Senior Spotlight: Moorhead captain Olivia Dronen commits to Bemidji State

MOORHEAD — Moorhead senior captain Olivia Dronen has announced her commitment to play for Bemidji State after an impressive junior campaign.

Dronen found success in her versatility out on the ice in her past three varsity seasons at Moorhead. She played as a forward her freshman year, then switched over to playing defense as a sophomore, and split her junior year as both a forward and a defenseman.

Although she has impressed in both positions, Dronen plays defense the most and will stay at that position for her final year of high school and into college.

"I'm a strong, lockdown defenseman when needed to be, but I'm versatile," said Dronen. "I like to rush the puck and jump into plays and score goals."

Moorhead girls hockey head coach Ryan Kraft adds that Dronen is an unbelievably gifted player and can score goals while defending against the other teams' top players.

"She can change the game in a single play and she will be relied upon heavily to play important minutes in all aspects of every game," Kraft said.

Hockey seems to be in her blood, as the Spud defender's two older brothers also played the sport. Parker , the oldest, played in high school, while middle sibling, Max , graduated in 2021 and currently plays in the NAHL with the Oklahoma Warriors.

Like her older brother Max did, Olivia also wears the "C" for Moorhead.

"I talk a lot in-between periods and in the locker room. I also try to do a lot of leading by example," says Dronen, a two-year captain for the Spuds.

"Her leadership skills, both on and off the ice, have helped shape the current culture of Spud girls hockey," Kraft said.

After posting 38 points in 29 games her junior season, Dronen took a visit to Bemidji State and eventually announced her commitment on Oct. 16.

"The campus was so beautiful, I thought the facilities were unbelievable, and the coaches were definitely a big factor in my decision. After getting to know them, I knew it would be the perfect fit for me," the Moorhead defender said of BSU.

Bemidji was always a college that was on Dronen's radar, as one of her coaches at Moorhead, Kara Werth , also played for the Beavers.

Dronen is also quite familiar with future Bemidji State teammates Talya Hendrickson and Kate Johnson of Warroad, as the three have played on various Northern Minnesota teams together. She has also skated with BSU commit Riley Reeves of Gentry Academy at summer HP camps in the past.

Dronen isn't just talented at hockey, but is a multi-sport athlete for Moorhead High School, participating in soccer and golf.

The Spuds girls hockey team has unfinished business this season in 2022-23, as the group lost in a very close section championship matchup last year to Brainerd/Little Falls.

Dronen says that the team wants to make it to state this year and they want to be competitive at the state tournament. She adds that everyone on the team is really close and that they all have a sister-like type of bond with each other.

The 5-foot-6 defender will hit the ice for Bemidji State for the 2023-24 season.