Congratulations to alum Autumn MacDougall, who was drafted by the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women’s Hockey League in the 3rd round, 14th overall.
Autumn is our first ever alum to be drafted to the NWHL! Her hard work, dedication and passion for the game have led her on an incredible journey, culminating in her selection by the Buffalo Beauts.“With a compassionate heart, an admirable work ethic and a drive to achieve, it is no wonder she has found such success both athletically and academically the past few years,” said CIHA house parent, Amanda Raymond. “She never strives for perfection, yet always aims to do her best and above all else, she has the heart of a fighter but lives humbly. I believe the combination of all of these things is what has given Autumn the great success that she has had”The NWHL is the top professional women’s hockey league in the world and began operations in 2015 as a four team league but has since added two more teams. The NWHL has current and former Canadian and USA National Team members and is often used as a developmental league to recruit top players.Autumn played three seasons at CIHA from 2012-2015, and while her stats aren’t available, she was among the top players during her time here and a leader as an assistant captain for two seasons. She made the most of her three years here to help her get to the next level.“Having the opportunity to get on the ice every day and have the facilities to workout allowed me to improve my game tremendously,” Autumn said. “I was able to develop a lot as a hockey player throughout those three years.”Our female program ran from 2011-2016 but unfortunately had to be discontinued due to financial restrictions. Autumn was at the forefront of the program during her three seasons, often leading the team in scoring and being a part of an undefeated squad in 2014-2015. While we are always exploring options to bring a female program, we have implemented numerous female camps and skill sessions year round to continue to grow the game. “It’s unfortunate that CIHA doesn’t have a female program anymore as we had so much success in my years there,” said Autumn. “I think the more schools that promote female sports and help with the development at an early age play a huge role in the success of female athletes and maybe one day down the road CIHA could have a female team which would be great for the school!”After her three years at CIHA, Autumn committed to the University of Alberta starting in the 2015-2016 season. She would go on to play five seasons and won the USPORTS National Championship in 2016-2017. Autumn compiled 125 points in 139 games, and was either 1st or 2nd in team scoring in four out of her five seasons. She also set program records for power-play goals (24) and game-winning goals (18), and her 125 points is the 6th most in program history.Autumn not only made an impact on the ice, but off the ice as well. She was involved with Student Council, being named Vice President in 2013 and President in 2014. Life at CIHA also helped prepare her to take the next step into university hockey.“Living in the dorms at CIHA and having all the facilities on campus helped me a lot with the transition to university life,” Autumn said. “All the staff were amazing in helping all of us achieve our dreams. On the academic side we were able to learn with smaller class sizes which allowed us to have one on one attention with the teachers.”“Overall my time at CIHA was amazing and I’m very grateful for my time there and thankful for all the staff and teammates that helped me get to this point!”Congratulations again to Autumn on this incredible accomplishment and best of luck in all your future endeavors!