2008 Woodie Awards
WIH's Panella caps off career as a Pioneer
Alyssa Iannotti
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: News
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Recently, senior hockey star Michelle Panella joined an exclusive list for Pioneer hockey players. Panella was named has one of the few select players to skate at the NCAA Division One All-Star game in St. Louis.
Panella started playing hockey at the age of eight, and is currently playing in her 14th season of her lifetime career and her fourth season playing forward for Lady Pioneers here at Sacred Heart.
"I decided to come to Sacred Heart because it was close to home and had a Division I ice hockey program," said Panella. "The coach back then was very convincing, and after meeting him and visiting the school, I knew this is where I wanted to come. I knew the program was growing, and I wanted to be a part of the process."
Panella, a native of Marlboro, N.J., started to play hockey at a young age and was heavily influenced by her now 24 year old older brother, Steven. She often played street hockey with the boys in her neighborhood and eventually joined a men's ice hockey team. Most women playing on an all boys hockey team and growing up trying to get big in a male dominated sport could find it incredibly intimidating, but not Panella.
"I don't think it was hard growing up in a male dominated sport because I played on an all-boys team from when I was 8 until I was 16," said Panella. "I was always the only girl, and I loved it. The guys on my team always protected me, but never treated me any different on the ice. I loved the speed and the intensity of playing with the boys. Playing with the boys was much more physical and fast then girls' hockey, which helped me become a better player after I switched."
Panella has played on two other hockey teams in her career besides Sacred Heart. She played on the Old Bridge Wings, an all boys team, for eight years. After her time with the Wings, Panella joined the New Jersey Colonials, an all girls' elite travel team, for two years during high school. During her time playing on the Colonials, the team went to the 2002 National Championships in Anchorage Alaska, where they walked away as the Atlantic District Champions. The Colonials went back to the National Championships the next year, this time traveling to Aston, PA, again receiving the title of the Atlantic District Champions. Panella was also a member of the 2002 AWHL champion team and tried out for the 2005 Olympic team.
Panella started playing hockey at the age of eight, and is currently playing in her 14th season of her lifetime career and her fourth season playing forward for Lady Pioneers here at Sacred Heart.
"I decided to come to Sacred Heart because it was close to home and had a Division I ice hockey program," said Panella. "The coach back then was very convincing, and after meeting him and visiting the school, I knew this is where I wanted to come. I knew the program was growing, and I wanted to be a part of the process."
Panella, a native of Marlboro, N.J., started to play hockey at a young age and was heavily influenced by her now 24 year old older brother, Steven. She often played street hockey with the boys in her neighborhood and eventually joined a men's ice hockey team. Most women playing on an all boys hockey team and growing up trying to get big in a male dominated sport could find it incredibly intimidating, but not Panella.
"I don't think it was hard growing up in a male dominated sport because I played on an all-boys team from when I was 8 until I was 16," said Panella. "I was always the only girl, and I loved it. The guys on my team always protected me, but never treated me any different on the ice. I loved the speed and the intensity of playing with the boys. Playing with the boys was much more physical and fast then girls' hockey, which helped me become a better player after I switched."
Panella has played on two other hockey teams in her career besides Sacred Heart. She played on the Old Bridge Wings, an all boys team, for eight years. After her time with the Wings, Panella joined the New Jersey Colonials, an all girls' elite travel team, for two years during high school. During her time playing on the Colonials, the team went to the 2002 National Championships in Anchorage Alaska, where they walked away as the Atlantic District Champions. The Colonials went back to the National Championships the next year, this time traveling to Aston, PA, again receiving the title of the Atlantic District Champions. Panella was also a member of the 2002 AWHL champion team and tried out for the 2005 Olympic team.
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