As the Wheaton Women’s ice hockey team dropped the puck for their most recent game, they accomplished a feat that no other Wheaton women’s ice hockey side has done in recent years. It was the first time in team history that the women’s ice hockey program has hosted a game at their home rink in Raynham, MA. This accomplishment did not come without a lot of hard work, but could prove to be a pivotal event in the club’s history.
At the beginning of the school year, the women’s ice hockey program was going through a rebuilding process. With no organized team leader and no ice time reserved, the chances of the team playing games during the 2013-2014 school year looked bleak. As the first semester came to a close, hockey enthusiasts began to meet and formed a united group. Tracy McCann, a junior at Wheaton, who had played in previous years, led this group of women student-athletes. With McCann at the helm, the team scheduled practices and the team’s first official home game.
The game itself was a high scoring affair. With players flying up and down the ice, the crowd at the Iceplex was on the edge of their seats during the entire contest. Several players shined throughout the game but Sarah McNicholas, who notched a hat-trick, was a force to be reckoned with. Though the game ended in a loss for the Lyons, the experience and accomplishment of hosting the game easily outweighed the outcome on the ice.
When asked about the importance of hosting the team’s inaugural home game, club president Tracy McCann stated, “It was a great feeling to host our first game. This program has a lot of potential to grow and this was definitely a step in the right direction.”
Hosting their first game seems to be the first of many goals for the women’s program. In terms of future plans for the club, McCann believes, “The possibilities and opportunities for this team are endless. We’re looking forward to doing some fundraising activities to make all of this possible in the upcoming spring and fall.”
Future contests for the team are yet to be announced. With several endeavors in the plans for this semester and next year, the future looks bright for women’s ice hockey at Wheaton.