More and more black women are becoming interested in playing college hockey.

According to a recent report by NHL.com, the number of Black women joining college hockey teams has been on the rise. This is significant, considering the low representation of Black athletes in both college and professional hockey. Over the past decade, we have seen a considerable increase in the number of Black women athletes taking to the ice in this traditionally white-dominated sport.

Data from the NCAA demographic database shows that in 2015, there were only nine Black women on the rosters of hockey teams in the NCAA. By 2019, that number had dropped to just four. However, this season has seen a significant growth, with at least 13 Black women currently playing for Division I and Division III schools. One of these players is Kelsey Koelzer, a former player for Princeton University who has made history as the first Black woman to coach an NCAA hockey team. In 2016, she also became the first Black player to be chosen as the No. 1 pick in the National Women's Hockey League. Koelzer, along with other individuals involved in the sport, is thrilled to witness this growth and sees it as a promising sign for the future.

"I'm constantly amazed as I recruit that it's becoming more and more common to see girls being recruited to play at the NCAA Division I level," says Koelzer, who is now the coach of Arcadia University's newly established women's hockey team. "It's a hopeful sign of progress."

The Black women currently playing in college hockey this season include Chayla Edwards from the University of Wisconsin, Avery Mitchell from Clarkson University, Tamara Thierus from the University of New Hampshire, Rayla Clemons from Syracuse University, Jada Burke from Lindenwood University, India Charles from Finlandia University, Kiersten Goode from Yale University, Kensie Malone from Augsburg University, Sierra Benjamin from the State University of New York-Plattsburgh, Maria Di Cresce from Nazareth College, Asiah Taylor-Waters from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Teagan Heaslip from Lindenwood University, and Jennifer Costa from Dartmouth College.

Blake Bolden, who made history as the first Black player in the NWHL in 2015 and the first Black first-round draft pick in the Canadian Women's Hockey League in 2013, is excited about this progress. "Girls' hockey has seen tremendous growth in recent years, so it's only natural that we see more diversity in the game. It may not be a huge increase, but it's a step in the right direction," she says. Bolden also made history by becoming the first Black female pro scout for the NHL when she was hired by the Los Angeles Kings in February 2020.

"I've had numerous conversations this past year with prep schools that I've worked with, and they all want to learn more about how to support diverse individuals and players," Bolden adds. With recruitment efforts now focused on promoting diversity, we may see even more girls and women take an interest in playing hockey. This is an encouraging development for the future of this sport.

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