The University of St. Thomas Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Phil Esten announced Bethany Brausen as the next head coach of the Tommie women’s hockey program. Currently the interim head coach, Brausen led St. Thomas to its first sweep of a top 5 program this past weekend and has played an integral role in the Tommies’ Division I transition.
“Bethany Brausen has demonstrated an alignment with our athletics and institutional values and is committed to the pursuit of comprehensive excellence,” commented Esten. “I am thrilled to introduce Bethany as our new women’s hockey head coach as she has established herself as one of the best emerging coaches in women’s college hockey. Coach Brausen’s leadership over the last four years has made me confident that she is the right person for the job, especially as we enter a new era of Tommie hockey. I am confident she will lead St. Thomas women’s hockey with poise and uphold the core values of Tommie athletics at the highest level.”
Brausen brings a wealth of experience to the head coaching role, serving as St. Thomas top assistant, active head coach and interim head coach since joining the program in 2021. In her first three seasons, the Tommies rose from eighth to sixth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) standings, earning wins over ranked opponents in both 2022-23 and 2023-24. With Brausen on the bench, St. Thomas earned its first ever win over a top 10 opponent, a shoot-out victory over then No. 7 ranked Minnesota-Duluth, in 2022-23, and defeated No. 9 St. Cloud State in 2023-24 for its first regulation win over a nationally ranked opponent. As the interim head coach in 2024-25, Brausen led the Tommies to their first sweep of a top 5 opponent, upending the No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs this past weekend.
