University of St. Thomas Athletics
Women's Hockey adds Brausen, Sertich as full-time assistants
7/1/2021 1:00:00 PM | Women's Hockey
New St. Thomas Women's Hockey coach Joel Johnson has announced the hiring of Bethany Brausen and Marty Sertich as full-time assistant coaches. The Tommies are preparing for their first season of Division I competition in 2021-22.
Brausen won two NCAA championships as a Minnesota Gopher player. She also coached with Johnson the last five seasons at Minnesota as assistants on the staff of head coach Brad Frost.
A St. Thomas women's assistant coach the last four seasons, Sertich has Division I and professional playing experience on the ice.
"I am incredibly excited to have Bethany and Marty join us as we move forward into a new chapter of the women's hockey program here at St. Thomas," Johnson said. "Both Bethany and Marty bring extensive experience along with unique gifts and talents on and off the ice that will be a great complement to our department and ultimately lead to a tremendous experience for our student athletes.
"The University of St. Thomas is committed to comprehensive excellence, and I can't think of two better people who demonstrate that commitment."
The St. Thomas women finished 6-2 in their final Division III season of play in 2020-21, with a reduced schedule due to Covid protocols. Starting in 2021-22 they will compete with seven other teams in the WCHA Women's League. The WCHA is one of four conferences the Tommies are joining as they make an historic direct move from Division III to Division I in all 21 sports.
Bethany Brausen
A native of Little Canada, Minn., Brausen joined the Minnesota coaching staff in 2016-17 after competing for the Gophers from 2010-14. She previously served as an assistant at Breck High School and has worked in a multitude of coaching capacities including the Minnesota Elite League, OS Hockey, Forte Performance, Minnesota Hockey and USA Hockey.
As a two-time captain at Minnesota, Brausen contributed to back-to-back national championship teams in 2012 and 2013, along with Minnesota's national runner-up team in 2014 in her senior year. She helped the Gophers post a 139-17-5 (.879) record during her four-year career, including an NCAA-record 62-game winning streak. She played in 161 career games while recording 51 points on 16 goals and 35 assists. Minnesota also won five WCHA regular-season or playoff crowns during her playing days.
She was honored as a three-time WCHA Scholar Athlete, Academic All-WCHA, and Academic All-Big Ten. A Psychology major, she received undergraduate degree and Master's degrees (Counseling Student Personnel Psychology) at Minnesota, in 2014 and 2017. She has work experience in career counseling, sport psychology and consulting work. She has interned with Premier Sport Psychology and JSA Advising to further her knowledge and experience in sport psychology and the mental implications in sport. Brausen is currently pursuing her PhD in Organizational Leadership Policy and Development.
In her assistant's role with the Gopher women's hockey program, Brausen was responsible for recruitment as well as on and off-ice development with student athletes. She served in fundamental roles including scouting of WCHA opponents, on-ice system implementation, management of incoming players, and academic development for the program.
Marty Sertich
Sertich brings continuity plus his extensive hockey background as a recruiter, instructor and an elite player. A Roseville, Minn., native, Sertich retired in 2016 after a 10-year professional playing career in Europe and in the American Hockey League. He was college hockey's Hobey Baker Award winner as a junior while at Colorado College, and also made All-America and was voted the WCHA Player of the Year in his Tiger career. He received the Man of the Year award for the Iowa Stars' AHL team in Des Moines.
He was part of a St. Thomas staff that guided the 2018-19 Tommies to a late-season No. 1 national ranking, a school-record 25 victories, and a D-III Frozen Four appearance. His recruiting efforts helped attract a promising 2021 newcomer class with both local and international talent.
Sertich currently runs Tradition Hockey, a youth training program based in Roseville. He previously ran a summer hockey camp in Roseville. He and his wife Becky are the parents of two daughters, Peyton and Mia.
