Whenever someone is skeptical of a woman’s ability to play hockey, chemistry senior Kate Hadley offers a simple invitation.
“I invite them to come check out one of our games, just to show them what women can do — that we can play hockey as well,” said Hadley, a fourth-year defender on the MSU women’s club ice hockey team.
MSU is the defending American Collegiate Hockey Association national champion, and the team currently is ranked No. 1 in the nation with an overall record of 23-7, Hadley said.
Hadley, a native of Canada, said she began playing hockey at the age of 7 in boys’ leagues until she was 15 because there were no leagues for girls at the time. Winning a second consecutive national championship would be a great way to end her career at MSU, she said.
“It would prove that we are a force in women’s college hockey at this level,” Hadley said.
At the end of the season, the top eight teams in the nation are invited to the national tournament, which this year runs from March 14-18 in Wooster, Ohio, head coach Jeff Wilson said.
Last year, his team took on a “hunter” mindset in its quest for a national title, Wilson said. As the defending champions, the team is a target whenever they step onto the ice, Wilson said.
“It seems like when you win a national championship, everyone all of a sudden is against you because they want to be you — they want to beat you,” he said.
Wilson said there are differences from the men’s game. For example, women are not allowed to body check one another on the ice, although there still is a lot of contact, he said.
“A greater emphasis and value is placed on puck control, puck movement and skill,” Wilson said.
Special education junior Erin Cahill, who has been playing hockey since she was in second grade, said she likes the team’s odds to repeat as national champions.
“We still have a lot of good players from last year, and we gained a lot of players,” said Cahill, a right wing who serves as the team’s assistant captain.
The club has one game left in its season against Central Michigan University at noon on Feb. 26 at Munn Ice Arena.
The team is having a fundraiser from 6-9 p.m. tonight at bd’s Mongolian Grill, 2080 W. Grand River Ave., in Okemos, to help cover travel, ice time and other club expenses, Wilson said.
“Fundraising and donations, they’re key to making our program a success,” he said.
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