A total of 42 current and former Anaheim Lady Ducks either were selected to attend District Camp or named as alternates recently.
The group includes six players from the 2002 birth year, 13 2003s, 13 more 2004s and 10 2005s. The chosen players will attend Multi-District Camp in Colorado Springs on June 8-12.
The robust numbers speak to not only the quality of depth in the Lady Ducks’ program, but in girls hockey overall in California, said Lady Ducks Director Kathy McGarrigle.
“Overall girls hockey is thickening in terms of the middle. When the middle gets more competitive, the top gets pushed,” she said. “Maybe 10 years ago we could put five girls into Division I every year. Hockey is bigger everywhere now but there aren’t more colleges, so there is more of a push for the super cream of the crop to try to expand their skill base and their readiness to play at the highest level. In the meantime, girls hockey in California has probably close to doubled in size in the past couple years and I think we’re coming up to another bubble.
“(Players like LDs alums) Annie Pankowski and Cayla Barnes inspire more players. When you get more players the chances of getting more committed athletes … AAA has tightened up, so now every level is more competitive. It allows for more depth.”
The Lady Ducks’ strength at 14U isn’t going unnoticed, she added.
“More than half of the 2005s were picked,” McGarrigle said. “We have some girls that are already getting interest from colleges in 8th and 9th grades, so that gets a little crazy at times.”
Below is the list of current and former Lady Ducks (indicated by *) by birth year:
2002
Forwards
• Anna Gallagher
• Emmerson Hayes
• Callie Wollschlager
• Ava Gargiulo – first alternate
Defensemen
• Jordan Loya
• Anastasia Sloan*
• Reily McGrath – third alternate
2003
Forwards
• Lea Connor
• Madeleine Lalonde
• Riley Lewis
• Kailey Sato*
• Miya Silva
• Reese Sunada
• River Todd
Defensemen
• Jessica Sujishi
• Claire Ghantous
• Sabrina Kim
• Dena Contreras – first alternate
• Sofia Niemela – second alternate
Goaltenders
• Emily Evans
• Shelby Duster – first alternate
2004
Forwards
• Mia Catalano
• Leah Coley
• Cassandra Johnson
• Shelby McDougall
• Megan Martodam
• Amanda Quan
Defensemen
• Loryn Charbonnier*
• Charli Devries
• Bryce Fleming
• Miranda Ponsiglione
• Cheyenne Gutierrez – second alternate
• Aubriella Westphal – third alternate
Goaltender
• Ella Park
2005
Forwards
• Emma Green
• Alexandra Lalonde
• Gabrielle Mansour
• Rees Niemela
• Kimberly Solmayor
• Pilar Dugard – first alternate
• Kiana Sievers – second alternate
Defenseman
• Alexis Fields
• Sarah Hinkle – first alternate
• Campbell Heger – second alternate
Goaltender
• Kiera Tallas
Current Lady Ducks from out of state selected:
2003
• F Trinity Antonio - WA
• F Elizaveta Davies - WA – alternate
• D – Gia Avalone - NV
• D – Grace Fellows – NV