UNCW IceHawks prepare for first competitive women’s ice hockey season

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — A new team is taking the ice in Wilmington this season, giving women a chance to compete in a sport they love. The UNCW IceHawks are preparing for their first competitive season after student Anna Warren built the team from the ground up.

“Just being able to have my vision come into fruition and everything coming together, it’s been incredible to see and to have that happen,” Warren said.

Before most of UNCW is even awake, members of the team are already on the ice. At 6:30 in the morning, they are lacing up their skates, taking shots and getting to work. For Warren, hockey has always been a major part of her life.

“I’ve been playing hockey ever since I was four years old. I grew up in the Raleigh area. I eventually went off to a prep school to try to chase my dreams of playing college hockey, but ultimately, I just decided I want to come back down home and start something great here and really make an impact I thought it would be more meaningful to do that,” Warren said.

That idea became the UNCW IceHawks, a program Warren spent two years working to build.

“I didn’t know what to expect coming into all this, how many girls in the Wilmington area even played ice hockey. It was a lot of work. I had great support from the Wilmington community a lot of the local businesses,” Warren said.

The team has also given some players a chance to return to hockey after spending years away from the sport.

“I am a senior now, so I didn’t play for the first three years, and I had been playing for 10 years prior to that. And I’ve never been happier. I’m so happy to be back,” IceHawks center Elizabeth Stoner said.

For some players, it has been a while since they stepped onto the ice. But after just two practices and a scrimmage, the team says it is already finding its rhythm.

“We have a good group of girls. It’s been a lot of fun. and like we have all kept our skills really maintained so its been it hasnt been much of an adjustment. We just kinda hopped on and we gelled pretty well,” IceHawks defense Jessica Dike said.

The IceHawks hope their first season is only the beginning for both the program and women’s hockey in the area.

“I think growing the game honestly There’s not a lot of representation of women’s hockey down south. I didn’t have that outlet growing up, so to be able to have that here for those girls who maybe just wanna focus on their major and still wanna play competitively, give them that option to do that,” Warren said.

Players also hope fans will give the new team a chance.

“We can play too We love this sport just as much, and we’d love to gain the fan base that they have over there,” Dike said.

Stoner said she is looking forward to seeing how the team develops during its first season.

“I’m just looking forward to getting more games, more reps in, uh, joining together better as a team, playing together, and hopefully building it up for next season,” Stoner said.

The IceHawks will play their first official game against N.C. State on Sept. 19 at Polar Ice Wilmington.