Tikkinen Becomes First Minnesota State Athlete to Medal in Olympic Games

2/25/2010 4:34:46 PM

MANKATO, Minn. --- Minnesota State junior forward Nina Tikkinen will be returning to Mankato from her 2010 Olympic journey as the first-ever Minnesota State athlete to earn an Olympic medal. Tikkinen and Team Finland defeated Team Sweden Thursday afternoon 3-2 to earn the Bronze medal in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games.

MSU defenseman Emilia Andersson competed for Team Sweden during the 2010 games and finished her Olympic stint with an assist in five games of action.

Tikkinen finished the tournament playing in five games and earned two goals on 13 shots, one of which was a power play tally. Both of Tikkinen's goals came in her Olympic debut, in which Finland defeated the Russian Federation, 5-1.

Former Minnesota State USA forward David Backes has helped lead Team USA to the semi-final round of the men's ice hockey tournament and will look to advance to the gold medal game against Team Finland tomorrow afternoon.

Tikkinen and the seventh-seeded Mavericks travel to Minneapolis, Minn. to face the #2 Golden Gophers at Ridder Arena in the first-round of the WCHA playoffs. Game one of the best-of-three series will take place Friday evening at 7:07 p.m.

-30-

Print Friendly Version