When Jessica DiGirolamo returned from playing with Canada’s best amateur hockey players this August, she summed up her experience with just one word.

“Undescribable.”

She wasn’t invited after her freshman year at Syracuse, but DiGirolamo went to Calgary this summer to play at the Canada BFL National Women’s Development Team Selection Camp, a program designed to train players for international competition. She was able to wear the Canadian sweater she’d always dreamed of wearing, and now hopes to bring this summer’s skills to Syracuse (0-3) and lead the Orange to a second consecutive conference championship.

“It was a great experience to be around very good athletes as well as alumni from Canada,” she said. “It was like all of my hard work paid off.”

At the end of the camp, DiGirolamo was one of the 23 players out of 88 selected to Hockey Canada’s Women’s Development Team. She played three exhibition games against the United States in late August as part of a program known for producing pro stars — 14 Team Canada alumni were drafted into the now-disbanded Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2018.

The development camp and subsequent exhibition games were not DiGirolamo’s first experience with Hockey Canada. In 2016, she won a gold medal at the National Women’s U18 Championship as a member of Team Ontario Red. This tournament builds teams of high schoolers from every region of Canada to compete on the national stage for the first time. Scouts use the tournament as a tryout for the Hockey Canada women’s teams.

DiGirolamo didn’t receive an invite to the U18 team in 2015, but a year later, she was one of the three top defenders in the tournament, one of her coaches said. After being denied the first time, DiGirolamo went back to work with the Oakville Jr. Hornets, her junior hockey team in Ontario.

“She’s a special kid and she was always a big part of my program,” Oakville coach Bradi Cochrane said. “It’s awesome. I can’t say enough good things about how I’m so happy for her.”

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Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan noticed DiGirolamo at the U18 Championship and offered her a chance to play for the Orange. Her freshman season, DiGirolamo was inconsistent, but Flanagan continued to give her ice time anyway, he said.

As a sophomore last year, DiGirolamo was second in goals (7) and points (18) among defenders. Not only was she contributing offensively, but she anchored the defense with 70 blocked shots, second on the team behind then-captain Allie Munroe. DiGirolamo was named to the CHA All-Tournament team.

Through three games in 2019, DiGirolamo has one goal and two assists. She leads the team in shots on goal and is one of the leaders in ice time. The development camp helped turn her into a well-rounded player that Flanagan feels comfortable using in any situation.

“I just think it’s all about confidence,” Flanagan said. “Hockey Canada showed that much faith in her, those experiences make you exude confidence.”

After competing with some of the best players in the world, DiGirolamo finally has the confidence she needs to play to her full potential. Flanagan said he is playing her more because he trusts her ability.

“She is a different player this year,” captain Lindsay Eastwood said. “She’s got lots of confidence and you can tell she worked hard this summer.”

 

Published on October 8, 2019 at 9:31 pm

aekaylor@syr.edu | @cincinnallie