ASU Women’s Hockey: From the Tundra to the Desert

(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)

Freshmen Andi Main and Taylor Northcott come from a place where hockey is a way of life. In the heart of the second-largest country in the world resides British Columbia, Canada — a hockey heaven. Both Northcott and Main grew up here, and with them came no shortage of hockey.

“There’s teams everywhere,” said Main. “Always a place to play.”

About 1,500 miles south of B.C. is Tempe, Arizona, a sun-baked and sandy desert stands polar opposite of the aforementioned Canadian province. Tempe is also where Main and Northcott will be on the ice for the next few winters, suiting up for the Maroon and Gold. The pair announced last year that they would join Arizona State’s young, up-and-coming women’s hockey roster for the 2019-2020 season.

Northcott is a physical defenseman from Prince Rupert, B.C. She played at Shawnigan Lake School, where she also used rugby to help sharpen her skills on the ice and vice-versa.

“I get a lot of my hand-eye coordination in hockey from rugby,” Northcott said. “My on-ice speed and agility translates to the field, so they go hand-in-hand.”

Main is a forward from Penticton. She was a captain for the Okanagan Hockey Academy Female Prep Team, where she liked to set the standard with her actions.

“My philosophy has always been lead by example and be a role model,” Main said. “I always work my hardest and be the best person I can be and hope that people will follow.”

The two freshmen incorporated hockey into their daily routines since the beginning of their young careers.

“We did six hours of school and we played roughly around 3-4 hours of hockey a day,” Northcott said.

Both girls went on to play against each other in the CSSHL — where they were rivals. Regardless of how it was played or where, hockey has always been a driving force in their lives.

“We’d have all our own facilities and trainers, tutors, teachers,” Main said.

From British Columbia to the Valley of the Sun, the freshmen had a personal connection with Arizona.

“I spent a lot of time in Arizona,” Main said. “I saw that Taylor committed there and so I thought that was pretty cool, and I came down for a skate in February with the team and I absolutely loved it.”

It was not just the team and friends they would have the chance to play with — it was the environment in which they would be able to play in.

“The fact that I could go to the rink in sandals,” said Northcott. “Being able to play hockey in the sun was something that was so appealing.”

It’s no secret that these two are already accustomed to their new hockey home in the heart of the desert.

“Going on the ice with these girls has been a complete game-changer,” Northcott said. “They’re so welcoming and they want to play.”

The young freshmen and the rest of the Sun Devils have begun practices at Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe and look primed to make an impact — and it’s obvious they can’t wait to get started.

Main and Northcott are two of the nine freshmen this season who will play a vital role in the Devil’s success this year and in years to come.

With the season less than a month away, the level of excitement for Main and Northcott couldn’t be higher. For them, it’s a chance to play with a new group of hungry individuals looking to piece together a run at the ACHA title for the first time in team history.

The British Columbia dynamic duo will be a big part of the ASU season — representing their Canadian roots the whole way.