Welcome back to another edition of Rookie of the Week, where we introduce first-year athletes making a major impact in their chosen sport. This week, I sat down with Kate Flynn ’27 of women’s hockey, who leads the team in points this season. Hailing from Milton, Mass., Flynn discussed her origins in hockey, what it means to be a Panther and her pregame rituals.
Charles Crounse: Not every kid learns how to skate. How did you get your start in hockey?
Kate Flynn: My dad played college hockey, and he first started getting my brother in the sport. I was playing soccer at the time, but I went to my brothers’ games frequently. I don’t know if it was seeing all the cool hockey gear he got to wear or just watching the game itself, but I think it just made me want to try it too. As soon as I got out on the ice, I just fell in love with skating and the game and the rest is history.
CC: Once you became a hockey player, how did you land on your current position as a forward?
KF: When I played boys’ hockey when I was younger, I actually played defense, but when I moved to girls’ hockey, I think my natural skating ability led my coaches to make me a forward. I’ve been a forward for more or less my whole career as a result.
CC: Since you started playing at Middlebury, you’ve quickly become an important member of the team, and currently lead the Panthers in goal involvements with five goals and three assists. Is that something you expected when you first got here?
KF: Coming into the season, I think I was more curious than anything. I just wanted to see how my game matched up to that of a high-level college team, and I was eager to figure out my role on the team. The stats are great, but there are still a lot of games left to be played and I really just want to focus on trying to help my team.
CC: Middlebury has been one of the strongest teams in Division III hockey in recent years, particularly after their 27–0 season two years ago. The program has won 12 NESCAC championships and four national titles, too. Do you feel any pressure when putting on the Middlebury jersey given the success of the program?
KF: I wouldn’t say there’s any pressure. I feel like it’s more pride getting to wear the “M” on my jersey and to go out there, play for my school, play for my program and play for my teammates. I think that’s a really cool thing that not a lot of people get to do, so it’s more of a privilege than anything.
CC: Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
KF: I have two big superstitions I would say. On game day, you’ll usually find me on the ice pretty early in the morning just trying to shake out the legs, work on a few things, and get some touches in before the game. Right before the warm ups I like to do a meditation routine just to clear my mind and get dialed in to focus on the game.
CC: You’ve been at school for about five months now. Have you had a favorite Middlebury moment so far?
KF: I mean, that’s tough because there have been a lot of great moments, between meeting new people, having new experiences and being up here in Vermont. For hockey, I’d say my favorite moment was probably our first game of the year against Trinity. I feel like the emotions were high in general because it was our first game of the year, but I think it was even more special because it was my first college hockey game ever. It’s something that I’ve dreamed of doing ever since I was a little kid, so just getting to put on that jersey and have my parents watching from the stands was a really special moment that I will never forget.
Editor’s Note: this interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
Charles Crounse '24 (he/him) is the senior sports editor for the Campus. He has previously worked as a writer and staff editor for the section. Charles is pursuing a major in environmental policy and a minor in French, and in his free time he enjoys biking, hiking, and exploring Vermont. He is also a member of the club soccer team on campus.
