Amber Lindner

By Kara Walser
UWRF Sports Information

Falcon Amber Lindner is one of the team's go-to players and has proven that she is one of the top collegiate goalies in the country.

In her freshman season she had a 9-1 record with a 1.26 goals against average and was named to the All-NCHA team. Coming into her senior season she had a 27-12-1 record with a 2.00 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.

She is having another outstanding season this year. She was named the NCHA Player of the Week last Monday when she helped the Falcons win three of a possible four points at UW-Stevens Point, a team that was ranked No. 3 in the country. She allowed just three goals and made 60 saves in the two games.

Lindner has helped the Falcons to a 5-1-3 record and a No. 10 ranking in the USCHO.com poll. The Falcons are 2-1-1 in NCHA play. She has a 4-1-3 record with a 1.22 goals against average and a .945 save percentage. She has already recorded two shutouts this year and she has six career shutouts. In the NCHA she is second in goals against average and tied for the league lead in shutouts.

Lindner is majoring in communicative disorders. Lindner explains that speech systems and audiology are two of her favorite classes that she has taken here on campus. She hopes to enroll in graduate school and obtain a doctorate degree in audiology.

Lindner explains that while enrolled at UWRF, her favorite professor has been Sharyl Samargia. When asked to explain, Lindner replies, "She is an amazing professor who has the ability to relate to her students and teach in an interesting manner."

Coach Joe Cranston explains that Lindner works just as hard in the classroom as she does on the ice or in the weight room. "Amber has been on the honor roll and the NCHA All-Academic team every year. If more people followed her example, we would be even more successful than we already are."

Cranston is not exaggerating either. Lindner has been named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll for three straight seasons. She was also named to the Dean's List after both semesters in her junior year at UWRF.

Lindner believes a lot of her dedication and hard work comes from her mom, Becky Thibert. "My biggest inspiration is my mom. Through watching her, I have attained an attitude that I can do anything, and I think I am successful because of that," she says.

With such impressive goals for her future, one may wonder just how much time and effort she can give to other activities in her life. Not only has she been playing hockey for 15 years of her life, she also enjoys playing tennis for the "one on one competition" and actually competed in the sport at her high school in Moorhead, Minn. Lindner is a perfectionist who started playing hockey after watching the movie Mighty Ducks.

Lindner, playing goalie for the hockey team,"gives us the ability to know that we could win any game we play," says Cranston."Amber relates well with her teammates and is a leader. She also leads by example with hard work and determination."

As a leader, Lindner explains that the relationship between her and her teammates is a "unique" one.   With new freshmen and two transfer students joining the team this year, she hopes that the women "come together as a team and do what we have the ability for."

Cranston explains that Lindner has improved the most in her career in "overall athleticism." He believes that she is a "complete athlete" and has improved in physical shape and her attitude since her freshman year with the team. Lindner is a "very competitive" player and "can handle the puck as well as many of our other players."

Lindner is the daughter of James and Becky Thibert of Moorhead, Minn., and has six siblings; two sisters and four brothers.