Zoe Ellis Commits To Windsor Lancers

Dresden’s Zoe Ellis is the newest local athlete to commit to a University athletics program, as the defender was named as one of the University of Windsor Lancers women’s hockey teams newest recruits for 2014-2015.

“I am very honoured and excited to have the opportunity to continue to play hockey and move up to playing at this level,” said Ellis, who played with the Chatham Outlaws Midget AA team this season. “Windsor has a very physical and fast team with a successful record and I am very excited to be apart of that.”

After a successful high school year, and playing season with the Outlaws, Ellis will take the step into the OUA, while studying Human Kinetics at Windsor. Ellis says she’ll be working hard this offseason to prepare for her first season of University hockey.

“I am going to be doing off ice training at Athletes Fuel in Chatham and I am also going to continue training on ice throughout the summer with my former Chatham Midget AA team,” explained Ellis about her offseason plans. “One of my main focuses is going to be building more strength and increasing speed to compete at a higher level of hockey.”

Speed is one of Ellis’ top characteristics according to Windsor Lancers head coach Jim Hunter, who spoke highly of his new defender.

“Both of these girls are good skaters, who move the puck well and have a lot of potential,” said Hunter of Ellis, and fellow defensive recruit Rachel Chantler in a Lancers news release.

“These athletes are going to make us more athletic moving forward,” added Hunter of his 2014-2015 recruiting class. “The depth and competitiveness of this team just went up,” continued Hunter of his roster, which last year included Chatham’s Destiny Pailey.

Ellis had 6 assists in 19 regular season games for the Outlaws this season,.

Also starring for the Lambton-Kent Cardinals high school team this season, Ellis was also a standout for the Outlaws Midget AA team, which will see several players advance to the PWHL and University level next season. Ellis credits her development in part to the quality coaching she received, and her teammates in Chatham.

“Throughout my years playing in Chatham I have had the opportunity to experience excellent coaching and play with some top quality athletes,” said Ellis. “Chatham has an outstanding girls hockey program and has produced some extremely talented athletes.”

Overall, it was Windsor’s reputation, and the opportunity to compete with a well respected program that drew Ellis to the Lancers.

“Windsor has been one of my favourite schools of choice because of their very successful kinesiology program and because I like the drive the Windsor coaches have to make Windsor women’s hockey a competitive high ranking team,” she said.