Left It All Out on the Rink: A Women’s Ice Hockey Interview

Defined by iconic players and dominant seasons, the women’s ice hockey team has been a staple of athletics at Amherst for roughly a decade now. This season, while the squad fell short of a championship, they still capped another successful campaign with an impressive Frozen Four run. This year, the team was defined by several standout seniors: goalie Natalie Stott ’26, defender Gretchen Dann ’26, and forward Maeve Reynolds ’26. Though their collegiate careers are now over, their impact will not be forgotten. After the season, I sat down with each of these seniors to speak further with them about the season, their journeys, and what makes Amherst hockey so special.

Natalie Stott

Put simply, it has always been hard to score on Stott. In Stott’s first collegiate game, she amassed 22 saves and earned her first career shutout. “[I] didn’t have a ton of expectations,” Stott said, reflecting on her immediate success, the scale of which surprised even herself. “I [hoped] that I would compete and get to play and help contribute to the team’s success … [but] I also didn’t really know what our team was going to [look] like.” 

Stott’s first year continued to surprise as the team picked up momentum and went on an 18-game winning streak — a team record — going 19-1 through their first 20 games. “We were beating all these good teams, making it all the way to the championship game,” Stott said. In the NESCAC Tournament that year, the Mammoths beat all three teams by a combined total of 9-0. Stott didn’t allow a single goal. These wins and a successful season not only punched Amherst’s ticket to the NCAA Tournament, but also earned the Mammoths home-team advantage. “Freshman year hosting the final four; that was one of the coolest experiences,” Stott said. “[W]e didn’t have a ton of expectations going into the season… [so] when we finished, [earning] the first seat in the NCAA tournament, I think we all realized that we had a cool opportunity.”

Of the four total losses Amherst had Stott’s freshman season, two of them were to Colby and Hamilton, who Amherst got to rematch in the NCAA Tournament. In both games, Stott shut out the Camels and Continentals, pushing the team to the NCAA National Championship game in her first year. While the team fell short in a 2-1 triple-overtime loss to No. 1-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College, Stott pitched in a memorable and historic performance. Playing a key role in the longest championship game in NCAA Division III history, Stott made a record-breaking 59 saves and made the All-Tournament team. Despite the loss, Stott also appreciated the immense support from the Amherst community. “Getting to host those two games, the semifinal and the final, and having the rink as packed as it was — that was just a really cool moment. It showed that we had a lot of support in the Amherst community, and I’ve never seen the rink so lively.”

By the end of Stott’s first year, she had helped the team reach nearly unprecedented levels of success — and she didn’t stop there. 
“I would say that [first year] was pretty career-defining, just coming out of high school,” Stott reflected. “It was a good foundation for the … three years afterward.” Over Stott’s four-year career, she made 112 appearances and allowed just 99 goals — a career average of 0.88 goals allowed per game. In those 112 appearances, Stott won 86 games — a Division III record — collected 2,380 saves, earned 45 shutouts, and tied the single-season record for shutouts with 14. Her career save percentage of 0.96 is also a Division III record. This season, playing more than ever, Stott elevated her game even further, putting together arguably the best season of her career, allowing just 21 goals in 29 games, resulting in an insanely low 0.71 goals allowed per game and a feature in The Boston Globe. Unprecedented. 

Stott’s accolades include, but are not limited to, three First-Team All-NESCAC selections, one Second-Team All-NESCAC selection, NESCAC Rookie of the Year, two consecutive New England Division III Women’s Most Valuable Player awards, and becoming the third player in Division III history to be a four-time First-Team All-American. When asked about her illustrious collegiate career, Stott credited her team: “I’m very aware that a lot of times I’m not seeing a heavy shot volume because of how good our team is,” Stott said. “Getting to kind of have that recognition is cool because I really have worked my entire life basically for it … but I think it also really is a reflection of our entire team and coaching staff and how successful we’ve been as a unit for the past four years.” 

Gretchen Dann

Dann, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, has always had a love for hockey. “It became my oasis and a place where I could take a break from school and just be a kid on the ice,” Dann said. Coming from Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire, Dann was ready to make an immediate impact on the team and its culture. Dann played in all 29 games in her first season, setting a standard that she would build on for the next three years. Before entering her sophomore season, Dann dealt with a torn PCL that she stated was “the most defining moment” of her career at Amherst — a battle “both physically and mentally.” 

