Ava Hunt '21 Recruiting Profile

This is the story of how a girl from North Carolina came to love ice hockey. I'm from Ayden, where if you mention hockey, people usually go "Oh, field hockey?" They are even more surprised when I say no, ice hockey. Since my dad is from New York, it is no shock that he is the reason I started ice skating, and eventually hockey, in the first place. I began figure skating when I was four, and that lasted until I was eight. My brother played hockey, so when I was five, I decided to give hockey a try, and I am so glad I did. After that, I never really looked back.

When I first started playing, I didn't have many options. I started playing on a boy's team in Greenville, about twenty minutes from where I live. I played for this boy's team for seven years, and for a few years, I played on both boy's and girl's teams. One year, my parents even drove me around to play for four different teams! I really didn't think much about how I was either one of two girls, or the only girl on the team. It just never occurred to me that many girls were that into hockey.  It wasn't until I was about ten that I realized there were girls like me out there. The boy's team in Greenvile ended when I was twelve.  While I loved the hard, physical play of the boy's game, it was the camaraderie and family of playing on a girl's team won out. Then I began to play with the girls Jr Hurricanes in Raleigh, and it has been one of the best experiences of my life.

I am so fortunate and grateful that I have been able to participate in the game that I love for the past 10 years, and want to be able to continue to develop in the college setting.  My career path is currently undecided, but I want to go to a school that challenges me as a student and an athlete.  Being able to contribute to a team, support my teammates, and keep learning to be a better player drive me to work harder every day.  My dream is to play for a school and team that encourages me to always stretch the boundaries of a small town girl who doesn't mind defying the usual expectations.