It鈥檚 been a year of change for Miranda McMillan.
With three years as a forward on the women鈥檚 hockey team under her belt, a blueline shortage prompted new head coach Sean Fraser to move Ms. McMillan to defence. Her contributions to the team haven鈥檛 dwindled鈥攚ith 1 goal and 7 assists, she鈥檚 ranked third on the team in points鈥攂ut it hasn鈥檛 been without a few challenges.
鈥淚t is a lot of ice time,鈥� says the fourth-year math major, originally from Truro, Nova Scotia. 鈥淚 work really hard at it. I worked out all summer, every day almost, and you work really hard in practice. Our coach really prepares us really well in practice 鈥� he skates us when we need to be skated, and he keeps the practices really intense.鈥�
And the coach has glowing things to say about her in return.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very positive change,鈥� says Coach Fraser. 鈥淪he鈥檚 done a great job on the back end for us. She鈥檚 had every bit as much as an impact as she did as a forward.鈥�
Star scholar
Ms. McMillan is as committed to her studies as she is to her team: on Wednesday, she received a TD Insurance Melloch Monnex Leadership Award for being the female student-athlete who, having completed her third year, had the highest cumulative GPA.
When asked about how she manages her coursework alongside an intense practice and game schedule, she says it鈥檚 about making sure everything gets the time it needs.
鈥淚n high school I was the same way鈥攁lways making time for my studies鈥攂ut I鈥檝e definitely gotten better through university because it鈥檚 such a heavy workload. You鈥檙e at the rink for three hours every day, so you have to find time to do your schoolwork, whether it鈥檚 really late at night or you have to get up early in the morning and do a little work before class.鈥�
Among her list of academic accomplishments, she received a renewable Chancellor鈥檚 Scholarship in 2008 and has been on the Dean鈥檚 List every year at AV俱乐部. And she鈥檚 now a three-time CIS Academic All-Canadian.
And alongside her studies, she鈥檚 also been a canvasser for the Arthritis Society and has coached at Hockey Nova Scotia development weekends in years past. On the ice, she received the most improved player award from the women鈥檚 team for the 2009-10 season.
A team ready to 'click'
She says that this year鈥檚 team is still finding its footing鈥攁fter two losses on the road this past weekend, its record is 3-8鈥攂ut she鈥檚 confident about the prospects for the second half of the season.
鈥淔rom what we were at the beginning of the season to what we are now, it鈥檚 a completely different team. I think we just haven鈥檛 found that 鈥榗lick鈥� yet that we need to be successful, and I think once we do, we鈥檙e going to be untouchable and unstoppable. And I think a lot of the [other] AUS teams know that.鈥�
She鈥檚 not quite sure what her plans are after graduation next year鈥攖hough a fifth year with the team is certainly an option鈥攂ut she knows that what she鈥檒l remember most about her Dal hockey experience is sharing it with her teammates.
鈥淧laying a varsity, sport, you get a different university experience than most students, and I take that to heart. All the different teams I鈥檝e played on, and all the girls that I鈥檝e met 鈥� we become a family every year. The experience of being on that team and so close to everyone... I鈥檒l never forget it.鈥