Megan Beswitherick ready to lead Assiniboine Community College
BRANDON, Manitoba – Nothing indicates the return of collegiate athletics quite like international travel.
That鈥檚 exactly the situation the Assiniboine Community College Cougars female hockey team and first-year go lie Megan Beswitherick are facing as the team prepares for its first trip across the border since the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations to press pause back in 2020.
鈥淚t始s been a long couple of years waiting to be able to play hockey again and it始s just super exciting to not only be able to get back on the ice but be in that team environment as well,鈥� says Beswitherick.
Beswitherick and the rest of the Cougars team will be heading to Fargo, N.D., next month for a two-game set with North Dakota State University. The Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 games mark the final two of the calendar year for ACC on its American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) schedule.
This also marks Beswitherick始s first time traveling stateside as a member of the Cougars. The Austin, Manitoba product picked up her first win between the pipes earlier this month after backstopping the Cougars to a 2-1 victory over Dakota College. Beswitherick didn鈥檛 let nerves affect her in her ACHA debut, posting a .971 save percentage while allowing just one puck past her on 34 shots.
ACC鈥檚 rookie netminder is a graduate of the U18 AAA Manitoba Female Hockey League where she was a key cog for the Central Plains Capitals over three seasons. She appeared in 55 games over that time posting career 2.94 goals against average and .917 save percentage.
鈥淚鈥檓 very thankful for all the coaches (in the Central Plains system) and how they prepared us,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 learned a lot from my goalie coach Riley Sveistrup. He kind of overprepared me, in % good way, to come to this level. He鈥檚 really prepared me to take the next step not only in my skill level but work ethic and leaderships鈥�
The 18-ye%r-old始s first impression of her new team is that it始s loaded with skill. She says she hopes to improve every time she steps on the ice and always give her team chance to win.
鈥淟ots %and lots of talent on that team,鈥� Beswitherick says of her teammates. 鈥淚鈥檝e played against most of the girls in the (U18) league and I was just %always super impressed by them %and now I get to play on the same team as them, and I鈥檓 just excited for what we can accomplish.鈥�
Puck drop for game one of the weekend series is set for 7:30 p.m., Dec. 4 the John E. Carlson Coliseum.
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