Each week, BRSN chooses one athlete that stood out among his or her peers, both within Cornell and the Ivy League. This week, we interviewed Kristin O’Neill following her important contributions to women’s ice hockey’s clean sweep in the team’s first home weekend against Quinnipiac and Princeton.
BRSN: Kristin, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. What was your mindset going into the ECAC weekend?
KO: My team and I were extremely excited for our first weekend at home. We knew this past weekend was going to be tough but we had a lot of energy going into the two games, especially after our previous loss.
BRSN: How did you first get started with hockey, and what kept you in the sport?
KO: I first got started in hockey because my three older sisters all played, so I started playing on my sisters’ team when I was four years old. My family was really into hockey growing up so I think that is what kept me in the game. I was really competitive at a young age, even when practicing with my sisters, so I think it was my family who kept me in the sport.
BRSN: Why did you choose Cornell?
KO: I chose Cornell because of the Ivy education mainly. When I first visited I loved the campus as well as the coaching staff of my team. I really liked the team atmosphere and I could see myself playing here the first time I stepped on campus.
BRSN: What’s your favorite sport other than hockey?
KO: My favorite sport to play other than hockey is probably running track and field. I ran growing up and really enjoyed it. Although it is mostly a singular sport, my favorite memory from the sport is running in the 4x400m races with my older sister.
BRSN: What is your greatest hockey memory?
KO: My greatest hockey memory is probably playing in the U18 world championships in St. Catherine, ON in 2015. It was the most fans a U18 game has ever seen and it was an amazing experience to have that many Canadians cheering us on. Although we lost in the finals, that game is one that sticks in my head.
BRSN: Do you have any pre-game superstitions?
KO: I don’t really have any pre-game superstitions. I normally do the same pre-game routine but I am not superstitious if I do things differently to prepare.
BRSN: You guys have two big games coming up against Wisconsin. What are you looking forward to with this weekend?
KO: This weekend I’m looking forward to another chance for my team to get better. I think everyone on my team is improving each game and we are becoming more cohesive every time we step on the ice. So this weekend will be a great opportunity to play a team we do not see in our league and improve in all aspects of our game.
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