Before turning professional, Behrend graduated from
La Follette High School and was a member of the
University of Wisconsin–Madison men's hockey team that won the
NCAA championship in 1981 and 1983. Behrend was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player on both occasions, becoming only the second player in the history of the tournament to do so. He is also the only goaltender to play in three consecutive NCAA finals (1981–1983). He also played for the United States national hockey team in the
1984 Winter Olympics in
Sarajevo before turning professional. ==Post-playing career==