PEABODY — Similar to a lot of people throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, sophomore hockey player Madison Hentosh realized that she took some things for granted.
“I feel as if COVID gave us a chance to stop and reflect and remember what is most important,” said the Peabody native. “We took for granted the full-team practices, the team lifts and the bus rides.”
Hentosh’s last season at Endicott College was anything but normal. The Gulls only played six games in their season and weren’t allowed to have any fans support them in person. While the defenseman managed to notch a goal and four assists, she is excited to have a normal season this winter.
“I think we’re all most excited for things to return to normal, especially in terms of the bonding experience you share with your teammates both on and off the ice,” Hentosh said. “We’re just grateful in general that we are able to get back to competing this year; it was a feeling that we all desperately missed.”
While Hentosh had a successful high-school career at St. Mary’s in Lynn, including being named a Catholic Central League All-Star on three occasions, Hentosh stated that she needed to simplify her game heading into college.
“College hockey is filled with stronger, faster, and smarter players, leaving no room for risky plays,” she said. “Trying to complicate the game only leads to frustration. When you simplify your game, you get back to your foundation, allowing yourself more opportunities for continuous success and when things continue to go well, confidence is the result.”
Being two-time defending Commonwealth Coast Conference champions, the bar at Endicott is set quite high. Hentosh and the Gulls will be looking to earn more hardware this season.
“I think our goals stay constant every year, which is winning a conference championship along with a national championship,” Hentosh said. “Overall, I think we just want to get back to playing at the level we were competing at pre-COVID in order to get back to those winning ways.”
While also performing well on the ice, Hentosh does the same in the classroom. The sophomore was named to the CCC Academic All-Conference team in the 2020-21 season. Hentosh stated that there is a major focus placed on academics at Endicott.
“We are all students first and athletes second,” she said. “If you don’t take care of, and excel in your academics off the ice, you will not be able to excel on the ice. A lot of the opportunities we are given athletically comes as a result of working hard academically.”
The Gulls are ranked first in the preseason CCC coaches poll and take on Southern Maine in their season opener on Saturday.
