Alumnae go professional

Locria Courtright, Assistant Sports Editor

Three Vermont women’s hockey alumnae have taken their talents to the professional level this year.

Goaltender Madison Litchfield ‘17 signed with the National Women’s Hockey League’s Boston Pride. Defender Rachael Ade ‘17 also decided to play in New England, joining the NWHL’s Connecticut Whale.

Forward Brittany Zuback ‘15 went north of the border after being drafted in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League by the Toronto Furies.

This trio joined forwards Amanda Pelkey ‘15, Chelsea Furlani ‘10, Sarah Campbell ‘15 and Delia McNally ‘15 in going pro.

Pelkey plays for Boston Pride, while Furlani, Campbell and McNally all play in Europe. Furlani plays for EV Bozen Eagles in the Elite Women’s Hockey League as well as the Italian national team, while Campbell turns out for DEC Salzburg Eagles and McNally for Neuberg Highlanders in the same league.

Litchfield, who holds the program record for wins with 32, had a sensational senior year, posting a 2.08 goal against average and a .928 save percentage, earning a spot on the Hockey East Second All-Star Team.

She will join fellow Vermont native and UVM alumnus Pelkey on the Pride.

The Pride fell in the Isobel Cup Final last season to the Buffalo Beauts after going 16-1 during the regular season.

Ade posted six points in each of her first three seasons at UVM, but had a successful senior year as a team co-captain, posting 14 points.

The Connecticut Whale finished bottom of the NWHL in the regular season with a 5-12-1 record, and were defeated in the Isobel Cup semifinals 8-2 by the Pride.

Zuback last played with the Catamounts in 2014-15 and posted 30 points, including a triple-overtime win against Maine in the Hockey East quarterfinal that ended the longest game in conference history.

She is tied for the second-most points in UVM women’s hockey program history, according to UVM athletics.