ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – First-year hockey player Lexi Badali capped a stand-out rookie season with one of the athletic department's highest honors, as the Bennie goaltender was named the CSB Rookie of the Year when the award was announced on Thursday, July 16. 

She is the first hockey player to earn the award in its 38-year history. She was also named hockey's finalist for CSB Athlete of the Year, to be announced later this week. 

Badali (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) backstopped CSB hockey to its most successful season in program history. The first-year started 22 games in net and helped the Bennies claim their first MIAC Playoff Championship. She played in all but six games and earned a 12-7-3 record. Four of her seven losses were by one goal.

The netminder finished her rookie year with a 1.76 GAA (39 goals against) and a .942 save percentage (631 saves). She started her career with five Athlete of the Week honors, two from the conference and three from the department. She was named All-MIAC honorable mention after finishing first in conference games played (18); second in minutes played (1086:45) and saves (492); fourth in save percentage (.937); and fifth in goals-against average (1.82) and shutouts (2). 

After the conclusion of the regular season, she helped the Bennies to 120 minutes of playoff victories, defeating No. 7 Hamline, 4-2 and Gustavus Adolphus, 2-1. Badali made 70 saves between the two games to earn MIAC All-Playoff honors. 

In CSB's NCAA tournament appearance, she saved 43 shots from the No. 3 team in the country to keep the Bennies' playoff hopes alive. She played 47:28 minutes of shutout hockey before the eventual national semifinalists scored two in the waning minutes of the first-round match-up.

Following the national tournament, Badali earned a selection to DIIIHockeyNews.com's national All-Rookie team and All-America first team. She is CSB hockey's first All-American in program history. 

The Rookie of the Year ballot featured Badali, basketball center Emma Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.), cross country runner Daphne Grobstein (Golden Valley, Minn./Hopkins), flag football wide receiver/safety Avary White (Stillwater, Minn./St. Croix Prep), lacrosse goalie Ashley Fischer (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato East), soccer midfielder Veronica Warren (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View), softball pitcher Kaitlyn Pink (Delano, Minn.), swimmer Anna Schottler (Chanhassen, Minn.), tennis player Ellie Huber (Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman), indoor track & field hurdler/jumper Juslene Chea (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville), outdoor track sprinter Bella Lund (Mound, Minn./Mound Westonka), and volleyball right side Keira McManus (Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman).

CSB (16-8-4, 9-6-3 MIAC) won the MIAC Playoff Championship for the first time in program history in 2025-26. The Bennies finished No. 15 in the DIIIHockeyNews.com rankings, the first national ranking in program history.

CSB ended the season in the top 25 in eight statistical categories: ninth in short-handed goals (4); 21st in goals (76) and scoring offense (2.71 gpg); 22nd in winning percentage (0.643); 23rd in assists (104) and team points (180); and 24th in scoring margin (+0.82) and team shutouts (4).

CSB All-Time Rookies of the Year
2024-25: Lily Treml (softball) & Ava Mosley (lacrosse)
2023-24: Lizzie Schrubbe (lacrosse) & Sabriya Farquharson (track & field) 
2022-23: Ellie Peterson (softball) 
2021-22: Justus Floren (track & field)
2020-21: Fiona Smith (track & field)
2019-20: Emily Quill (swim & dive)
2018-19: Abby Goff (cross country/track & field)
2017-18: Ally Hjort (softball) & Megan Thompson (soccer/basketball)
2016-17: Taylor Loth (cross country/track & field)
2015-16: Natalie Amundson (golf)
2014-15: Megan Sundstrom (track & field)
2013-14: Alli Kosobud (cross country/track & field)
2012-13: Kim Lidstone (softball)
2011-12: Megan Favorite (soccer)
2010-11:  Ellen Dean (swim & dive)
2009-10: Megan Smith (cross country/track & field)
2008-09: Julia Renner (track & field)
2007-08: Danielle Frank (basketball) & Ashley Irons (cross country/track & field)
2006-07: Allyson Draxler (soccer)
2005-06: Maggie Donahue (cross country)
2004-05: Teri Knapper (volleyball)
2003-04: Christina Gardner (softball)
2002-03: Jenna Wendorff (track & field) & Leah Wurm (cross country/track & field)
2001-02: Kim Johnson (basketball)
2000-01: Libby Homan (volleyball)
1999-00: Michelle Barlau (basketball)
1998-99: Gretchen Webber (swim & dive)
1997-98: Noelle Peterson (swim & dive)
1996-97: Lisa Grefe (soccer) & Courtney Remes (swim & dive)
1995-96: Robyn Ruschmeier (volleyball/basketball)
1994-95: Missy Petersen (cross country/track & field)
1993-94: Heather Raser (swim & dive) & Kelly Sauer (basketball)
1992-93: Alexis Brunner (track & field)
1991-92: Stacie Klaviter (softball)
1990-91: Colleen Carey (soccer)
1989-90: Katy Deignan (cross country/track & field)
1988-89: Christi Dold (softball)
1987-88: Tina Och (tennis) & Amy Tri (swim & dive) *first recipients