said. “She is a natural team leader who really has a passion for the game. Bethany is a perfect example of a player who works hard at both ends of the ice. She takes equal pride in the scoring of goals, setting up her teammates and helping defensively.”

 

Brausen owns a 3.85 GPA and is a three-year academic letterwinner at Roseville. She is involved in DANG (Darfur Awareness Now Group) at school and has volunteered for Hearts for Hunger, Second Harvest and Feed My Starving Children.

 

“Bethany is one of the most talented hockey players I have coached,” Brodt said. “In addition to her talent, she truly cares about her teammates and has been a team captain the past two seasons. Hockey is a team game and Bethany makes everyone on her team better by the way she presents herself.”

 

The other finalists for Ms. Hockey were defenseman Rose Alleva of Red Wing, and forwards Corinne Buie of Edina, Dana Gallop of Grand Rapids/Greenway and Gina McDonald of Irondale.

 

This is the 15th season Let’s Play Hockey has sponsored the Ms. Hockey Award. Past winners include Becky Kortum of Hopkins (2009), Sarah Erickson of Bemidji (2008), Katharine Chute of Blake (2007), Allie Thunstrom of North St. Paul (2006), Gigi Marvin of Warroad (2005), Erica McKenzie of Hastings (2004), Andrea Nichols of Hibbing/Chisholm (2003), Ashley Albrecht of South St. Paul (2002), Renee Curtin of Roseville (2001), Krissy Wendell of Park Center (2000), Ronda Curtin of Roseville (1999), Laura Slominski of Burnsville (1998), Annamarie Holmes of Apple Valley (1997) and Winny Brodt of Roseville (1996).

 

The 15th annual award, selected based on consultations with a panel of high school coaches, and Division I and III college coaches from Minnesota and Wisconsin, is sponsored by Let’s Play Hockey, the Minnesota Wild, Fox Sports North and Reebok/CCM.