Sean Williams/MDN Paige Ackerman (3) and Aspen Cooper (24) of the Minot State women’s hockey team on the ice at the Maysa Arena during a game that occurred last season.

Falling just one win shy of a national title last season, the Minot State women’s hockey team is looking to build off their run of success as they get ready for the 2023-24 season.

On Tuesday, the Beavers released their schedule for the upcoming season, and it’s loaded with some of the top talent in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I ranks.

After a pair of exhibition games in Saskatchewan against Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (Sept. 22) and University of Regina (Sept. 23), the Beavers will open the regular season on the road when they head to Midland University for a two-game series beginning on Friday, Sept. 29.

From Oct. 13-14, the Beavers will have their home-opening series when they welcome Liberty University to the Maysa Arena for an ACHA Division I National Championship game rematch from last season.

The pair of matchups against Midland and Liberty gives the Beavers an early opportunity to see where they stand against extremely tough opponents. In the final ACHA W1 Rankings last year, Liberty checked in as the No.1-ranked team and Midland was not far behind as the No.2-ranked team.

Following the series against Liberty, the Beavers will host Lake Superior State University beginning on Oct. 20.

Lake Superior State, along with Lake Region State College and Assiniboine Community College who are scheduled later in the season, all will make their way to the Maysa Arena from the ACHA Women’s Division II level. A bylaw was passed allowing ACHA Women’s Division I and Division II teams to compete and to have those games count towards the rankings.

Other matchups throughout the year include a road series at Indiana Tech (Oct. 26-27), a road series at Adrian College (Oct. 28-29), a home series against Maryville University (Nov. 3-4), a home series against Midland University (Nov. 10-11), a home game against Dakota College at Bottineau (Dec. 2) and a home series against University of Jamestown (Jan. 13-14).

On Sunday, Jan. 28 in Chesterfield, Mo. there will be a WMCH All-Star Game for the first time ever, where eight teams from the conference will get together for a weekend showcase.

The Beavers will wrap up their regular season with a home series against Jamestown from Feb. 16-17 before they start WMCH Conference Tournament play on Feb. 22 in Lynchburg, Va.

With the hopes of taking care of business in the title game, the Beavers will begin ACHA National Tournament play on March 13. The tournament will be in St. Louis, Mo. and will conclude on March 17.

Before the Beavers get to the ACHA National Tournament, they will be well prepared and battle tested as they are set to face eight teams who were ranked in the top 15 of the final ACHA W1 Rankings last year.

The full schedule for the upcoming season can be viewed online by going to www.msubeavers.com.