ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — First-year goaltender Lexi Badali (St. John, Ind.) played a key role in leading the College of Saint Benedict hockey team to its first-ever national playoff appearance and has been named to the DIII Hockey News All-Rookie Team.

 

Badali becomes the first player in program history to earn a spot on the DIIIHockeyNews.com All-Rookie Team, announced April 6. She was one of six players across Division III to earn the honor, joining forwards Sophia Hess (UW–River Falls), Trinity Walsh (Middlebury College) and Abby Hansberger (Concordia–Wisconsin), along with Ella Konrad (Nazareth University) and Maggie Hunter (Norwich University) on defense. Badali was selected as the goaltender on the All-Rookie squad and was the only MIAC honoree..

She capped her season with one of her strongest performances, recording a career-high 43 saves in a 2–1 overtime setback to No. 3 Amherst in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Ice Hockey Championship on March 14. Badali kept the Bennies in front for much of the game, stopping 11 shots in the first period, 14 in the second, 16 in the third and two more in overtime.

Throughout the postseason, Badali allowed just five goals across three games while making 113 total saves. Her playoff run included 37 saves in a 4–2 win over No. 7 Hamline, 33 saves in a 2–1 MIAC Championship victory over Gustavus Adolphus and the 43-save effort against Amherst. She recorded three games with 40 or more saves this season and reached at least 30 saves in 11 contests.

Badali, who earned All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors and was named to the MIAC All-Playoff Team, started 22 games and logged 1,329:21 in goal. She posted a 1.76 goals-against average — fifth in the MIAC — and a .942 save percentage, which ranked second in the conference and 18th nationally in Division III. Her save percentage also set a new program record for a Bennies goaltender.

She allowed 39 goals on the season, including 12 on the power play, and finished with 631 saves — second in the MIAC — while averaging 28.68 saves per game, third in the league. Her 631 saves rank second in program history, trailing only Kristen Blumberg's 639 during the 1999–2000 season.

In 2025-26, the Bennies turned in one of the most successful seasons in program history. Anchored by Badali in goal, Saint Benedict set a program-record 16 wins (16-8-4, 9-6-3 MIAC), captured its first-ever MIAC Playoff title and secured its first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance.