BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — First-year goaltender Lexi Badali turned in a dominant weekend between the pipes and was rewarded for it, earning Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading the (RV) College of Saint Benedict to a split with (RV) Gustavus Adolphus.

 

Badali allowed just one goal over 119 minutes and 48 seconds of action, finishing the weekend with 67 saves, a 0.50 goals-against average and a .985 save percentage. The honor marks the second MIAC weekly award of the season for Badali, who previously earned the distinction on Dec. 8, 2025.

She opened the series with a historic performance Friday night, stopping all 30 shots she faced in a 3–0 victory. The shutout was the first by a Saint Benedict goaltender against Gustavus in program history. Badali followed that effort with 37 saves Saturday in a 2–0 loss, allowing her only goal late in the third period.

The split kept Saint Benedict locked in a tie for third place in the MIAC standings with Gustavus. With four games remaining in the regular season, the Bennies sit at 12-5-4 overall and 7-4-3 in conference play.

Individually, Badali continues to rank among the league's top goaltenders. She is second in the MIAC in saves per game (29.43) and total saves (412), while her .941 save percentage ranks third. With a 1.72 goals-against average, Badali, who is 8-4-3 and has two shutouts, is fifth-best in the conference.

Badali and the Bennies return to action with a pivotal home-and-home series against No. 2 Augsburg on Feb. 13–14.