MRU’s Athena Hauck excited for Hockey Day in Canada spotlight

Jan. 17, 2025 – From the Crowchild Classic to a U SPORTS national championship final, Mount Royal Cougars forward Athena Hauck has played in her fair share of high-profile games during her university career.

She’s ready to add another to her resume this Saturday, as her Cougars will battle the MacEwan Griffins on the national spotlight of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in Canmore, Alberta.

Puck drop is set for 3:30 p.m. at Alex Kaleta Rink, home of the AJHL’s Canmore Eagles.

Fans can stream the game live for free on CanadaWest.TV.

“I'm excited. A lot of our girls are excited,” says Hauck. “It's a spot where, as female hockey players, we can show ourselves. We're all motivated to play well and prove ourselves to everyone that we can compete under pressure.”

The Hockey Day in Canada clash is one of two high profile games on the Cougars’ schedule this month, with the other being the always hotly anticipated Crowchild Classic against the cross-city rival Calgary Dinos at the Saddledome on Jan. 31. ​

With the Canada West postseason fast approaching, Hauck knows these games are the perfect opportunity for her team to get playoff ready.

“Ultimately, the playoffs are where pressure starts to build,” says Hauck. “If we can play well in games like the Crowchild Classic or the Hockey Day in Canada game, it’ll be a little bit easier for us once playoffs and nationals and bigger games come up.”

While Saturday’s stage might be a bit bigger than usual, Hauck says her team’s big game experience will allow them to prepare the right way.

“It's nice because we've had that experience of playing high-end games and knowing what to do. We'll probably be worked a little harder in practices to make sure we're ready, but it’s also important to make sure we don't put too much pressure on ourselves.”

Leading the way

Hauck has been an integral part of the program’s recent run of success, including helping the team capture their first ever U SPORTS national championship in 2023.

Now in her final season of eligibility, Hauck is determined to do everything she can to get back to nationals and go out on top. ​ ​ ​

“I just want to get back to nationals. I think a lot of the younger girls on the team can feel it through the older girls that have been to nationals,” says Hauck. “We just want to do our best and play the best possible hockey that we can. It's an incredible feeling to win a national championship, and this year it'd be nice to come home with a Canada West title too.”

The Cougars are piecing together another strong season and have emerged as conference title contenders. They currently sit second in the West Division with an impressive 13-4-3 record.

“We’re doing very good for a team that has a lot of first- and second-year players,” says Hauck. “On the leadership side of it, our older girls have been able to help develop the younger girls so that it's not just about this year - but setting the foundation for years to come.”

“What's helping us along is that everyone's playing together. Even though it seems like a big gap between younger and older players, we're all just together and playing fluid.”

Hauck has helped lead the way offensively with 15 points, placing her fifth in the conference scoring race. She’s already just one point shy of the career high of 16 she set last season, crediting her success to the chemistry she's developed with linemates Aliya Jomha and Allee Gerrard.

“All my lines throughout my years [at MRU] have been amazing, but we’ve just clicked this year. Our mindset has been let's get this puck in, fire it and bury it. It doesn't always have to be a bar down shot or a backdoor play every time.”

Finding her love for hockey

For 25 years, the Hockey Day in Canada broadcast has united fans across the country, celebrating the game’s deep roots and its connection to Canadian culture from coast to coast.

Like many Canadians, Hauck says hockey has been central to her life since she was old enough to put on skates.

She remembers falling in love with the game while growing up in her hometown of Grande Prairie, Alberta. The sport has taken her on quite the journey since, including an opportunity to move from home to play for the Okotoks Raiders during her final two years of high school.

It was there she caught the attention of Mount Royal, committing to the program in 2019. She’s enjoyed a successful university career ever since, including two trips to nationals, winning the U SPORTS national championship in 2023, all while pursuing her nursing degree, a field she's incredibly passionate about.

While it was a tough choice to leave home in high school, she credits the decision with allowing her to chase her dream of playing a high level of university hockey while completing her education.

“I don't think I would be where I am today if I didn’t leave home [to play for Okotoks]. I had such great experiences with my billet families, and both of them helped me more than they even know to bring me to Mount Royal.”

When asked what hockey means to her, she says it’s all about the life long relationships she’s built with her teammates. ​

“The relationships that I've built throughout the years have been so important. You just build such great friendships,” says Hauck. “They’re here for everything - your school problems, your hockey problems, life problems, and everything that comes in between. I don’t know what it is, but we just build such deep relationships that these girls end up being your family.”

Inspired by the growth of women’s hockey

Hauck is excited about the recent surge of women’s hockey and the opportunities that are increasingly becoming available for women to continue playing after university. She has witnessed the changes firsthand and is thrilled to see the sport gaining more recognition.

“The change is astonishing,” Hauck said. “I remember in my first year, not a single person went to play pro overseas, and no one really talked about hockey afterwards. Then as the years went on, more girls left to play overseas. Now to see that the PWHL is available and within reach, I think it’s really cool to see the mind shift of everybody.”

Having an opportunity to showcase the skill and talent that exists in Canada West women's hockey on a platform like Hockey Day in Canada is one that Hauck and her teammates are excited to relish, especially knowing it can continue to inspire the next generation.

“It makes everybody want to work harder. Players are realizing that maybe we can go further with this. It’s exciting to see the growth in women's sports and to watch females on TV that you can actually look up to and know that one day you can get there - without having to try to get into the NHL.”