Northern Star: Tessa Lowry

For this week's segment, meet a St. Scholasitca women's hockey defenseman whose role on the team goes far beyond what shows up on the box score.

DULUTH, Minn. – Like many of her teammates, St. Scholastica women’s hockey senior defenseman Tessa Lowry grew up around hockey. Her dad Dave played 19 seasons in the NHL, and has spent time coaching in the Western Hockey League, and her two brothers, Adam and Joel, currently play in the NHL.

“I honestly, growing up, didn’t really realize how cool it was with my dad playing hockey, and my brothers playing hockey but now that I’ve gotten older I’ve realized wow, that really is cool, that doesn’t happen every day and so I really need to take advantage of the resources that I do have,” Lowry said of her family.

Since she was younger, Lowry has been learning from her family to improve her game.

“I’m very appreciated of the help that he can give me because I realized he does have a lot of hockey knowledge, he is a coach, he does know what he’s talking about,” Lowry said of her dad.

“She plays a little more physical and she’s not afraid of anything so you can tell that she’s really been watching them,” St. Scholastica women’s hockey head coach Jackie MacMillan said.

With her family’s history, the Calgary, Alberta native decided to leave her hometown to write her own chapter.

“I kind of just wanted to go my own route, I wanted to show everybody that I’m my own person, I’m not living in their shadows. I wanted to come to a place that no one in my family has been and kind of just create my own path,” Lowry said.

Throughout her career, Lowry has been in the plus category each season, and has not been on the ice when the Saints have given up a goal so far this year.

“We put a huge importance on our team about trust of every individual and every role they have every time they’re on the ice. So I think it is good to know that they fully trust me with everything they have, because then it makes me feel a little bit more calm and it gives me the ability to trust them and their positions and what they’re doing,” Lowry said.

“She plays a very special role that’s very, very important to what we’re trying to do out there and without her playing that role, we’re not going to have success and I think she’s playing with confidence and she’s really trusting in her own ability as well as what we’re trying to talk to her about doing,” MacMillan added.

It’s hard for her family to make it from Calgary to see her play.

“Our hockey seasons line up so unfortunately they can’t but I know my dad tunes in a lot, whenever he can, whenever he doesn’t have a game, he’ll tune in and watch us. It’s nice to kind of keep track of their lives because sometimes they are busy and we can’t talk every day so it is a nice resource to have,” Lowry said.

Lowry knows she has her other family right here at St. Scholastica, cheering her on and looking ti improve in her final season.

“This group, it literally feels like a family. We all push each other to be the best we can be. They’re like my backbone, we all kind of have each other’s back because whether you’re two hours from home or 20 hours from home, you’re still away so it is still a big adjustment. So I think having your team to fall back on, on those times of vulnerability is extremely helpful,” Lowry said.