Montini Catholic junior, Nicole LaMantia, received a warm welcome from her high school peers upon her return to the U.S. from the Czech Republic earlier this year with a gold medal in hand. Nicole, who has been playing hockey since the ripe age of three, was selected as a member of the Womens U18 Hockey team in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships. She played in the 3-1 victory over Canada in the gold medal game. This year marked her last year as an eligible contender for the Under-18 National Team.
The adventure began for Nicole when she left on December 29 and headed to New Jersey where she trained for six days. “We used that time to get adjusted to our teammates and to get into the flow of the team,” she explained. “While there, we were fortunate enough to be recognized by the New Jersey Devils NHL Hockey Team during their December 31 game!” Nicole and teammates then traveled to the Czech Republic and spent several days practicing and adjusting their sleep to the new time zone. “We also needed time to adjust to the larger international ice rink size,” she said. “Every ice rink always feels a little different.” The games began on January 7 and ended with the gold medal game on January 14.
“Winning gold was a moment I will never forget. It is a chilling feeling to be able to stand on the blue line and sing your national anthem alongside your teammates with a gold medal around your neck,” said Nicole. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to represent your country in a World Championship, but to actually win gold is a feeling that cannot be explained.”
This isn’t the first time Nicole has been in Montini’s news. The athlete made headlines last year when, as a sophomore, she committed to the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She accepted a full scholarship to play hockey under the leadership of Coach Mark Johnson. A skilled defenseman, Nicole is currently part of the Chicago Mission (Coyote) Hockey program. She is very much looking forward to becoming a Badger.
