We Asked About Golf and Became Dual-Sport Athletes

When my ice hockey teammates and I first inquired about the women’s club golf team, we unexpectedly found ourselves becoming dual-sport athletes.

In the spring of 2024, after an exciting inaugural year with women’s ice hockey, a few of
my teammates and I were looking for an opportunity to continue competing by playing golf. We
generated enough interest that we were asked to help start an official NCAA women’s golf team
here at Albertus. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to play for not just one, but two
inaugural collegiate teams.

The years of team building have brought many challenges, but seeing our hard work pay
off has been an invaluable experience. This year was our third hockey season and we finished
with a historic record of 16-10-1. The best feeling I have ever experienced in sports was winning
our very first home playoff game. After a long, hard-fought double overtime battle, we won on
home ice in front of our family, friends, and professors. In that moment, all the blood, sweat, and
tears were worth it.

On and off the ice, we are an energetic and passionate group, and we have brought that
same energy to the golf course — something our competition had never seen before. What makes
our golf team unique is that all members are from the women’s ice hockey team. At a golf match
this fall, we all huddled around the green as our final teammate sunk her last putt of the day. We
cheered her on and celebrated as she completed her first competitive match. During matches, our
opponents often light up when we tell them we also play ice hockey. They love asking questions
about what hockey is like and how much fun we are having. Arguably comparable to Happy
Gilmore, we bring a fun vibe to the course.

As female athletes, it feels incredibly rewarding to be making strides in both collegiate
golf and ice hockey. We are opening doors for younger girls, as we continue to be a part of
historic moments in Albertus Athletics. This opportunity has grown into one of the most
meaningful experiences of my athletic career, shaping who I am as an athlete and defining me as
a leader and teammate.

Contributed by: Gabriella Dellacroce ’27, Women’s Ice Hockey and Golf student-athlete