From the Last Frontier to the Ice of Troy
The following article featuring Rensselaer defensemen Amanda Castignetti and Nona Letuligasenoa, and forward Jordan Smelker appeared February 20 on the Rensselaer Web site.
By Jessica Lockerby
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s ice hockey team boasts one statistic that no other Division I women’s hockey team in the country can: it is the only team to feature three Alaskan players on its current roster.
Amanda Castignetti, Jordan Smelker and Nona Letuligasenoa all hail from the great state of Alaska, more than 4,000 miles from RPI’s home in Troy, New York. Though each of these young women followed a different path to get to Rensselaer, the three share a common bond in their dedication to and passion for the RPI women’s hockey program.
Only in the past couple decades has women’s hockey begun to gain prominence and recognition throughout the United States. That, coupled with the relatively small population of the state of Alaska, makes it pretty tough for Alaska’s female hockey players to go far in their hockey careers. As a result, all three players chose to migrate to the East Coast in order to pursue their passion.
Complete article can be accessed via the RPI Web site by clicking here.
