BUFFALO – The Buffalo Beauts announced that star goaltender Carly Jackson is returning to the team for her second NWHL season. The signing sees one of the league’s most popular players and a cornerstone for Buffalo locked in for Season 7. Jackson came to a contract agreement with the Beauts during the league’s restricted free agency period which closed on May 15 at 5:00pm ET.
“I’m so grateful to be re-signing with the Beauts for Season 7,” said Jackson. “My teammates, our coaches, the staff, the fans of Buffalo, the NWHL, have all made me feel nothing but welcomed and like a true professional. The group we have in Buffalo is special and I can’t wait to get back to work! I expect that for Season 7 the Beauts are going to come out flying. We are hungry to prove ourselves and to bring home a championship!”
Jackson’s rookie season for Buffalo was sensational. She started all six of the Beauts’ games in Lake Placid for the 2020-21 season. Five of those six games saw Jackson face at least 37 shots, including three games in which she faced 40 or more. Many times she kept her team in games with critical saves. Jackson finished her first season with a solid .909 save percentage and led the entire league in both shots faced and saves. Not surprisingly, she was one of the recipients of the 2021 Fans’ 3-Stars Award for her stellar performance.
“CJ brings so much character to our Beauts organization,” said head coach Rhea Coad. “She takes the progression of her craft very seriously. CJ made huge strides in her first year, and we are very excited to watch her continue to grow professionally and personally.”
Jackson was also Buffalo’s recipient of the NWHL’s Foundation Award, which is bestowed annually to the player most actively applying the core values of hockey to her community as well as growing and improving hockey culture. She has been a supporter for youth hockey players and very supportive of the LGBTQ2S+ community, while speaking openly about human rights.
Jackon was the Beauts opening round draft selection in 2020 when they chose her third overall in the NWHL Draft. Prior to turning pro, she played at the University of Maine from 2016-17 through 2019-20. At the completion of her career for the Black Bears, she had established team records for career wins (45), saves (3029), save percentage (.923), shutouts (12), and goals-against average (2.15).
She would like to set a few new Beauts records in 2021-22 and win an Isobel Cup in the process. “In order for the Beauts to win an Isobel Cup we need to focus on the continued growth of our already amazing culture and transferring that into our play,” Jackson said. “Behind Nate, Rhea, and the staff we have, there is no doubt that they will bring together the pieces and amazing people to bring home a championship. The incredible thing I love about the Beauts is that we are loved and supported to be who we are! Something Nate often says is ‘We are all here for a reason’. The culture we have allows us to be who we are and thrive in the city of Buffalo. We have some unfinished business and we’ll be bringing the Isobel Cup home soon! Go Beauts!”
