Syracuse Ice Hockey Trio's Journey From Youth to College
Most college athletes will likely form lifelong bonds with their teammates during their collegiate experience. For some, going into a match with your team is almost equivalent to going into battle with your fellow soldiers, which is why these athletes form a family-like relationship come the end.
On the rarest of occasions, though, these bonds would have already been formed from years of friendship, that go beyond the 4-year university experience. For the Syracuse women’s ice hockey trio of Abby Moloughney, Lauren Bellefontaine and Shelby Calof, they just consider it lucky.
“No one really gets that. Maybe [an athlete] will play with someone they played with for one or two years in high school,” Calof said. “But we get to play with 2 people we’ve been playing with for 10 plus years.”
Hailing from Canada, which is considered the “birthplace of ice hockey,” the trio has greatly contributed to the team’s success since their arrival. Moloughney, a forward, finished as the team’s leading scorer and assist-maker this past season, with 13 goals and 15 assists. Star center Bellefontaine put up similar numbers, contributing with 8 goals and 14 assists. Calof, who won CHA defenseman of the week in January, assisted 8 times from defense this season.
Moloughney, Calof and Bellefontaine for Syracuse University (Syracuse Athletics)
Following the organization’s first-ever regular-season CHA championship one week ago, the trio’s chemistry certainly played a part in them winning the league.
This wouldn’t be the first time they contributed to a team’s success, however. Moloughney and Calof, both from Ottawa, have played together since they were six.
“Abby and I were actually on both of our first ever hockey teams ever in Nepean,” Calof said.
Bellefontaine, who’s from Kemptville, joined the pair not too long after.
“When I had a chance to play at a higher level I chose Nepean,” she said. “I ended up making the team… and Shelby and Abby were both on that team so we’ve been playing together ever since then.”
Bellefontaine, Calof and Moloughney for the Nepean Jr. Wildcats (Syracuse Athletics)
Going through the ranks at Nepean gave the trio an opportunity to blossom together, and to learn their strengths and weaknesses on the ice.
After being together for so long, they had the opportunity to continue their relationship at Syracuse University, a decision that proved to be too easy. In their sophomore year of high school, the trio discovered that they were all in contact with the Orange. First, it was Bellefontaine and Calof who put pen to paper.
“Shelby and I actually committed on the same night together,” Bellefontaine said.
This time, a couple of months later, it was time for Abby to commit.
“It was crazy and we were so excited to go into this new experience together and know that we had each other’s backs," she said.
The girls watch each other’s backs on the ice, but also from the comfort of their own apartment. Moloughney is especially grateful for their friendship and the fact they can go through new experiences together.
“I don’t think I would’ve been playing as well as I am now and for the past 4 years,” she said. “We all wake up in the morning together; we go to practice and we’re together. We’re in some classes together, and we come home and we’re together. No matter where we go we’ll probably end up together again at some point.”
Calof, Bellefontaine and Moloughney for Syracuse University (Syracuse Athletics)
In their senior year, the girls have the opportunity to win a second CHA tournament and make more program history by winning both the conference and tournament in the same season. They know that years of playing with each other can give them the edge they need to kick it up a notch.
“A lot of the girls look up to us seniors to get the team going and get that motivation,” Bellefontaine said.
In what would be a grand finale for the trio at Syracuse, they can always acknowledge that they will not be too far from the ice, or from each other.
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