Milana Butera Makes NCAA Commitment To LIU

Milana Butera, a former Chatham hockey player, has made an NCAA Division I commitment to play for the Long Island University Sharks.

“I am ecstatic to see that all my hard work and dedication to the sport of hockey, and my love for athletics has come to fruition,” Butera told CKSN. 

“To have the opportunity to play the greatest game in the world and study my career goals, allows me to stay focused and look beyond this pandemic.”

Butera spent last season with the PWHL’s Southwest Wildcats, putting up 8 points in 38 games.

The Leamington, Ontario product was part of a stacked Chatham Outlaws Bantam ‘A’ team that won the 2018 Lower Lakes title.

Butera chose LIU because of the location, which is only 5 minutes from both the beach and the rink, and 45 minutes into New York City, as well as the amenities of campus.

While she won’t be living and studying on campus until 2023, Butera is wasting little time preparing to be an NCAA athlete

“Thankfully, we have continued to train on and off the ice,” said Butera, mentioning Southwest Wildcats coach Jen Hitchcock and off-ice coaches Jen Cassidy (Essex Sports Trainer),and Dillon Enns (Agilty and Speed – sports trainer from Leamington) who have been helping her get physically stronger.

“My eating habits are critical for me; ensuring that I remain lean, yet allowing my body the proper nutrition to grow, and metabolize as needed,” Butera added about her focuses this extended offseason, and in preparing for her next step up the hockey ladder.

Interested in biomedical sciences, Butera has her eyes set on the future, and returning to the ice with the Southwest Wildcats whenever possible, and preparing to immediately impact the LIU Sharks in 2023.

“My hockey goals are to excel locally for the Southwest Wildcats – for the next few years, and drive forward in the NCAA for the brilliant coaches at LIU. I want to help LIU win a championship. Go Sharks!”