(LEBANON, Ill., March 26) – The McKendree University women's hockey to will head down south to Frisco, Tex. for the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) National Tournament. The Bearcats will open up with Adrian College in a best of three series beginning on Wednesday.
 
Wednesday and Thursday's puck drop are slated for 4:00p.m.
 
The Bearcats closed out the regular season at 16-10, a four-win improvement from the 2017-18 season. In just its third year as a program, McKendree will play in the National Tournament.
 
At the conclusion of the regular season, the ACHA announced Jana Garrow (Wexford, PA/North Allegheny) as the recipient for the 2018-19 Community Playmaker award.
 
Leading the offense are sophomore Dakota Peterson (Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada), junior Lara Wentz (Bismark, ND/), and sophomore Callie Hoadley (Hanover, MA/Hanover High School). Peterson leads the team in both goals and points, lighting the lamp 17 times this season and totaling 25 points. Wentz has nine goals and 11 assists, good for 20 points. Hoadley is second on the team in goals with 12 while putting up 19 points. Freshman Kayla Waldbillig (West Kelowna, BC, Canada/Mount Boucherie Secondary School) facilitates the offense with a team-leading 12 assists.
 
Between the pipes, junior Jazmin Malinowski (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way) has a 10-3 record, 1.50 goals against average, .937 save percentage and tied for second in the ACHA with seven shutouts. Freshman Naomi Leasck (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh High School) sports a 6-7 record, 2.01 goals against average, and .938 save percentage with two shutouts.
 
The Bearcats and Bulldogs previously met on Nov. 16-17 where McKendree was narrowly defeated by Adrian 1-0 and 3-2 OT, who was ranked No. 1 in the rankings.
 
About Adrian:
The Bulldogs closed out the regular season at 22-3-1 overall. Senior Kaillie Hardy, freshman Huntyr Hosher, and junior Britt Levasseur lead the attack for Adrian. Hardy leads in all categories with 14 goals and 20 assists, for 34 total points. Bosher is second on the team in points with 25, totaling 12 goals and 13 assists. Levasseur is tied with Hardy in goals with 14 and has 23 total points.
 
In net, junior Dana Colombo is the primary netminder with a 17-3-1 record, 1.46 goals against average, and .927 save percentage with seven shutouts.
 
All games at the ACHA National Tournament will be broadcasted on the ACHA YouTube channel. For more information regarding the National Tournament, click here.