Rams Rookies: Dozen Newcomers Join Women’s Hockey for 2023-24

2023-24 SUFFOLK WOMEN'S HOCKEY ROSTER 

BOSTON – Fresh off its first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship, the Suffolk women's hockey team has added a talented recruiting class to help the Rams repeat. The 12 fresh faces feature six true freshmen and six transfers. 

"Although we have a bit of a target on our backs from last year in winning the CCC regular season and postseason championship, there are so many new people (including myself) that we basically have a new team," first-year head coach Abby Ostrom said. 

The group is broken down to 10 forwards in freshmen Alessia Di Silvestro, Aiden Levee-Oshior, Anya Nichipor, Bella Schmidt, grad students Sydney Fascetta and Kellie Popkin, junior Maddie Gagliano and sophomores Ashley Bialas, and Katie Newkirk. Two have added depth at the blue line in freshmen Cassie Borowski and Jenny Drevitch with sophomore Izzy Buckett a new option in net.

Ostrom continued, "Luckily, the 12 newcomers transitioned seamlessly in joining the returning eight student-athletes; collectively we started to create a championship culture and we are excited to see what this season has in store for us." 

With the dozen newcomers, Suffolk's squad holds 20 student-athletes for its sixth varsity campaign that is just two days away with the season opener on tap on Friday, Oct. 27 at No. 13 Utica at 7 p.m. The contest is a part of the Utica Kick-Off Tournament with the Rams' Saturday, Oct. 28 opponent either No. 6 Adrian or No. 12 Elmira based on results from game one.  

RAMS ROOKIES RESUMES

ASHLEY BIALAS | SO. | F | 5-5 | CARPENTERSVILLE, ILL. / UNIVERSITY OF MAINE / CHICAGO MISSION
BEFORE SUFFOLK – UNIVERSITY OF MAINE (2022-23)
Started her collegiate career at the University of Maine ... Appeared in 13 games ... Scored one goal ... Blocked one shot

BEFORE SUFFOLK – CHICAGO MISSION – HAMPSHIRE 
Served as captain of Chicago Mission ... Won two USA Hockey National Championships ... Led Chicago Mission to seven state championships ... Served as captain of the Hampshire High School team as a senior in 2021-22 ... Two-time All-Star at Hampshire.

CASSIE BOROWSKI | FR. | D | 5-8 | BUFFALO, N.Y. / NICHOLS / IRONBOUND ELITE
BEFORE SUFFOLK – NICHOLS – IRONBOUND ELITE
Letterwinner at Nichols ... Also lettered in softball ... Led Ironbound Elite to the 2019 national and state championship ... Second-team all-star ... Four-year honor roll student ... Member of art club. 

IZZY BUCKETT | SO. | G | 5-7 | TEMECULA, CALIF. / LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

ALESSIA DI SILVESTRO | FR. | F | 5-7 | NORRIDGE, ILL. / CHICAGO MISSION
BEFORE SUFFOLK – CHICAGO MISSION
Led Chicago Mission to back-to-back state championships ... Four-time all-state honoree.

JENNY DREVITCH | FR. | D | 5-7 | WASINGTON, N.J. / PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY / VALLEY JUNIOR WARRIORS (CPC)
BEFORE SUFFOLK – PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY – VALLEY JUNIOR WARRIORS (CPC)
Letterwinner at Phillips Exeter Academy ... Also lettered in lacrosse ... Went to nationals with Valley Junior Warriors of CPC ... High Honor Roll student.

SYDNEY FASCETTA | GR. | F | 5-2 | DOVER, N.H. / ENDICOTT / HOLDERNESS SCHOOL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – ENDICOTT (2019-23)
Began her collegiate career at Endicott ... Helped the Gulls claim the 2022 CCC Championship and 2020 Colonial Hockey Conference Championship ... Skated with the Gulls in 60 games over four seasons ... Recorded 16 points on four goals and 12 assists ... AHCA All-American Scholar in 2022-23 ... Two-time CCC Academic All-Conference. 

BEFORE SUFFOLK – HOLDERNESS SCHOOL – BERWICK ACADEMY
Letterwinner at Holderness School ... Lakes Region Athletic League All-Star ... 2018 All-Star Hockey Classic NH Women's Sportsmanship Award recipient ... Eastern Independent League All-League for Berwick Academy.

MADDIE GAGLIANO | JR. | F | 5-5 | ELIGIN, ILL. / MERRIMACK / CHICAGO MISSION

AIDEN LEVEE-OSHIRIO | FR. | F | 5-4 | SAN JOSE, CALIF. / NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL 
Letterwinner at Notre Dame High School and captained the team as a senior ... Also lettered in softball and captained the team for two seasons ... First-Team All-League in 2022.

KATIE NEWKIRK | SO. | F | 5-4 | MONTCLAIR, N.J. / THE HILL SCHOOL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – THE HILL SCHOOL
Letterwinner at The Hill School ... Also lettered in softball and outdoor track & field.

ANYA NICHIPOR | FR. | F | 5-3 | EAST GREENWICH, R.I. / LAWRENCE ACADEMY
BEFORE SUFFOLK – LAWRENCE ACDAEMY
Letterwinner at Lawrence Academy ... Also lettered in field hockey and lacrosse and captained the teams.

KELLIE POPKIN | GR. | F | 5-3 | WALPOLE, MASS. / ENDICOTT / WALPOLE JUNIOR EXPRESS
BEFORE SUFFOLK – ENDICOTT (2019-23) 
Began her collegiate career at Endicott ... Helped the Gulls claim the 2022 CCC Championship and 2020 Colonial Hockey Conference Championship ... Played in 67 games over four seasons with the Gulls ... Produced 30 points on 11 goals and 19 assists ... Three-time AHCA All-American Scholar (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23) ... Three-time CCC Academic All-Conference (2020-21, 2021-22, 2021-22).

BEFORE SUFFOLK – WALPOLE JUNIOR EXPRESS
Played club hockey for Walpole Junior Express. 

BELLA SCHMIDT | FR. | F | 5-2 | WOODBURY, MINN. / EAST RIDGE RAPTORS