By Natalie Jones
For Unwind magazine
When you think of ice hockey, you might think of tall, tough men flying by on skates, wearing heavy gear, all to take control of a tiny black rubber puck and to send it flying into the goal. The University of Maryland’s women’s ice hockey team may not exactly fit the stereotype, but these slightly smaller and equally as tough women are just as cool as any men’s team out there.
Established in 1997 as a club team, the Maryland women’s ice hockey team has sought to provide college-aged women who have an interest in hockey the ability to play.
Their current OrgSync webpage says that this team is always on the lookout for new members, and encourage skaters of all levels. That’s right: even if you have no prior experience playing hockey, these fearless Terps will welcome you right onto the ice.
The women’s ice hockey team is considered a sport club at the University of Maryland, but despite their non-varsity status, they can be competitive.
The team is a member of a national organization for collegiate club ice hockey, the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), and regionally, they are a part of College Hockey East (CHE).
Previously, the women played in the Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference, which is comprised of colleges from New York down to Virginia. The Lady Terps have two home ice arenas: the Herbert Wells Ice Arena in College Park, Maryland, and The Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland. The team practices twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, and games occur once or twice a weekend.
The only real difference between men’s hockey and women’s hockey is that women’s hockey does not allow checking, or hitting other players. This enables women’s teams to rely more on their stickhandling skills and speed rather than brute force.
If you’re looking for something to do on a weekend, we strongly suggest bundling up in your warmest gear to go cheer on the women’s hockey team. Their schedule can be found here.
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