Athlete of the Week: M. Nicole Corriero

After losing three players to the US and Canadian Olympic squads, most people expected that this would be a rebuilding year for the women’s hockey team.

But most people didn’t expect the all-around impact of freshman Nicole Corriero.

“Coming into the season we knew that the other classes would have to step it up,” sophomore forward Lauren McAuliffe said. “Even before we started practicing officially, [Corriero’s] talent was apparent.”

Corriero lived up to her reputation this week, scoring three times and bringing her season goal total to a team-high 27. She leads all freshmen nationally in goals and assists and is second among all players in points per game with an average of 1.92.

The most spectacular moment of the week, and maybe the entire season, happened in the final minute of Saturday night’s game against second-ranked St. Lawrence.

With the Crimson down 2-1 and just 12 seconds left to play, Corriero wristed the puck into the top left corner of the St. Lawrence net, beating her former junior hockey teammate, Saints goaltender Rachel Barrie.

Corriero stepped up again in overtime, stealing the puck in the Saints’ zone and driving to the net, only to be denied by a lightning-fast save by Barrie.

The youngest player on the team, Corriero turned 18 only six days before the Crimson’s first game. Corriero’s play has belied her lack of experience as she started her collegiate career in fine form, scoring five goals in her first three games, including four against Vermont.

“Her hand skills are far superior to most people’s in the league,” senior forward Vanessa Bazzocchi said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she scores five, six, seven in a game—once she gets going, she’s extremely difficult to stop.”

Corriero has worked hard all season to match the physical level of collegiate competition. She often works out in the gym after practice and is always one of the last to leave at the end of the team’s weight sessions.

“She’s gotten a lot stronger on and off the puck,” said freshman defenseman Ashley Banfield, who played with Corriero on Team Ontario in high-school. “She’s also gotten much faster since last season. She’s definitely changed her game significantly to adapt to the college level.”

Corriero’s talents have meshed seamlessly with those of her linemates. The feeling on the team, though, is that she will mix even better next season with two returning Olympians, Jennifer Botterill and Angela Ruggiero.

“Next year’s team will be unstoppable,” Bazzocchi said.