The University of North Dakota women’s basketball program announced the fourth signee to its class of 2021 on Wednesday, Jan. 20, adding mid-year enrollee Erika Lane to the Fighting Hawks squad for the final 10 games of 2020-21. Erika, the sister of sophomore forward Olivia Lane, began practicing with the team on Monday and will be eligible to play this weekend at South Dakota State.

“In a highly unusual year, we are taking advantage of the opportunity to add Erika to our roster a semester earlier than previously anticipated, and it’s great that Erika was excited to join us early too,” said Interim Head Coach Mallory Bernhard. “Some of the roster challenges we’ve faced this year, it’s great to add another player and allow her the chance to acclimate to the collegiate game sooner. She has a great work ethic – a true Lane family trait – and it’s something special to say they’re going to do this together.”

The 5’9 guard played was an All-Area selection by The Brainard Dispatch as a junior in 2020, after averaging 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She played alongside sister Olivia at Pequot Lakes High School on the Patriots’ 7AA Sectional Semifinalist team the year before. Erika was a member of the Minnesota Suns AAU team based in the Twin Cities.

The Lanes are the first sisters since Megan and Melissa Dailey (2017-19) to play for the Fighting Hawks. Erika is the fourth player to sign with the University of North Dakota class of 2021, joining guards Jodi Anderson and Allie McCarthy, and center Miranda VanderWal.

The Fighting Hawks will return to action on Friday, Jan. 22, when they plan to take on South Dakota State at Frost Arena.

Jamernik, Senden earn NCHC weekly honors

Freshman Louis Jamernik and junior Mark Senden are among the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s players of the week for their efforts in third-ranked North Dakota’s split at Denver last week. Jamernik, who just joined the Fighting Hawks at the semester break, is the league’s rookie of the week while Senden earned the co-forward of the week.

Jamernik led all NCHC rookies with two points last week, notching assists in both games at Denver. Sunday, he setup North Dakota’s only goal. It was the first collegiate point for the freshman from Calgary, Alberta. Monday, he added another assist as he was in on UND’s late power play goal in the 5-1 win in the finale. He finished as a +2 for the weekend.

Senden became the first UND player in over a year to notch four assists in a game, turning the trick in Monday’s 5-1 win. He helped North Dakota score two quick goals, one just 18 seconds in and another just over three minutes later to take a comfortable 2-0 lead. Later, he helped setup the final two goals to give him four assists, the first UND player to have four points in a game since Grant Mismash did so at Minnesota last year.

North Dakota (10-3-1), now alone in first place with 29 points through 14 games played, will finally get a chance to play at home for the first time this season. UND will host Colorado College on Saturday and Sunday to begin a stretch that will see the Fighting Hawks at Ralph Engelstad Arena seven times over the final 10 games of the scheduled regular season.