UPEI women’s hockey player gets chance of a lifetime

Third-year UPEI women's hockey player, Anja Weisser, has had an unforgettable six weeks. In that time frame, Weisser, originally from Kaufbeuren, Germany, played for both her university and her home country at regional, national, and international championships-the top tier competitions in her sport. With UPEI, Weisser competed at the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Women's Hockey championships. She then competed at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championship for Team Germany.

Weisser's hockey journey in Canada began after hearing about UPEI a few years ago at a minor hockey league camp in Finland. She had always wanted to play hockey in Canada and was urged to check out the UPEI women's hockey program. Two years later, she contacted Head Coach Bruce Donaldson and expressed her interest. Weisser made her way to UPEI, enrolled in the business program, and hasn't looked back, enjoying her first two seasons with the UPEI Panthers. 'I love the supportive environment that the University offers to its student athletes and enjoy the cohesion of my team,' she said.

Weisser reached a tremendous milestone on March 3, when the Panthers upset the St FX women's hockey team 2-1 in playoffs to advance to the Subway AUS Women's Hockey Championship, held at Dalhousie University. The Panthers then defeated the Mount Allison Mounties 3-0 to capture their first-ever AUS banner.

Weisser recalls the feeling of taking part in UPEI's first-ever AUS Championship win. 'It was unbelievable. No one was expecting us to win the AUS Championship, and most people didn't think we could beat St FX. Winning the AUS has been one of my best hockey experiences so far, our team really deserved the win.'

The UPEI women's hockey team had a strong showing at their first CIS Championship, losing close games to some of the best teams in the country, including the University of Montreal, Wilfred Laurier University, and the University of Alberta.

Weisser was only back on the Island for two weeks before she headed off to pre-camp in Burlington, Vermont, where she trained with Team Germany in preparation for the IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship, April 7-12. Team Germany came up against some tough competition during the tournament, finishing seventh overall, after defeating Slovakia two games in a best of three game series.

Weisser was pleased with how the team performed, highlighting the win against their rivals, Team Switzerland. She mentioned the nerve-wracking feeling of playing close games, the importance of mentally preparing for each game, and the fan support and friendliness in Burlington. 'The highlight of the tournament for me, was the first three days, when five of my roommates, teammates, and close friends, drove 13 hours from PEI, just to support me. It was a great feeling, and I was really encouraged by their support,' said Weisser.

Donaldson was thrilled for Weisser to get the chance of a lifetime to compete with her home country. He noted Weisser as an important addition to the UPEI Panthers and this year's AUS win. 'She brings strength to our defensive zone coverage and plays a key role on both our power play and penalty kill opportunities,' said Donaldson. 'She is a true team player with a strong skill set, she moves the puck well, and positions the puck towards the net which creates offensive opportunities,' he added.