Chatham’s Women’s Hockey Boom

While numbers aren’t great in most local hockey organizations, one number that has grown, is the amount of women’s hockey players travelling through Chatham-Kent on their way to the NCAA, OUA, and ACHA.

Let’s take a look at the recent graduates of the Chatham Outlaws and Chatham-Kent Crush.

The first wave includes Canadian University hockey players Lauren Nicholson (Ryerson Rams), Madison Lalonde (Ryerson Rams), Sydnee Baker (Western Mustangs), Renae Nevills (Western Mustangs), Brooke Michaud (Ryerson Rams), Katreena Whiteye (Brock Badgers), Erica Fryer (Toronto Varsity Blues), Katherine Heard (Guelph Gryphons), KayCyn Hernandez (Windsor Lancers), Marandee Hunter (St. Thomas Tommies), and Olivia Hilton (Toronto Varsity Blues).

Across the border, Kirsten Horney and Lindsey Sorrell are playing ACHA hockey for Adrian College. Natasha Simioni (SUNY-Canton) is at the NCAA DIII level.

At the NCAA Division I level, Chatham has seen the likes of Emma Gorski (Merrimack), Sarah Marchand (Robert Morris), Brooke Campbell (Connecticut), Milana Butera (Long Island), Bri Eid (Long Island), Kaitlyn Isaac (Cornall), Sofia Smithson (Holy Cross), and Jessie McPherson (Vermont) make the jump.

That’s an impressive group, and it’s definitely enough to field an incredible University level team of Chatham Outlaws alumni.

It’s obvious Chatham has become a path for many elite women’s hockey players.

And will continue this trend. While the above have committed, another group of athletes including Taryn Jacobs, Brenna Dittmer, Natalie Bray, Kate Martin, Rylee Strohm, and others, will have this opportunity if they choose.