For this edition’s Athlete Profile, The Crier sat down with women’s hockey goalie Maddie Scavotto. The Junior consistently embodies the Saint Anselm tradition of excellence in both academics and athletics.

The Junior hails from Falmouth, Massachusetts, one of the “biggest states outside the Midwest for girls hockey.” She started playing hockey “with the boys,” as she strove to emulate her older brother. When he made the switch from forward to goalie, she was quick to follow suit.

As a goaltender at Saint Anselm’s, Scavotto has a unique relationship with her teammates. “The team needs to trust you and feel confident in you,” she explains. In order to create an efficient offense, the Hawks need to trust in their goalie’s ability to protect the net.

In her freshman year, Scavotto’s coach gave her “more and more hurdles to jump over” in order to build that level of trust. By playing in more and more games, she quickly demonstrated her skills between the posts, earning her increasing levels of playing time and the faith of her squad.

“We have a really fun atmosphere on the team,” Scavotto explains. “It’s a grinding sport, and you have to be there for your teammates. Competing together as a group makes it worthwhile for me.”

This season, Scavotto is the most senior goalie on the team due to her experience. She shared time this season with fellow goalies Michaela Kane and Logan Knip. Every week, the three compete to earn the start for their team. The junior describes their relationship as “competitive, but very supportive.” Although they contend for the same spot, the trio unites for a common goal: playing sixty minutes of excellent hockey.

This season Scavotto started 15 games for the Hawks, recording a 10-2-3 record. She saved 94.2 percent of all the shots she faced, earning an impressive .99 goals allowed average. The goalie led the team in saves and in minutes, as she protected the net for 912 minutes. Scavotto earned two New England Women’s Hockey Alliance Defensive Player of the Week awards for impressive level of play.

When she’s not busy representing the Hawks on ice, Scavotto is dedicated to academic excellence. The junior is a double major in psychology and Spanish, and has earned numerous academic accolades. Last season, she was an AHCA All-American Scholar, made the NEHC All-Academic team, and earned the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award.

“I always remind myself that my priorities are academics and then athletics,” the double major says. Scavotto has achieved excellence by committing herself whole-heartedly to both endeavors.

In order to fulfill the study abroad requirement of her Spanish major, Scavotto will be spending a month in Costa Rica this summer. The program was originally created for nursing students, but is now “open to everyone,” according to the goalie. Although she has not yet been placed with any specific company or program, Scavotto is interested in assisting with “health outreach programs” so she can implement her studies in psychology.

After she graduates next year, Scavotto would like to further her education by pursuing a graduate degree. She also hopes to “use and improve” her Spanish by teaching abroad. True to her team’s mantra, Scavotto knows that whatever her future holds, she will “evolve and rise to the challenge.”