ASU Women’s Hockey: Sun Devils select 2018-19 captains

(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)

Following their opening weekend of games, a series split with Grand Canyon, the Arizona State women’s hockey team named their captains for the 2018-19 season Thursday morning.

After a team vote and discussion amongst the coaching staff, it was decided that senior defenseman KC McGinley, junior goaltender Jordan Nash-Boulden, junior defenseman Molly Potter and freshman forward Katharine Jones will all wear an “A” on their sweaters this season and serve as alternate captains.

The games at GCU were played without any official captains, giving the staff a chance to further evaluate their options, but also for the players to put their leadership skills on display.

“I noticed that everybody seemed to take a leadership role of their own,” Jones said. “Everyone seemed to motivate and support each other. Everyone assumed their own individual role.”

After several weeks of practice and two games, head coach Lindsey Ellis and her staff chose not to name a captain that wears a “C,” instead opting for four alternates.

“I think they’re all on an equal playing field right now,” Ellis said. “I think it’s really important for them to know that it’s not necessarily that they can’t earn a ‘C’ throughout the season.”

With Nash-Boulden, Potter and Jones all serving in a captain role for the first time in their respective careers, McGinley is the only one of the four with experience wearing a letter, having served as a captain for ASU the previous two seasons for the team.

“KC is a very vocal leader,” Ellis said. “She’s able to hold people accountable and push the pace in practice and in-games … Off the ice, I think it’s really important that the freshman see how she leads before she leaves this program. She’s all into this team and it’s important for the girls to see she’s working to hard to meet our goals.”

For the inaugural 2016-17 season, McGinley wore the “C” while Amber Galles, Taylor England and Dannika Borges served as alternates. Last year, Galles and McGinley were co-captains with England Borges continuing their roles with an “A.” This year, while on the surface different, has the potential to be very similar.

“This is awesome,” McGinley said. “Even last year if we had done this, it’d be the exact same because the four of us last year and the four of us this year all bring something different.”

As the team’s oldest most experienced player, having spent two seasons playing at the NCAA Divison 3 level, McGinley is someone that is easy for the entire roster to look up to, especially freshman and even her fellow captains.

“I could go on and on about KC and how much I love her,” Jones said. “She is one of the greatest leaders I have ever had on any team and any sport. I honestly look at her as a big sister and I’ve never looked at anyone that way.”

Potter, in her third season as a Sun Devil, has not made a name for herself on the stat sheet, with just five career points over less than three full seasons. What she has made a name for herself with is her ability to lead by example.

“Molly works so hard, day in and day out,” Ellis said. “She never complains and gets the job done, no matter what we ask, she does it. She’s very coachable and I hope other people will see that.”

As a high school senior, Potter was elected by her high school team in Minnesota to serve as a captain, but moved to California before the chance to fill the role.

“I honestly wasn’t expecting it because I’m so quiet,” she said. “It’s a really big honor, I’m excited to work with the girls and get to know them more.”

Potter’s hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed by her teammates either, quietly becoming one of the most-liked and respected players on the roster.

“She’s never complained once, she’s the sweetest human you’ll ever meet,” McGinley said. “When I say lead by example, Molly is the first person I will think of every time because she works her hardest and she is so sweet and loves the team. I look up to her so much, I want to be like Molly.”

The decision to appoint Nash-Boulden as a captain is a unique choice not often seen in the sport, considering her position.

Rule 6.2 of thee 2017-18 NHL rulebook states that, “No playing Coach or playing Manager or goalkeeper shall be permitted to act as Captain or Alternate Captain.” However, no such rule exists in the National Collegiate Athletic Association orAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association.

In research conducted by WCSN of the 60 NCAA Division 1 men’s hockey rosters, only two of the 138 players listed as captains or alternate captains are goalies. Of the 38 NCAA Divison 1 women’s programs, three of 93 captains are goalies. Not enough information was available to conduct a similar study on ACHA Divison 1 teams.

Even though Nash-Boulden is a goalie and trends would point away from it, there was no reason to shy away from giving the Western Women’s Collegiate Hockey League all-league goalie a letter.

“Especially since she’s a goalie, she can help those freshman goaltenders even if Jordan is playing more games,” Ellis said. “Girls look toward her in the locker room and off the ice, she does so much for this team that people don’t even see as well.”

Considering the rarity of goaltenders serving in official captain roles, it means a lot to Nash-Boulden to have her peers and coaches nearly unanimously think so highly of her.

“It’s obviously really special and it’s a huge honor to be thought of in that way,” she said said. “Obviously with or without a letter I still feel like any goalie can be a great leader. But to have that out there and to wear that ‘A’ on my jersey is an opportunity that I’m really humbled to have.”

In addition to the three upperclassmen, one being a goalie, another more unconventional captain was chosen as a fourth, a freshman in Jones.

“It’s exciting to have Kat as a captain to lead her peers through this year and future years,” Ellis said. “I think it really sets the tone that a freshman has a letter this year, especially since there are so many of them.”

With a roster that features 12 freshman, Jones stood out not only to the coaches, but her teammates too.

“I think it was a great decision,” Nash-Boulden said of Jones being selected. “She really did stand out as someone who takes it very seriously and has fun but she always comes to the rink and works hard. I look up to her, personally.”

“She’s always one hundred percent in,” junior Erin Rawls said. “When her name gets picked for water bottles and pucks she never complains, she just does it. Kat is  is a really good teammate and team player and while she may not be a vocal leader, I’ve never seen her do something wrong.”

“She is a leader, she is a sweetheart,” McGinley said. “I was so excited when I heard her name as a captain.”

With her hard work paying off, the new role is one Jones looks forward to.

“It was a nice surprise, I am excited,” she said. “I’ve never been a captain on any team, but I love everyone on this team and I’m ready to love and support them throughout the entire season.”

And for Jones, having moved across the country, this vote of confidence is incredibly meaningful.

“Ever since I got here, I’ve felt accepted, liked and it means the world to me,” she said. “Coming here was a breath of fresh air. Everyone is kind and accepting. To know everyone views me in a positive light, whether it be my teammates or coaches, it means more to me than I can say.

Now with designated captains, the Sun Devils have two weeks of practice until their next games, the WWCHL’s four-game weekend showcase, Oct. 18-20 in Colorado.

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