SHEERAN’S SUPERIOR SKATING CONTINUES
Schagticoke native Melissa Sheeran hopes to lead Plattsburgh to fifth straight DIII title
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. » When the Plattsburgh State women’s hockey team takes to the ice Saturday afternoon against Middlebury College 3 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III tournament, Schaghticoke native and senior captain Melissa Sheeran hopes that it isn’t her final skate with the Cardinals.
“We always preach that we’re not going to walk our way to a (fifth straight) national title,” Melissa Sheeran said. “It’s not easy by any means.
“I mean last year we, we tied it with 20 seconds left and it definitely was not an easy thing to do.”
“We’ve lost two games along the way, we tied two games along the way, we definitely hit adversity along the way,” the inaugural Northeast Women’s Hockey League Player of the Year award winner said. “I think that, that, those games definitely pushed us forward and I think that sometimes you’ve got to lose in order to be successful. For the underclassmen know that, you know what this is, this is a game you can win or lose and we’re not always going to be on the winning side. You need to do everything we can to
stay on the winning side.”
As Sheeran sends out resumes to prospective employers after graduating in May, the fitness and wellness major can just put two words after her name – Scorer and Winner.
Sheeran is the at or near the top of every offensive category in women’s hockey – third in assists per game, tied for fifth in points per game and tied for 17th in goals per game. She also leads Plattsburgh and the NEWHL with 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) adding to her career points total, 184 points, sixth in Division III.
And then there last year’s Eastern College Athletic Conference ( ECAC) West Player of the Year award to go with it and two-time CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association All-American award.
Scoring wasn’t hard to Sheeran, sharing was a skill that she picked up after graduating from the Millbrook School, spending four years away from her hometown of Schaghticoke.
“I think in high school the speed of the game isn’t as much so it’s easier to find your teammates for their shot,” Sheeran said.
“I think my coach really helped me in, in the fact that you need to move to puck because otherwise you’re not going to get the puck back and you’re probably not going to score.
“If you don’t move the puck because they’re just going to realize that you’re not going to move the pocket and sit on you,” Sheeran said. “My freshman year I was kind of a wake-up call that, you’re not going to be able to do everything by yourself here and you should probably stop being a jerk.”
Sheeran has been on the road for the latter half of her athletic career, four years at Millbrook and then the past four years at
Plattsburgh.
“I went away to Millbrook when I was a 14 turning 15 and I think a huge part of that decision was that my uncle was the coach there, so I think my family just kind of wanted me to be around family and that was definitely a huge thing,” Sheeran said. “I had an amazing experience at Millbrook I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
“I think I had a unique experience because most of, most of the people I met there didn’t really have many, you know, ties to their home community. I’ve been fortunate enough to keep the best friends I’ve had for my whole life even when I was away there and away at college.”
Like most athletes early on they are playing for their senior leaders and then they are rewarded by their own underclassmen playing for them and wanting to send their stars out on the highest note.
“I think like when I was an underclassman I definitely looked up to the seniors and in most games situations where, you know, when things got tough and you know, we weren’t necessarily on the right side of the balances,” Sheeran said. “I think that we always looked towards the seniors and, they helped push us through.
“I’m just trying not to take anything for granted my senior year,” Sheeran said. “It’s a big year. I want to continue playing and trying.
“I don’t think I really thought that about it being my last year yet, which is probably not a good thing, I think that in order for me to play while I can’t think about it being my last shot or this might be my last shift because I think that ultimately we want to win and and thinking that way is just not going to help us get there.”
The only dates that in Sheeran’s mind are Saturday’s game against Middlebury and then potentially the final four March 16 and 17, but that won’t be the last time she skates.
“I’m definitely gonna try and keep playing, whether it be in the NWHL ( National Women’s Hockey League) or the CW (Canadian Women’s Hockey League),” Sheeran said. “I don’t think I’m done with hockey by any means necessary.
“I think that moving forward though I’m going to need to get a job, hopefully coaching or being an athletic trainer. I think I’ll cross that road when I get to it. I think that most importantly, you know, I want to graduate with my teammates and finish off the season strong.”