Surrounded by family, coaches, and teammates, two Williston Northampton School seniors signed letters of intent for Division I ice hockey teams on April15. Meg Rickard has agreed to play for the Providence College Friars and Hannah Touzos signed on to play for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats.

Scoring the game-winning goal against a fabled foe earned Rickard a special place in the hearts of her ice hockey teammates, and is illustrative of her role on the team, according to her coach, Girls Varsity Hockey Head Coach Christa Talbot-Syfu. “Meg has stepped up in important moments when she’s been needed,” Talbot-Syfu said.

The forward led the team in points scored this year, her strongest in her three years at Williston Northampton School. “She finished strong,” Talbot-Syfu said. “She’s talented, skilled, and presents an offensive threat.”

Rickard, who is from Coventry, RI, starting playing hockey when she was 8—older than many of her teammates. As a child, she watched her brother and father, who played college hockey, and absorbed their love of the game. “She started late but she was filling up the net from the get go,” said Jim Rickard, her father. As a child and early in her hockey career she practiced at the rink at Providence College.

“Growing up I was always an offensive type player who loved to score goals and that was it,” she said. “Coming to Williston, Coach Talbot was on me every day to be a more consistent player in all three zones. For me, the biggest lesson I have learned from Coach Talbot would be not to take anything for granted and always try to play for something bigger than myself. That motivated me to be my best every day.”

Jim Rickard took note of her progression on the rink. “We’re so proud of her and what she’s managed to learn over the last three years at Williston.”

Meg Rickard will be joining her Williston classmate Rachel Rockwell ’16 on the ice at Providence College. “I am so excited to be going to school I grew up around. My parents and grandparents, who have helped me get to where I am today, can come see as many games as they want.”

Hannah Touzos ’16 started skating at about 3 years old in the backyard rink at her home in Foxboro, MA. “She really enjoyed skating and whacking away at the puck and people,” according to her father, Rich Touzos.

Those whacking skills, honed throughout the years, have paid off. Hannah Touzos, a forward, will continue to be a Wildcat—but at the college level at UNH .

“Hannah is a worker. She’s a very smart player, a very good forechecker,” said Talbot-Syfu. “She’s a tremendous penalty killer.”

Touzos has played hockey all four years at Williston. Before that she played in youth leagues in eastern Massachusetts, where she competed in two national tournaments.

“When Hannah joined the Williston Girls Varsity Team in her freshman year we knew she had a uphill battle for playing time,” Rich Touzos said. “This made Hannah’s competitiveness shine. She worked extra hard in the off-season to return in her second season as a stronger and improved player.

“In her third year Hannah finally was able to compete and play a major role in the success of the team,” he said. “We were so proud of her grit and determination to help her team.”

Bottom line: Touzos earned her chance to play. “She worked hard and her determination to play at the highest level never left her sight,” Touzos said. “She wanted it and she accomplished her goal. We are so proud.”

More photos are on Flickr.

Congratulations, Meg and Hannah!