The Union College women’s ice hockey team has received commitments from six freshmen to join the team in 2014-15. The announcement was made today by head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb.
The newest Dutchwomen include: forward Hannah Erickson (Crosslake, Minn./Achiever Academy), forward Erica Kelly (Buckingham, Quebec/King’s-Edgehill School), defenseman Caitlyn McLaren (Metcalfe, Ontario/Ottawa Lady Senators), goaltender Alexx Ridding (Barrie, Ontario/Barrie Junior Sharks), forward Nicole Russell (Livonia, Mich./Honeybaked), and defenseman Brandy Streeter (Morrisville, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons/Nichols School).
Erickson is a smooth-skating forward who can bury the puck. She spent the 2013-14 season with the Achiever Academy Aces (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). Serving as team captain, she compiled 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 25 games. Erickson also played three seasons at the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe, Vt., helping the Winter Hawks capture three Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) championships. During that three-year stretch, NAHA amassed a record of 154-42-22.
Kelly impressed the Union coaching staff with her ability to play in all three zones. She has good defensive awareness and a knack for scoring goals. Kelly recorded back-to-back 100-point seasons skating for King’s-Edgehill School (KES) in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Last season as team captain, she stockpiled 63 goals and 55 assists for 118 points, earning North American Prep Hockey Association (NAPHA) Honorable Mention honors. In 2012-13, Kelly registered 94 goals and 56 assists for 150 points to pace the Valley High School Hockey League (VHSHL) in scoring. A two-time team MVP, she led KES to a pair of provincial Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation (NSSAF) championships and a two-year record of 67-14-5. Kelly’s grandfather, Billy Cameron, played two seasons in the National Hockey League.
McLaren is a defensive defenseman with great size. Her consistency and ability to make good decision under pressure will be an asset. McLaren spent the past two seasons with the Ottawa Senators Intermediate AA team of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). In 2013-14, McLaren served as an assistant captain and totaled a goal and 11 assists for 12 points in 37 games as the Lady Sen’s leading defenseman scorer. Caitlyn’s brother, Connor, will be a freshman forward with the Princeton Tigers this fall.
Ridding is a quick, athletic goaltender who plays the angles wells and is a fierce competitor. She tended net this past season for the Barrie Junior Sharks of the PWHL. She posted a 1.94 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage along with two shutouts in 19 starts, finishing with an 8-8-2-1 record. In 2012-13, Ridding backstopped the North Bay Ice Boltz Midget AA team to the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) provincial title.
Russell blends great stick skills with quickness, and has great vision on the ice. She came up through the Detroit-based Honeybaked program, competing in the High Performance Hockey League. Russell spent five years with Honeybaked, winning back-to-back state championships in 2013 and 2014. Russell was the top scorer from Michigan at the 2014 Toyota USA Hockey National Championships (Tier I Under-19 Division), where she compiled seven points (five goals, two assists) in seven games. She has been invited to four Under-18 USA Hockey National Camps (2010-13).
Streeter is a quick defenseman who doesn’t mind jumping into the offensive zone. She is also adept at making solid outlet passes. Streeter is an in-state product from Morrisville, located two hours west of Schenectady. She spent the past four years with the Buffalo Bisons program, most recently with the Bisons Under-19 squad. Streeter also skated for one of the nation’s top prep programs, the Nichols School in Buffalo. This past season as team captain, she helped the Vikings to 17 straight wins and a 31-4-3 record as Nichols won the North American Prep Hockey Association (NAPHA) title and the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) championship. Streeter is one of six players from Nichols moving on to the college ranks.
“We are excited about this class because it is going to add depth to all ends of the ice,” says Asano Barcomb. “We look forward to their leadership, work ethic, energy and skill on the ice.”
The Dutchwomen, coming off a school-record for wins in a season, open the 2014-15 campaign with an exhibition against the Ottawa Junior Seniors on Sept. 27 at Messa Rink.
