Article by Sam Roering. Photo by Sam Roering.
Sanni Ahola entered this year, her final season as a Husky, coming off of being named WCHA Goaltender of the Year for the 23-24 season. She had set a program record for consecutive shutouts with four. To Sanni, these were cool achievements, but she doesn’t like to focus on them. Her focus is always on one thing: helping her team win.
Even now, after making more history as the winningest goaltender in St. Cloud State women’s hockey history, Sanni remains as humble as ever. Despite her record-breaking accomplishments, she prioritizes the team over the individual milestones.
It’s this blend of humility, dedication, and passion that has taken Sanni from the rinks of Finland to having her name etched into the history books at St. Cloud State. While she’s leaving an undeniable legacy as a Husky, this is still the beginning of her journey.
Ahola’s love for hockey began when she was young, watching her older brothers play hockey. Inspired by them, she decided that she would give it a try herself. Despite the significant age gap between her
and her brothers, which kept things from getting too competitive, she still has many fond memories of playing outdoor hockey with them.
“I don’t think I was that competitive back then. When I was goalie, I just wanted to catch all the pucks, nothing more than that,” Ahola recalled.
Ahola first started playing hockey on boys teams, as there weren’t any girls teams at the time. Around eight years old, she joined her first girls team, but continued to play both boys and girls hockey until age 17.
Her path to becoming a goaltender was natural. Growing up, her team played with a rotating goalie system, and she developed a love for it when it was her turn in net. Though she had to let others try goalie at times, it was clear she enjoyed stopping pucks.
Playing college hockey wasn’t always something that Ahola thought about. It was when her coach, Saara Niemi, shared her experience of playing for University of Minnesota Duluth that Ahola first considered it. She looked into it, but it wasn’t until she stood out at the U-18 World Championships that the idea became a reality. St. Cloud State reached out, and she was recruited to join the program.
Moving to a new country, learning a new language, and adopting a new culture wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t a struggle either. Her independent nature helped her embrace the transition.
“I’ve been quite independent my whole life, so it wasn’t too bad. I had some homesickness, but not much,” Ahola said.
Joining the WCHA was a huge step for Ahola. The pace of the game and level of competition was very different from what she experienced in Finland. It was a challenge she embraced. Though it took a couple of months to adjust, she stuck with it and ultimately emerged as one of the top goalies in the league.
As she developed on the ice, her growth off of it was just as important. Ahola feels that her maturity and confidence has grown the most during her time at SCSU. She’s been a key part of the Huskies team over the past few years, being a reliable presence in the net. Reflecting on her first two years, she recently looked back at clips from those seasons and was struck by how much she has evolved.
One of the big turning points for the team and Ahola was the hiring of Brian Idalski as head coach. His arrival brought a new vision, focused on building a winning mentality and a belief in themselves.
“Right away when Brian came in, he started to talk about what it takes to be a championship team and that we needed to believe in ourselves. The culture changed,” Ahola said.
This cultural shift has helped the team gain more recognition, being nationally ranked throughout the last three years. Ahola takes great pride in being a part of the transformation.
As the program grows, it has attracted more players, and an especially strong Finnish connection has formed. This year, Finnish freshmen Emilia Kyrkkö and Siiri Yrjölä joined Ahola and Sofianna Sundelin on St. Cloud’s roster. For Ahola, watching more Finnish talent join the program has been rewarding. It reflects the growth of not just St. Cloud State hockey, but of the growth of women’s hockey in Finland too.
Looking ahead, Ahola has big plans. She’s looking to play professionally in Sweden and has her sights set on the Olympics next year. Her long-term goal is to play in the PWHL, a league she thinks is an exciting development for women’s hockey.
“As a kid I never imagined that women can play hockey and get paid for it as their job. It’s a big thing for the sport and for young players to dream about,” Ahola said.
One of the highlights of Ahola’s journey has been the people she’s met through hockey. Her friendship with former teammate and roommate, Klára Hymlárová, stands out.
Ahola has enjoyed getting to watch Hymlárová become the first SCSU player to join the PWHL. The two share a strong friendship and mutual respect for each other, but as Ahola noted, that bond won’t stop them from being opponents when they face off in the World Championships.
“It’s always fun to play against her. Obviously on the ice you’re like the biggest enemies and then after the game, you’re best friends again,” Ahola said.
For Ahola, wearing the Finnish national team jersey is always an honor and she’s excited for this year’s tournament. Winning the bronze medal with her team at last year’s World Championships was a highlight, and holds a special place in her heart. The achievement makes her even more determined to help Finland get more medals in the future. Reflecting on her journey, from the international ice to outdoor hockey with her brothers, there’s one piece of advice that has stuck with Ahola. That’s to have fun. After all, her love for the game is the reason she plays.
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