My Words: This place is special.

If you had told me when I was 18 that I would still be playing college hockey at Wisconsin at 23, I would have said you were a little crazy. While I never planned on being a student-athlete for six years, I’m grateful for every second of it. Not everyone has the opportunity to keep coming back to a place they love while playing the game they love. But I was lucky, even if it meant overcoming some injuries along the way.  

I’ve said this a lot, but it’s true: This place – the people, campus, and facilities we have at Wisconsin – is special. Growing up with a dad in the Air Force, I moved across the country every three years and then moved away from home after my sophomore year in high school. With that being said, Madison is the place that I have lived in the longest, and I can’t get enough of it. There’s just so much to like here with the way the campus intertwines with the city to create such a great atmosphere. 

It came to my attention recently that I’ve had 74 teammates throughout my time here in Madison. The first thing that comes to mind is the number of lifelong relationships that I have been fortunate enough to create. While everyone had a different journey and experience in getting to Wisconsin, when you step into that locker room, you join the Badger family. Being a Badger is something that will last a lifetime – they are the friends you can rely upon in any situation, and it just so happens that my Badger family is pretty big from my six years here.  

When reflecting on my time at Wisconsin, there are so many things that have happened since I first stepped on campus in the summer of 2019 for summer workouts. I have had 13 different roommates at six different addresses, living with guys like Cole Caufield and Dylan Holloway. I am currently working towards my third degree- majoring in Finance, Investment, and Banking as an undergraduate, getting a Master’s in Sports Leadership last year, and currently finishing up my last semester of a Master’s in Higher Education. I remember my first collegiate goal coming on my first shot attempt of my career against Boston College. There are so many things that have happened since 2019, yet the time has somehow flown by. The slowest of times was after my sophomore year when I underwent three surgeries in six months. When the thing you love and have done your whole life gets taken away from you, it is an eye-opening and challenging time. Thankfully, I had a great support staff of teammates, coaches, and the athletic training staff to get me healthy again. While it was a struggle at first not being able to help the team, I told myself I had to figure out how to take advantage of the situation. My struggles with injury taught me a lot, especially about myself. I learned you can’t take anything for granted and it is important to be very appreciative of everything around you on a daily basis. While the recovery process was long, I matured by overcoming the adversity and it has shaped me into who I am. 

While I plan to start my professional hockey career after this year, in the future I hope to become a collegiate athletic director. I have loved playing and watching sports since I was a little kid. Being a student-athlete has given me a greater love for collegiate sports, seeing all the adversity and challenges that we face, whether that is in competition, the classroom, or on campus. With my personal experiences and the knowledge I have gained from my degrees, I hope to be a resource for future student-athletes to facilitate their growth and success at school, but more importantly in their future.  

However, there is still work to be done at Wisconsin for the rest of the season. We all know what it’s going to take and we’re all super excited for the opportunity. One thing this team has never lacked throughout the year is effort and attitude. There’s no one I would rather go to battle with.