Five Comprise Saints' Class of 2013

Photo by Tara Freeman

The St. Lawrence University women’s ice hockey team, fresh off the program’s sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, has added a five-player incoming class loaded with speed and talent to the 2009-10 roster.

The Saints will be looking to reload having graduated one of the best classes in University history this season. The five members of the Class of 2009 totaled 515 points in their stint with the Scarlet and Brown. However, head coach Chris Wells is confident that his first-year students have the skills needed to make an immediate impact and keep St. Lawrence amongst the nation’s elite.

“The incoming class will complement well what we have returning. We are confident in what the upperclassmen can do and it is always exciting to see how the new players fit in and respond to a new environment,” said Coach Wells. “We will look for the first-year players to fill some key positions for us next season.”

Four of the new additions to the locker room are forwards, as the team looked to add both speed and touch in the offensive zone. Kelly Sabatine, Kayla Sullivan, Jamie Goldsmith and Michelle Ng will join the Saints’ attack for the 2009-10 season.

Sabatine, a member of the Stoney Creek Sabres, played in 28 games this season, scoring 33 goals and collecting 35 assists for 68 points. Her total made her a repeat winner as the individual scoring champion in the PWHL, a league which she is now the all-time leading scorer. A native of Hamilton, ON, Sabatine played two seasons with Team Ontario and was selected to represent her province at the 2008 Hockey Summit in Europe. Sabatine is a two-year captain with the Sabres and is a two-time winner of the St. Jean de Brebeuf Athlete of the Year award.

Sullivan, meanwhile, has been a line-mate of Sabatine for the last two seasons with the Stoney Creek Sabres. She is the second leading scorer in Ontario PWHL, having totaled 65 points (29g, 36a) in 33 games while serving as one of the team’s captains. A native of Caledonia, ON, Sullivan also played two seasons with Team Ontario, while being named the 2007-08 Athlete of the Year and MVP of the hockey team at McKinnon Park High School.

Goldsmith adds another record-holder to the Saints’ offensive corps for the 2009-10 season, as she holds the National Sports Academy marks for career goals, assists, points and games played. In 72 games, the Media, PA, native scored 40 goals and assisted on 49 other for 89 total points. A US National Camp invitee and the Salutatorian of the Class of 2009 at NSA, Goldsmith has built outstanding leadership qualities that helped her win the Coby Wheeler Award, which is given to the senior that best describes leadership and sportsmanship. She was elected the student-body president as a senior, and is a founding member of the community service committee and the sustainability and stewardship council.

Ng adds another sound offensive player to the mix this season, and she will contribute outstanding touch around the opponent’s goal. A native of Milton, MA, Ng is a four-year invitee to the US Select Festival having played at Assabet Valley. She was the second-leading scorer at the 2008 US 17 Festival, and earned All-ISL honors for Lawrence Academy in 2007-08. In 52 games with Assabet Valley, Ng totaled 38 points on 15 goals and 23 assists.

“Each of the forwards adds a different dimension to St. Lawrence University,” remarked Wells. “The four of them are accomplished hockey players, but also solid students and fun people to be around.”

Though St. Lawrence lost plenty of offense to graduation this year, the team also needed to add a defenseman to help solidify the team’s play at the blue line. The coaching staff is very confident that they’ve done that with the addition of Brooke Fernandez.

A native of Bloomfield, CT, Fernandez was invited to three US National Camps (2006-2008). She was the 2008-09 New England Prep Player of the Year, while captaining both the Connecticut Polar Bears and Loomis Chaffee School. In 22 games with Loomis Chaffee, Fernandez scored 15 goals and tallied 15 assists for 30 points, helping her to win the school’s Athlete of the Year award for the second consecutive year. She also earned Loomis Chaffee’s 2008-09 Barbara Erickson Award, which is given to a student-athlete for overall athletic achievement.

“With Brooke being the lone defensemen coming in, she is going to have an excellent opportunity to get adjusted to the college game,” said Wells. She will have a strong corps of veteran defensemen returning, and like Kelly (Sabatine), Michelle (Ng), Kayla (Sullivan) and Jamie (Goldsmith), Brooke has a contagious personality that will be a huge asset to St. Lawrence.”

The Saints’ 2009-10 campaign will begin at Appleton Arena in Canton, NY on October 9 when they take on UConn at 7:00pm.