Black Women Are Gaining Interest In NCAA Hockey

There has been a reported higher number of Black women entering the sport of hockey at the college level recently.

According to NHL.com, there has been a rise in Black college women joining hockey teams across the country. In a sport that has low numbers of Black athletes on the college and professional level, Black women athletes have risen in the past 10 years on the ice. According to a NCAA demographic database, in 2015, nine Black women were on the rosters of hockey teams in the NCAA. That number went down to only four players in 2019, but this season sees it up to at least 13 players currently on rosters in Division I and Division III schools.

Kelsey Koelzer is a former Princeton University player who became the first Black woman to coach an NCAA hockey team. In 2016, she became the first Black player to be chosen No. 1 in the National Women’s Hockey League. She, along with other people involved in the sport, sees a steady increase and attributes it to a growth in girls’ hockey worldwide. There are also efforts to make hockey more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming for players of color.

“As I’m recruiting, I feel I’m constantly shocked that it’s getting less and less out of the ordinary to see girls that are getting recruited to NCAA [Division I] who are (Black),” said Koelzer, who is the coach of Arcadia University’s new women’s hockey team. “I think it’s a really hopeful sign.”

The Black women hockey players for this current season are, University of Wisconsin defenseman Chayla Edwards, Clarkson University defenseman Avery Mitchell, University of New Hampshire forward Tamara Thierus, Syracuse University forward Rayla Clemons, Lindenwood University forward Jada Burke, Finlandia University defenseman India Charles, Yale University forward Kiersten Goode, Augsburg University forward Kensie Malone, State University of New York-Plattsburgh defenseman Sierra Benjamin, Nazareth College forward Maria Di Cresce, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute forward Asiah Taylor-Waters, Lindenwood University defenseman Teagan Heaslip and Dartmouth College forward Jennifer Costa.

The push for diversity among hockey players is being done to welcome those who are not accustomed to being involved in the sport. More hockey and athletics programs are emphasizing it these days.

Blake Bolden, a former Boston College defenseman who became the first Black player in the NWHL (National Women’s Hockey League) in 2015, was also the first Black first-round draft pick in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2013. She is excited about the pending change.

“Girls hockey has grown tremendously over the last few years so I think it’s inevitable that there would be more diversity in the game. Not tons, but it’s an improvement, so that’s good.”

Bolden also became the first Black female NHL pro scout when the Los Angeles Kings hired her in February 2020.

“This past year I have had numerous calls with prep schools that I’ve been to and that I’ve worked with just wanting to be more educated in supporting diverse individuals and players,” she said.

With recruitment efforts geared towards more diversity, the change may help draw attention from girls and women who could gain interest in the sport.