Emma McDonald will bring a quiet strength and spiritual focus to her role as goalie for the Lady Flames starting next fall.
Lady Flames announce McDonald as first recruit of incoming Fall 2025 class
1/24/2025 2:04:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey
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Emma McDonald, a Chatham, Ontario native who plays goalie for the OWHL's U-22 Wildcats, will add a calming influence in net for Liberty's ACHA Division I women's hockey team over the next four seasons.
Emma McDonald, a goaltender for the Southwest Wildcats in the Ontario Women's Hockey League's U-22 division, is the first official commitment to Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey team for the 2025-26 season.
"We are excited to announce our first signee for our Fall 2025 recruiting class," Lady Flames Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "Emma is a great athlete and goaltender, and she has all the tools to be a successful collegiate goalie."
Lowes and his coaching staff have been actively recruiting McDonald since 2022 and believe she will play a prominent role in the Lady Flames' future success between the pipes.
"We have been watching and scouting Emma for over two years now, and once she came to visit it was clear we wanted her here at Liberty competing as a Lady Flame for her college career," Lowes said. "We don't regularly commit early on girls, but with Emma we were confident in the player she was becoming, and her fit on our team and her fit at Liberty."
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From her home in Ontario, McDonald signs her letter of intent to join the Lady Flames.
McDonald, who plans to pursue a B.S. in Forensic Science, said what she likes most about life at Liberty is the way it contrasts with the culture found throughout Juniors Hockey as well as at most colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
"I believe that Liberty is different from anything I've experienced throughout my hockey career, which is what I'm most excited about," she said. "I chose Liberty because I knew it was the next step God would have me take in my life. I am confident that my hockey career has led me here, and it is one of my greatest privileges so far. Everything good about me comes from God and I know He wants more for my life than a game. I'm excited to use my gifts and talents to serve Him through the opportunities I've been given."
She has a calming influence on her teammates and leads by example more than exhortation, basing her worth not on her goals-against average or save percentage, but on how well she leads her teammates and reflects God's love and light.
"I bring a quieter strength and subtle stability, non-judgmental acceptance, and a low-blood pressure approach to goaltending," McDonald said. "I am observant, try to make my words count, and do my best to be encouraging. I have my moments good and bad, but if there's anything my years have taught me it is that your value cannot be measured with any number assigned to you."
Lowes knows that whoever guards the net for Liberty must have a calm demeanor and be resilient through storms and adversity.
"Goalies are unique in many ways, but with recruiting there is always an emphasis on making the right decisions, as the position is so important to a team's success," he said. "I believe Emma loves the sport of hockey and the dedication it takes to become an elite player – I am excited to watch her continue to grow and thrive at Liberty."
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