Northern Star: Rachel Anderson

For this week's segment, we feature the new program leader in career assists for the St. Scholastica women's hockey team.

DULUTH, Minn. – Following a year of craziness and an offseason full of change, fifth-year forward Rachel Anderson decided to return to the St. Scholastica women’s hockey team for her love of her team and the sport.

“DIII, you do it for the love of the game. We are so close, we’ve been so close for so long. When freshmen come in, it’s a huge thing for us to welcome them in and make them feel like this is a family. A lot of times, hockey is that escape for me and a lot of others,” Anderson said.

On the ice, Anderson is more of a quiet leader.

“My confidence has gone up a lot just from that experience I’ve had here, I’ve learned a lot here. Just tell them don’t take anything for granted when it comes to this stuff. Soaking it all up, taking advantage of every opportunity you have, it really goes a long ways when you look back on it,” Anderson said.

“She carries a big role. She got that grit to her this year and that’s something, I saw her kind of dig in and work this summer, and work this fall so I think she’s a leader by example. She’s very supportive and I think the girls rely on that this year. And the thing is, everyone looks to a player like that to score,” head coach Julianne Vasichek added.

And her playmaking can be described as dynamic.

“She’s a game-changer. You feel like she’s going to score 100 percent of the time when she’s going in on a defender and she can make moves. She’s a fluid player, you don’t see players like that come along very often. Her skating to her decision making to her ability to make a goalie turn inside out is pretty unique,” Vasichek said.

Now with this full fifth season underway, Anderson recently became the new program leader in career assists and currently has 77.

“It is really cool to see. Honestly I didn’t even know I was close enough to that. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and how much they’ve supported me and I’ve supported them as well. With how much I love this program, it means a lot,” Anderson said.

With her legacy officially in the record books, Anderson just wants to enjoy her last few months of college hockey and see where else she can lead this program to.

“I haven’t been here for all of the years, but she’s got to be one of the most dynamic goal scorers this program’s ever seen. When people think of Rachel Anderson, they’re going to think of that long, flowing stride and all of those goals where she’s turned goalies inside out,” Vasichek said.

“My teammates are my family and these girls are my sisters, we’ve gone through everything together with them and they’re always there for me and I’m always there for them and see this program succeed after I’m gone,” Anderson added.