Buffalo State women’s hockey alumnae Nikki Kirchberger and Sarah Quigley are going pro.
The two were selected in the 2016 Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) Entry Draft over the weekend, getting a chance to continue their careers after a successful four years in the Bengals’ program.
Kirchberger was drafted by the Toronto Furies after finishing her career with the second most points produced in program history. She netted 31 goals and 31 assists for 62 points despite splitting time at both forward and defense. She also holds school records for most career games played (103) and most penalty minutes in a season (75, 2013-14).
With her great versatility, Kirchberger, a Buffalo, NY native, was drafted as a center, according to the Furies’ official team site.
Quigley, a selection of the Boston Blades, patrolled the crease during her time with the program, playing in 19 career games. She finished her career with a 4.52 goals against average, .853 save percentage and won the team’s Bengal Award in 2016 for her commitment to the program.
The Canton, Mass. native graduated with an individualized studies degree from Buffalo State in the spring of 2016. Quigley was named to the All-Academic Team and Commissioner’s List after maintaining at least a 3.3 GPA to end her Bengal career.
The CWHL was founded in 2007 and is the highest women’s ice hockey league in Canada. It enables elite female hockey players the chance to pursue their dreams competing in a professional setting. The CWHL is currently home to five teams: the Blades, Furies, Brampton Thunder, Calgary Inferno, and Les Canadiennes of Montreal.
