The ACHA announced its first women’s hockey national ranking this week and the Minot State women find themselves ranked No. 2 in the country after battling a pair of tough foes to open the 2025-26 season.

The Beavers (2-2-0 overall, 2-2-0 WMCH) split at home with McKendree to start the season, then split with Maryville in week No. 2, which included a 3-0 shutout of the Saints that helped Minot State earn the No. 2 ranking in the nation.

Maryville was ranked No. 1 in the nation, with the Saints’ lone loss that 3-0 setback at the hands of the Beavers, while McKendree was ranked No. 4.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn was No. 3 in the first ACHA Division I Women’s Hockey poll, and Midland rounded out the top 5 in the No. 5 spot.

Minot State puts its new No. 2 ranking to the test this week with four tough road games as the Beavers play at Adrian (Mich.) on Thursday and Friday, and at Niagara on Saturday and Sunday. The Bulldogs (3-4-0) checked in at No. 9 in the first poll of the season, and the Purple Eagles (1-1-0) were ranked No. 14.

The Beavers look to turn the tables in their series with Adrian, which hasn’t lost to Minot State in the last six meetings dating back to a 2-1 Beaver win at the Maysa Arena in January of 2023. That run of success for the Bulldogs includes a 4-1 victory in the 2023-24 ACHA National Championship game in St. Louis, Missouri.

Graduate student Hailey Wiltshire and junior Chloe Gregory lead the way this season with 4 and 3 goals, respectively, for Adrian, which has played one similar foe as the Beavers in Maryville. The Saints swept the Bulldogs, 1-0 and 4-1 in Missouri.

As for the Purple Eagles, the meeting is the second between the two teams as the Purple Eagles visited the Magic City last winter when the Beavers scored 4-1 and 2-0 wins.

Niagara has played two games this season, back at the end of September, tying Massachusetts-Amherst 2-2 and falling 2-1 to the Minutemen.

Defensemen Jaidyn Clipperton and Julia McDonald, and forward Chloe Minkus, each have a goal to lead the Purple Eagles so far this season.

As for the 2nd-ranked Beavers, balance has been key once again this season as Abby Tallman has 2 goals, while Olivia Opheim, Erica Fijala, Olivia Kirwan, Marlie Rutherford, Avary Lazarenko, and Journey Miller all have 1 goal piece this winter.

Meanwhile, in goal, sophomore All-American Jillian Ackerman is playing outstanding once again with 2 wins, 1 shutout, a 93.0 save percentage, and a 2.00 goals against average for Minot State.