While most would see such a major injury as the end — or at least the beginning of the end — of a Division III athletic career, Dann used it as a learning opportunity and a source of fuel for her growth. “It taught me to keep my head level and how I wanted to carry myself on and off the ice,” Dann said. “That injury set me up for my [All-American] junior year, which then led into this year’s [success].”

This growth reflected on the stat sheet. Dann, as a defender, amassed 14 total points across her first two seasons with Amherst. In her junior and senior seasons, she more than tripled this figure, amassing a combined 46 points, while finishing second in total goals scored in the NESCAC this season. Dann was always prone to shoot the puck, totaling 160 shots and just three goals in her first two seasons, but found more offensive success in her junior and senior seasons, when she shot the puck 284 times and scored 24 goals. The offensive leap allowed Dann to more than double her total shots and quintuple her goals from her freshman to her senior season, bolstering her total points and likely pushing NESCAC coaches to choose Dann as back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year. “I believe I’ve been just as good defensively the last two years as I was my freshman and sophomore years; I just didn’t put up as many points back then,” Dann said. “[Defensive Player of the Year] isn’t really about defense; it’s about how many points a defender can get in a year.”

While Dann was a crucial part of the team’s success throughout the past three seasons, it was this season that allowed Dann to really shine. In pursuit of their third NESCAC Championship in four years, the Mammoths faced Colby in the final match. Despite it being a close game, Dann found the back of the net just 10 minutes into the match — the only and deciding goal in the championship. Dann’s clutch streak continued as the first round of the NCAA Tournament kicked off, and Amherst faced the College of Saint Benedict. After the game ended 1-1 and went into overtime, Natalie Fu ’27 found Dann, who scored the deciding goal and sent Amherst to the NCAA Quarterfinal. Still not finished, Dann doubled down days later, assisting twice in Amherst’s 3-0 quarterfinal victory against Elmira College — the final game Dann would play at Orr Rink. While the Mammoths would ultimately lose 3-1 in the NCAA Semifinal to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Dann’s final season will be remembered as one of the most well-rounded in Division III history. 

Maeve Reynolds

Reynolds can’t remember a time when hockey wasn’t in her life. “I had always been at the rink with my older brother and wanted to be just like him, so I started playing hockey,” she said. “I do remember having to make a choice between gymnastics and hockey because both sports were starting to pick up, and I was not going to be able to do both. Thankfully, I chose hockey.” As Reynolds honed her hockey skills, she eventually joined a “highly competitive” summer travel team called East Coast Selects. As part of this team, Reynolds met Christa Talbot, her eventual coach at Williston Northampton, where she attended high school. “Going to [Williston] completely changed my life because I would never be here at Amherst if it wasn’t for meeting Coach Talbot,” Reynolds said. At Williston, Reynolds would meet her now-eight-year teammate, Stott, as they moved from high school to undergraduate studies together. “Being able to play with her these past eight years has been so special,” Reynolds said. “It was so nice to have some familiarity, and not to mention having the Natalie Stott as my goalie for another four years was pretty awesome.”

Reynolds was an impactful player starting with her first year on the ice. Playing in all 30 games, Reynolds scored 14 goals and tallied 13 assists, totaling 27 points. That year, Reynolds’ balanced offensive skill set helped elevate the team to not only a NESCAC Championship, but also an appearance in the NCAA National Championship. In the quarter-and-semifinal matches, Reynolds scored twice in a 4-0 win against Colby and once in a 2-0 win against Hamilton. Reynolds’ offensive prowess continued to shine in subsequent seasons, having one of the most consistent outputs in Amherst history. In four seasons, Reynolds scored 42 goals and assisted 64 times, joining the illustrious 100-point club — the tenth Amherst player to do so. “Obviously, reaching 100 points is not something that happens individually,” Reynolds said. “I have been lucky enough to play with the best teammates and linemates that contributed to these 100 points, so a lot of credit goes to them.” 

Reynolds described the moment she reached the 100-point mark against Hamilton. “It was so special to have my parents there to see me reach that mark, because [that goal] was something I had kind of kept between us.” Reynolds also shared about the support she felt from her teammates' families “[They] made me feel so special, holding up fat heads of my face and number 100 balloons during the rest of the game … My teammates had also made me a poster, so it was a really special moment, and I am so grateful to have an amazing [Amherst] family.”

