# 2015–16 North Dakota Fighting Hawks women's ice hockey season

The UND Fighting Hawks women's hockey team represented the University of North Dakota in WCHA women's ice hockey during the 2015-16 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season.

## Offseason

* August 17: 5 Fighting Hawks were set to compete in the US-Canada U22 Series held in Lake Placid, NY. Halli Krzyzaniak and Becca Kohler were chosen by Canada, while Gracen Hirschy, Amy Menke and Lexie Shaw were chosen for the US.

### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Breanna Berndsen | Forward | Canada | Attended Pursuit of Excellence Academy |
| Kristen Campbell | Goaltender | Canada | Minded the Net for Team Manitoba U-18 |
| Charly Dahlquist | Forward | United States | Chosen for USA National Camp for two years |
| Taylor Flaherty | Defender | United States | Captain of Lakeville North (MN) HS Team |
| Anna Kilponen | Defender | Finland | Played for Finland in 2014 Olympics |
| Rebekah Kolstad | Forward | United States | Played with Team USA U18 |
| Dorottya (Dorci) Medgyes | Forward/Defender | Hungary | First NCAA Div. I Player from Hungary |
| Vilma Tanskanen | Forward | Finland | Teammate of Anna Kilponen at Sochi for Finland |

### 2015–16 Fighting Hawks
## Schedule

| Date | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||
| October 2 | at Rensselaer* | #6 | Houston Field House • Troy, NY | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 4–3 | 1–0–0 |
| October 3 | at Rensselaer* | #6 | Houston Field House • Troy, NY | Lexie Shaw | W 4–1 | 2–0–0 |
| October 9 | at Minnesota State | #6 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 2–1 | 3–0–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 10 | at Minnesota State | #6 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Lexie Shaw | W 4–2 | 4–0–0 (2–0–0) |
| October 16 | at Bemidji State | #6 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | T 0–0 $^{OT}$ | 4–0–1 (2–0–1) |
| October 17 | Bemidji State | #6 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Lexie Shaw | L 1–2 $^{OT}$ | 4–1–1 (2–1–1) |
| October 23 | at St. Cloud State | #7 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 3–0 | 5–1–1 (3–1–1) |
| October 24 | at St. Cloud State | #7 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Lexie Shaw | T 4–4 $^{OT}$ | 5–1–2 (3–1–2) |
| October 29 | #1 Minnesota | #7 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 1–5 | 5–2–2 (3–2–2) |
| October 30 | #1 Minnesota | #7 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 4–3 | 6–2–2 (4–2–2) |
| November 14 | Ohio State | #6 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 2–3 | 6–3–2 (4–3–2) |
| November 15 | Ohio State | #6 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 4–1 | 7–3–2 (5–3–2) |
| November 20 | Minnesota-Duluth | #7 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 4–3 | 8–3–2 (6–3–2) |
| November 21 | Minnesota-Duluth | #7 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 0–1 | 8–4–2 (6–4–2) |
| November 27 | at Syracuse* | #9 | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 3–0 | 9–4–2 |
| November 28 | at Syracuse* | #9 | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 2–5 | 9–5–2 |
| December 4 | at #6 Bemidji State | #9 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 1–0 | 10–5–2 (7–4–2) |
| December 6 | #6 Bemidji State | #9 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 0–1 | 10–6–2 (7–5–2) |
| December 11 | #1 Wisconsin | #9 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 3–0 | 11–6–2 (8–5–2) |
| December 12 | #1 Wisconsin | #9 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | T 0–0 $^{OT}$ | 11–6–3 (8–5–3) |
| January 15, 2016 | Minnesota-Duluth | #9 | Amsoil Arena • Duluth, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 2–1 | 12–6–3 (9–5–3) |
| January 16 | Minnesota-Duluth | #9 | Amsoil Arena • Duluth, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 13–6–3 (10–5–3) |
| January 23 | at #2 Wisconsin | #8 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 0–1 | 13–7–3 (10–6–3) |
| January 24 | at #2 Wisconsin | #8 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 1–3 | 13–8–3 (10–7–3) |
| January 29 | Minnesota State | #8 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 2–1 | 14–8–3 (11–7–3) |
| January 30 | Minnesota State | #8 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | T 5–5 $^{OT}$ | 14–8–4 (11–7–4) |
| February 5 | at #3 Minnesota | #8 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 0–3 | 14–9–4 (11–8–4) |
| February 6 | at #3 Minnesota | #8 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | T 0–0 $^{OT}$ | 14–9–5 (11–8–5) |
| February 12 | St. Cloud State | #9 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 0–1 | 14–10–5 (11–9–5) |
| February 13 | St. Cloud State | #9 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 3–0 | 15–10–5 (12–9–5) |
| February 19 | at Ohio State | #9 | OSU Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 1–3 | 15–11–5 (12–10–5) |
| February 20 | at Ohio State | #9 | OSU Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 3–2 | 16–11–5 (13–10–5) |
| WCHA Tournament |||||||
| February 26 | St. Cloud State* | #10 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND (Quarterfinal, Game 1) | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 6–1 | 17–11–5 |
| February 27 | St. Cloud State* | #10 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND (Quarterfinal, Game 1) | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | W 6–1 | 18–11–5 |
| March 5 | #2 Minnesota* | #8 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Semifinal Game) | Shelby Amsley-Benzie | L 0–2 | 18–12–5 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||

## Awards and honors

* Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Academic All-American First Team
* Amy Menke, Forward, All-WCHA Second Team
* Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Goaltender, All-WCHA Third Team
* Halli Krzyzaniak, Defense, All-WCHA Third Team
* Anna Kilponen, Defense, All-WCHA Rookie Team