UND junior goaltender Shelby Amsley-Benzie plays at Ralph Engelstad Arena earlier this season. Photo by Nicholas Nelson/The Dakota Student.

Shelbie Amsley-Benzie always knew she wanted to be a goalie.

The junior goaltender for the UND women’s hockey team and native of Warroad, Minn. always had her mind set on playing between the pipes, even before she knew how to skate.

“From the beginning, I always wanted to be a goalie,” Amsley-Benzie said. “My mom said I needed to learn how to skate first before I could play. So my fifth year playing hockey, I started playing goalie.”

Before ever having any hockey experience, Amsley-Benzie brought a flyer home and convinced her mom to sign her up for the sport she now plays collegiately.

“I asked my mom if I could play, and she said yes,” Amsley-Benzie said.

With notable alumni such as T.J. Oshie and Brock Nelson, Warroad, also known as Hockeytown, USA is known for producing top hockey talent.

“It’s such a good hockey community,” Amsley-Benzie said about her hometown. “And whenever a team makes it to the state tournament, school is canceled that day. It’s a small town, and everybody knows everybody.”

With Warroad just a few hours’ drive from Grand Forks, Shelby is grateful for the support she receives as her mom is able to make it to every home game.

Over her years at UND, Shelby has grown as a player and developed friendships with her fellow athletes.

“I really enjoy it, and as a team we get along really well,” she said.

Now in her junior season at North Dakota, Amsley-Benzie has written herself in the UND record books. She leads all goaltenders in career wins after earning her 43rd on the road against Bemidji State in a 5-1 victory over the Beavers on Jan. 25.

“As I’ve said all year long, Shelby’s been good,” said Brian Idalski after victory over Bemidji State.

Amsley-Benzie is quick to recognize that her focus is still on the team’s goals.

“It’s nice, and it’s what we need as a team right now,” Amsley-Benzie said on joining the UND record books. “With playoffs coming around the corner, you have to be focused on that. But it’s nice to get the recognition.”

North Dakota is arguably playing its best hockey of the year, and Amsley-Benzie has been a major part of the team’s most recent success at home and on the road. She currently leads the nation with a .949 save percentage.

On Jan. 30, Amsley-Benzie tied another program record as she recorded her ninth career shutout, stopping all 30 shots that came her way as UND would go on upsetting No. 6 ranked Minnesota Duluth.

Shelby also was named this week’s defensive player of the week for the second time in the last three weeks.

Since Jan. 1, the junior has a .971 save percentage and her goals-against average is down to 0.71.

North Dakota is now 15-10-3 on the season and sits in fourth place in the WCHA standings. Though it  will have one of its most notable home matchup of the year this weekend against No. 2 ranked Minnesota.

“Obviously this weekend is a big test for us,” Amsley-Benizie said about the upcoming series. “I think if we just keep playing our game and don’t try and do too much, we will be fine.”

Ben Novak is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].