This season was not only Reynolds’ 100-point club year, but also her best overall season. Reynolds amassed 32 points, a career-high, while taking 122 total shots. In six ties, Reynolds contributed either a goal or an assist to prevent a loss for Amherst in five of those games. Further, Reynolds didn’t score or assist in only seven games this season, which include the team’s only two regular-season losses. Like Dann, Reynolds is also a playoff performer. In fact, her clutch gene and offensive capability were most on display in the 3-0 NCAA Quarterfinal win against Elmira College, in which the forward assisted twice and scored once, contributing to all three scores of the game. “[S]coring on a breakaway against Elmira … with my classic forehand backhand move [which is a signature part of her pregame practice routine] was such a special way to end my career at Orr Rink,” Reynolds said. 

Along with her clutch performances both this season and beyond, Reynolds has racked up an impressive haul of awards. A three-time All-NESCAC selectee, Reynolds is also a two-time All-American and a multi-time New England Hockey Writers Association All-Star. Reynolds is also one of the best faceoff players in Division III, leading the NESCAC in faceoff wins for the past two seasons. As one of the most consistently excellent offensive players in Amherst history, Reynolds’ record will speak for itself as generations of Amherst players inevitably look back on this era of women’s hockey.

Talking Legacy

These three seniors have been wildly successful in their four years here, winning three NESCAC Championships, making the Frozen Four three times, and being finalists in the NCAA National Championship game twice. Besides the tangible, output-driven success, these players also spoke about what legacy they want to leave behind at Amherst. 

Reynolds talked about building a successful and effective team, such that “future teams can build on that success.” How the current seniors and team feel when looking at the banners in of Orr Rink from the “2007-2010 runs” is how Reynolds hopes “future teams will look up and see those banners hanging up during their practices.” Reynolds continued by saying that “it will be cool to come back and see all the banners in Orr from our time here — that’s our grade’s legacy.” 

Thinking further about her time on the team, Reynolds was really surprised by what she was able to accomplish. “I didn’t have any expectations when I [got] here freshman year, and to think of how far [I’ve] come … is truly remarkable,” Reynolds said. “I was just hoping to play another four years of hockey and reach my goal of playing college hockey, so it’s truly amazing to see where I am now, and I am so sad that it’s over.” 

With the grit and determination she’s lived by throughout her hockey career, Dann wanted — ​to no one’s surprise —​ to leave a legacy of intensity. “Being intense about this sport and being 100% bought in is exactly why I was so successful,” Dann said. “Nothing is given, and I had to work hard for it, especially when no one else was watching.” Dann, though, also wanted to leave a legacy of love. “I love this game so, so much, and, as I tell everyone, it’s the love of my life,” she said. By combining her intensity and love for hockey, Dann not only felt she could succeed, but now hopes it can serve as an example for all who play the sport. “It’s been the honor of my life to wear the Amherst jersey for four years,” she said. “My class is leaving the program in a better place than we found it, and we’re all very proud of that. Being a member of the women’s hockey team has made me a better person and has been the greatest joy.” 

Similarly, with regards to legacy, Stott emphasized her and the team’s love for the game. “I just hope, in terms of the Amherst community and Amherst hockey in general, that they’ll remember that we really liked to have fun and we played because we love hockey,” she said. 

Another point of emphasis for Stott was team culture, which she described as a family. “I say this to a lot of people, but our team culture, being a part of Amherst women’s hockey, is really special. We could have lost every game for four years, and I would still probably have the same love for the people and the coaches and the team,” she said. “The success was just an added bonus because the team really is such a family. All four years, everyone on the team has been my best friend, and [will] continue to be for the rest of my life.” 

To illustrate just how strong that sense of community is, Stott shared a memorable moment from her final season: “When we were in Wisconsin, before the semifinal game, we had a video put together [featuring] all the alums from the seniors’ time at Amherst ... It was kind of like a pump-up video,
congratulating us on going into our last weekend of college hockey. Even though we never got to that national championship, I just think … this team [was] so [supportive], and that’s why I’ve loved hockey so much [these] last four years.”