Willoughby picked in CWHL draft by Calgary Inferno

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Without even knowing it, Willoughby is basically doing what Prince Albert’s Danny Stone already did five years ago.

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Like Willoughby, Stone was drafted by the Inferno in 2013, after five years of Huskies hockey and playing her midget hockey with her hometown Bears.

“I guess I am doing exactly what she did, hey?” Willoughby chuckled. “I think I wear the same number as her, 17, so that’s kind of weird.

“She’s a great hockey player and it’s too bad we are too apart in age to play together on all those teams… She’s definitely somebody I can look up to.”

Willoughby really started to think about her post-university options in hockey while in her fourth year with the Huskies. She knew she still wanted to play hockey, and the CWHL would obviously provide that.

“I realized that ‘oh my gosh, my university years are coming to an end soon.’ I always knew I didn’t want to be done hockey after my five years of university,” Willoughby said. “I kind of did know all the along that this was what I wanted.

“It was my goal. My goal is coming true and my dream is coming true. It’s so exciting.”

When asked to look back at her five years with the Huskies, Willoughby said she was proud of what she and her team and what they were able to accomplish. After all, the Huskies finished four in the nation last season and were always in the hunt for their conference championship.

But what sticks out even more than that to Willoughby was what learned about herself and what it takes to be a leader.

“Being able to captain a university hockey team has taught me a lot of things, that I’m going to carry with me for the rest of my life, leadership skills, how to work under pressure, communication skills I’ve learned with my teammates,” Willoughby said. “I’ve learned so much. Not only has my hockey grown over the last five years but I’ve become a better person playing Huskies hockey in the past five years. That’s what makes me proud when I look back.”

Willoughby was with the Huskies from 2013-2018. She scored 50 goals and 111 points in 132 career games. She also represented Canada at the Universiade in 2016-17 winning a silver medal, and was a three-time USports All-Star.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW