Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into the world of women’s hockey lately, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride! I started this whole thing because I wanted to figure out which schools were really killing it in the women’s hockey scene. You know, the ones churning out those amazing players who make it to the big leagues.
I started with the University of Minnesota. Man, those Golden Gophers are no joke! They’ve got a seriously impressive track record in the NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championship. We’re talking multiple national titles here, people! They had some stars, Julie Chu, Hilary Knight, Angela Ruggiero, and Jenny Potter. They participated in four tournaments and won four medals. I guess, Potter is the all-time leading American scorer in the women’s tournament at the Olympics, with 11 goals. They are really good! So, naturally, this school was at the top of my list to investigate.
Then, I moved on to other schools, but, it turned out that I was more interested in the players. I saw that the 2025 PWHL Draft rankings, and I was like, “Wait, there’s a whole ranking for this?” It got me thinking about all the up-and-coming talent out there.
The Research Rabbit Hole
- Scouring the Web: I spent hours going through articles, and news. I was looking for any info on college commitments, especially those involving Canadian players.
- PWHL Deep Dive: I learned that this new league is a game-changer. I even checked out their first game on New Year’s Day. That was fun! Ella Shelton from New York scored the first goal. Cool, huh?
- Top Players: I attempted to make a list of top players in 2024. And Natalie Spooner, she is awesome. I truly think she is the best.
Honestly, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. There’s so much to learn about these amazing athletes and the programs that support them. This whole journey has made me appreciate the sport and all the hard work that goes into it. It made me more love watching women’s hockey games! I’ll definitely be keeping up with the latest news and cheering on these incredible women as they chase their dreams on the ice. I highly recommend you to watch women’s hockey too!