Bemidji State, Minnesota State to Play Grand Rapids Charity Hockey Classic

Minnesota State University, Mankato and Bemidji State University will face off in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women’s Face-Off Classic at Yanmar Arena in Grand Rapids on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. The benefit game will both showcase Division I women's hockey and direct attention and funds to regional institutions, including a portion of proceeds to the Foster Hope Scholarship Fund, a Grand Rapids-based charity that awards scholarships to local foster children.

Thirteenth-ranked Minnesota State (11-12-1) arrives as the higher-ranked opponent, while Bemidji State (5-16-3) will bring local Beavers supporters to the rink. The matchup carries extra local interest because former Grand Rapids/Greenway star Mercury Bischoff is on the Mavericks roster, increasing community engagement and alumni attention for the event. Melanie DeBay, chair of the Grand Rapids organizing committee, said excitement is building in the community.

Beyond the scoreboard, the game is designed to strengthen ties across northern Minnesota communities and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth. The museum benefits from heightened visibility at a time when regional cultural institutions rely on public events to sustain operations. For Grand Rapids, an event at Yanmar Arena is likely to boost nearby small businesses, restaurants and hospitality services as fans travel in for the afternoon and evening.

There are public health and social equity dimensions to the event. Large gatherings can strain local services when communities are already managing limited public resources, so organizers and attendees should be mindful of common-sense measures that protect vulnerable residents, including staying home when ill and using routine infection-prevention practices. The Foster Hope Scholarship Fund contribution ties directly to social determinants of health: educational supports for foster youth can improve long-term outcomes in schooling, employment and well-being, and local fundraising events like this one help plug gaps left by underfunded public systems.

The Face-Off Classic also spotlights equity in sports. High-profile games for women's collegiate hockey provide visibility that can translate into greater youth participation, sponsorship opportunities and community investment in girls' athletics. That visibility matters in Beltrami County and neighboring towns where role models and access to organized sport play a part in physical and mental health for young people.

For readers, the game offers an opportunity to support a local charity while watching NCAA-level competition close to home. Expect higher traffic near Yanmar Arena around the 4 p.m. start and an energized crowd as Bemidji State and Minnesota State compete in a matchup that blends sport, community benefit and efforts to shore up supports for some of the region’s most vulnerable young people.