Interlake Lightning Female U18 AAA goaltender Jane Sugimoto is heading south to continue both her academic and athletic journey.
The Grade 12 student from Stonewall has committed to the University of Jamestown in North Dakota, where she’ll suit up for the Jimmies women’s hockey team in their inaugural season in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II.
“What I hope to bring is a good final stop on the ice,” Sugimoto said Monday. “If they get through all the players, hopefully I’ll stop the puck when I need to — reliable.”
Reliability was indeed a hallmark of Sugimoto’s game this past season. She appeared in 26 games for the Interlake Lightning and provided a steady presence between the pipes with a .902 save percentage.
Sugimoto signed her commitment papers with the Jimmies a few weeks ago following a campus visit and team skate.
“They’re not too far away — it’s only five hours — so during the holidays I can easily drive back home. And my family could easily drive down and visit me,” she said. “It’s also a pretty small town, so I’m not going to get lost in this new city. The campus is very beautiful. You can walk everywhere, and it’s smaller, right. So it’s a lot safer. It’s a very safe place.”
Sugimoto plans to study mechanical engineering at Jamestown, combining her passion for math and science with her love of hockey.
She said she’s looking forward to balancing both pursuits in the next chapter of her life.
