U Sports alum lace up for PWHL season

Several recent Canadian university graduates will be hitting the ice when the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) begins its season in December, determined to prove that they can compete with any player who went to school south of the border.  

When these women began their post-secondary educations, the PWHL didn’t exist. Now, the league is expanding from eight to 12 teams, providing opportunities for more players to skate after completing their schooling.  

The pay is modest: entry level PWHL players earn just over US$38,000 per season. That’s a far cry from the minimum $850,000 men collect in the National Hockey League. Still, for a league that is only three years old, it’s a start.  

Canadian grads face stiff competition from those who honed their skills in the American National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). That includes both native-born Americans and Canadians who went stateside to attend school and hit the rink.  

The NCAA is a huge business, with $1.38 billion in revenue, much of it generated from the TV and streaming rights to basketball’s March Madness. This allows teams, including women’s hockey, to provide top-notch facilities and hire the best coaches, nutritionists and physiotherapists.  

In Canada, university athletics — known as U Sports — is a more modest enterprise. Nevertheless, two Canadian grads drafted into the PWHL are proud of their accomplishments and say they can go head-to-head against anybody who skated in the U.S.  

READ MORE: The evolution of U Sports – University Affairs 

“The strength of U Sports is increasing,” says Émilie Lavoie, who played with Concordia University in Montreal. She was selected this year by her hometown PWHL team, the Montréal Victoire, which captured the league championship last spring. 

“We are demonstrating that we are just as good as the NCAA,” Ms. Lavoie told University Affairs. “I’m very happy that I stayed in Quebec, both on and off the ice. I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I would do it all over again.”  

She points to the outstanding coaches at Concordia. Indeed, the one of the team’s assistant coaches was Caroline Ouellette, a four-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada. She has since joined the Victoire as an assistant coach. Her spouse, American world champion Julie Chu, has been head coach of the Concordia Stingers since 2016.  

Grace Elliott, a former University of British Columbia Thunderbirds player, is equally determined to prove that U Sports players can hold their own against NCAA grads.  “Some people point to me and say, ‘Oh, she played in Canada. That’s not good.’” 

She can’t wait for the start of the season and to skate for the Seattle Torrent. “I’m excited to show what I can do. For those who think U Sports isn’t that strong – I hope to prove them wrong.”  

Ms. Elliott, who is from White Rock, B.C., grew up going to watch Thunderbirds women’s hockey. For her the choice was easy. “UBC is close to home, the schooling is fantastic and I heard great things about the hockey program.” 

Grace Elliott, University of British Columbia alumna, and the Seattle Torrent’s 38th overall pick. (Photo courtesy: UBC Thunderbirds)

Tia Chan (#88), San Jose’s 28th overall pick. (Photo courtesy: UConn Athletics)

Issy Wunder, Las Vegas’s 13th overall draft pick. (Photo courtesy: Princeton Athletics)

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U.S. schools draw some Canadian players 

Tia Chan was born in Hamilton, Ont., and decided to attend the University of Connecticut, playing goal for the Huskies. She has been drafted by the expansion team in San Jose, California.  

“Excellent academics were my first priority in choosing a school,” Ms. Chan says. “UConn offered access to tutors, mental health support and had a great hockey family. When I visited the campus, I felt like I fit in right away. It was clear that the coaches were there to stay, which was important to me.”  

UConn offered Ms. Chan a full scholarship, including tuition and living expenses. “Getting everything paid for definitely helped a lot,” she says.  

In Canada, U Sports athletes may see their tuition covered, but these scholarships do not include room and board.  

While financial support attracts many Canadians to head south, not every American school offers scholarships. Issy Wunder, from Toronto, chose to attend Princeton University in New Jersey, even though Ivy League colleges don’t cover tuition and board for athletes.   

“When I was looking for a school, it was important to find one that combined academics and hockey,” says Ms. Wunder, who has been drafted by Las Vegas. “I love Canada and would have been happy to attend a Canadian university. But Princeton has an outstanding reputation as the number one undergrad school in the U.S.”  

Ms. Wunder loved the Princeton campus, but notes that the arena is old and creaky. “While I was at Princeton, the arena turned 100 years old. It was not state-of-the-art and was always pretty cold. The history and atmosphere made up for that.”  

All four players agree that when they hang up their skates they will need a second career, unlike NHL players who can accumulate multimillion-dollar nest eggs.  

Ms. Chan says preparing for the future was essential, making academics key to choosing a university. “There were a lot of options at UConn, and when I arrived I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study. I ended up taking allied health and then getting a master’s in exercise science.”  

Across Canada, more young girls are playing hockey and watching the PWHL. That is fueling interest at the nation’s universities. Université Laval is icing its first women’s hockey squad ever this season.  

“The arrival of Rouge et Or will contribute to the growth and profile of women’s hockey in the region and across the province,” says ULaval head coach Pascal Dufresne. “And if it helps pave the way for more homegrown players to reach the PWHL, then we will be able to say that our mission has been accomplished.”