Caroline Wallace ’23

Features Editor

This past weekend, on Saturday the 18th, the Women’s Ice Hockey Team seniors were honored for all of their contributions to their team over the past four years. All of the women on the team are extremely hard workers both on and off the ice. They are able to multi-task being both students and athletes at an extremely rigorous college like Holy Cross. Additionally, the sport they play requires both a mental and physical toughness; however, if you have ever met them, you know that they absoloutely love the sport and their team. This year, the team has six seniors: Carly Beniek, Lily Cataldo, Mary Edmonds, Darci Johal, Kailey Langfels, and Sofia Smithson. The girls have all been close friends since their first-year on campus, and ending their final season together will be very difficult because of the close bonds they have formed.

Leading up to the senior night celebration, the Women’s Ice Hockey Instagram shared a short video each day that honored one of the seniors by including clips of the other senior teammates describing their friendships with that person. Beniek was recognized for being such a reliable teammate and friend who is always willing to give advice. Langfels’ or “Puff’s” bubbly energy was recognized by her teammates who felt like she is always able to brighten up the atmosphere. Edmonds’ dedication to working hard both on and off the ice was something that her teammates admired about her. Johal or “Diesel” was described as being “all-knowing” by Langfels, and other teammates included that she always knows how to make people laugh. Smithson, one of the captains of the team, was admired for her ability to not only work hard on the ice, but also make team events fun with her sense of humor. Cataldo’s kindness towards her teammates and her bright light was something that made all the difference to her teammates throughout her four years on the team. 

On Saturday, the seniors were escorted by their families on the ice and received flowers from their teammates. A member of their family wore one of their Holy Cross jersey’s with their name and number and also had an opportunity to pose for pictures on the ice. The women on the team come from all over the world ranging from various parts of not only the United States, but also Canada. So, being able to be surrounded by family during a college game is a rare occurrence. However, no matter how far they had to travel from, the families of the girls came to celebrate! At the conclusion of the game, the seniors gathered in an emotional group hug on the ice. This moment not only shows the love that they have for one another, but also the difficulty in saying goodbye to something that they love so much.