Bennie hockey prepares for opener against national champion UW-River Falls

The CSB Hockey team is preparing for the start of their season with their first official game on Nov. 4 against UW-River Falls. The Bennies have played two exhibition games so far and won both. MIAC play will begin on Nov. 14 when the Bennies will play a pair of games against St. Scholastica. Junior Shae Stinnett said she is happy with how the exhibition games have gone so far. With two wins, Stinnett said it was a fun experience that gave the team confidence heading into the season.

“There’s definitely still room for growth, but overall I’m really proud of our team. Everyone has such a positive attitude, and we play for each other,” Stinnett said.

In preparation for the season, there’s been a lot of focus on team bonding, which helps them develop strong connections early on. Stinnett said the team’s motto this year is TNT, which stands for “Takes No Talent.”

“This reminds us that hard work wins games, so we show up every day ready to compete, learn and support each other,” Stinnett said.

With practice underway and two games under their belt, Stinnett said the team is looking really strong this year.

“Everyone is pushing each other to get better, and we’re holding ourselves to high standards both on and off the ice. We communicate well, we support each other and we’re already seeing our systems start to
come together. There’s still room to grow, of course, but the foundation is there, and it’s really exciting to see how much potential this group has,” Stinnett said.

Ahead of the season, Stinnett said she is looking forward to playing with her teammates and competing well to hopefully make the MIAC playoffs.

“Getting to play the game I love with the people I love. I’m excited to learn and grow as both a player and a person,” Stinnett said.

Senior Mia Lopez also thought the team’s exhibition games went well.

“They allowed us to experiment with different strategies and plays, especially since we have so many new players this year. It was a great chance to see how everyone works together on the ice and to start building team chemistry early on,” Lopez said.

Preparing for the season, the Bennies have been focused and competitive during practice to help get them ready physically and mentally.

“Our team has been putting in a lot of effort to work on our systems and match the intensity we know we’ll need during regular season games,” Lopez said.

There are a lot of new players to the team this year along with a group of returning players. Lopez said this mix of fresh energy and talent with experience and chemistry is exciting.

“Everyone brings something different to the table, and it will be exciting to see how the mix of new and returning players come together and contribute to our success this season,” Lopez said.

As a senior, Lopez wants to cherish every moment of this season.

“I am mostly looking forward to enjoying the ride this season by taking in every moment, growing as a player, and giving it everything I’ve got every weekend. I plan to make the most of this experience and contribute in any way to help our team reach its full potential,” Lopez said.

Senior Chloe Lewis said the team has been working hard since the second week of school when the preseason began. During that time, they’ve been lifting, conditioning and out on the ice, so they are entering into the season in good shape.

“Since our season has officially started, that hard work hasn’t stopped, it’s gotten better. All our players showing up ready to work and competing has me in a very optimistic mood about our season,” Lewis said.

This first part of the season has been transitioning back into the routine of hockey, school and social life, but Lewis said the team has been adjusting well.

“We have been working hard and implementing systems that benefit our team overall. This allows everyone the ability to reach their full potential as a teammate and a hockey player. I feel as though everyone on our team is in the right mindset to be a successful team this year,” Lewis said.

Being her senior season, Lewis said she is excited to see how the team grows and develops.

“We are going to have ups and downs throughout the season because that is guaranteed with every team, but I am excited to have those with the team we have right now. I have full faith that everyone on our team is going to put it all out there every day throughout the season, which will lead us to wins and who doesn’t like winning,” Lewis said.