As Falcon Hockey gained popularity across campus, women started showing interest in creating a women's ice hockey team at Bowling Green State University.
The Women's Ice Hockey Club was formed in 1994 by young women interested in hockey and Laura Leventhal, associate professor of computer science. It wasn't easy launching this club sports team because people at this time thought women and hockey didn't go together. The main purpose of forming this club team was to put a competitive and dedicated team together so others in the league would take them seriously.
The club team's first home game in 1994 kicked off with a 7-0 win against Ohio State. In their second game, they won 3-0. In spirit of their successful first season, in April 1995, they hosted organizational meetings for women students interested in participating on the club team, in hopes to expand the team. Experience was not required. They ensured they would teach students how to play when they joined the women's team.
During their first season, 1994-95, a majority of the team were beginners while only few had previous hockey experience. Due to their infancy, they mainly played against regional teams and a couple nearby university teams from Michigan and Ohio. Their most frequent rival was Ohio State University.
To begin the second 1995-96 season the next year, the club elected club officers and split into two teams: one for more skilled players and one for the novice. By the spring semester, they rejoiced into one team due to improvements and December graduates.
After their first two years, Coach Leventhal resigned and new USA Hockey certified coaches: Scott Adamick and Kris Wagner, took on the responsibility.
In the 1997-98 season, the Women's Ice Hockey Club joined a Midwest league called the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association (CCWHA). Bowling Green State University, The University of Illinois, Lake Forrest College, the University of Wisconsin, The University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, and the Ohio State University made up this league. During this season, no one was 'cut' from the team and everyone was allowed on the team. In 1998, the club team left the CCWHA to compete at a lower, more attainable level. They rejoined the next season in 1999 alongside a new coach, Mike Duggan. The 1999-00 Women's Ice Hockey Club had 23 players, 11 of whom had been with the team for over one year.
For the next 19 years, Women's Ice Hockey Club was on and off. In November 2019, sophomore Ellen Padgett brought the club sport back to BGSU. After she found a coach, contacted the American Collegiate Hockey Association, and received nearly $3,000 from the BGSU Special Allocations Board, she set up a table at Campus Fest to recruit players. With enough girls signed to the team, they spent most of the year crowdsourcing and holding fundraisers for the following season. They raised $9,950, which was 248% of the goal, and held an exhibition game against Toledo Fire Hockey on March 7, 2019 that raised over $2000!
References
Binkley, M. (1997). [Yearbook article]. The Key 1997. BGSU Key Yearbook. Bowling Green State University. (Book 156). pp. 30-31. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/yearbooks/156/.
Contributing reporter. (1994, December 12). Women's hockey defeats Buckeyes. [Newspaper article]. The BG News. BGSU Student Newspaper. Bowling Green State University. (Book 6784). pp. 19. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/.bg-news/6784
Hughes, C. (2019).?Ellen Padgett Brings Women's Ice Hockey to BGSU. https://bgsuclubsports.com/news/2020/3/31/ellen-padgett-brings-womens-ice-hockey-to-bgsu.aspx.?
Peake, B. (1998). [Yearbook article]. The Key 1998. BGSU Key Yearbook. Bowling Green State University. (Book 157).
