A 16 Seed Makes A Final Four

No, it's not what you think...

The Bemidji State Beavers have made it to this year's Frozen Four by knocking off Notre Dame and Cornell. They're a 16-Seed playing Miami of Ohio in a national semi-final. They even got a police escort from the airport ((pictured, thanks BSU Athletics)) to the arena.

It's the first time in the "modern era" of the Frozen Four that a 16-seed has made it this far in the tournament...and they're looking for another one of those "Miracle On Ice" scenarios like there was in some medal-winning event that happened in New York state back in 1980.

Kevin Pates from the Duluth News-Tribune has the Beaves as "media darlings."

Shea Walters and Bemidji State got together at the right time. Walters, a forward from Hibbing, spent three years in junior hockey and joined the Beavers for a historic run as a 21-year-old freshman.

Bemidji State is 14-2-1 the past 17 games in getting to the Frozen Four for the first time in the program’s 10 years at the Division I level.

“Playing three years after high school was the best decision I’ve ever made,” said Walters, a 2005 News Tribune all-area first-team pick. “I gained more confidence, more maturity and was just better prepared for college. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.”
He was with Green Bay in the U.S. Hockey League for two years and played for North Iowa in the North American Hockey League in 2007-08, producing 84 points in 57 games.

Walters has played at wing and center, and has four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 33 games. He says practices at Bemidji State have been intense all season under coach Tom Serratore, which has paid off in four postseason victories (including the College Hockey America playoff title) and five wins in a row overall.

“We’ve heard from hockey fans from all over,” said Walters. “A lot of them are saying, ‘Who are you guys?’ They’re excited about seeing a fresh face in the NCAA tournament.”
Also on the team are sophomore forward Ryan Cramer of International Falls, and junior defenseman Kyle Hardwick of Warroad, Minn., a younger brother of former UMD defenseman Jay Hardwick. Former UMD captain Bert Gilling is in his 10th year as an assistant coach.

Joe Dufek tells us the good news...
((HT: Northlands News Center))