HONOURING HAYLEY
Olympic champ Hayley Wickenheiser says her heart belongs to Saskatchewan
Hockey legend gets degree
She has retired from competitive hockey, but the accolades keep coming for the iconic Hayley Wickenheiser.
A four-time Olympic gold medallist, seven-time world champion, officer in the Order of Canada and member of Canada’s Walk of Fame, the native of Shaunavon will receive an honorary law degree at the University of Saskatchewan’s spring convocation on June 8, the school announced Monday.
Though she is the one being recognized, Wickenheiser said the honour is a way for her to express thanks “to the community and to all the people who really supported me through my time in hockey, and maybe leave a few words with future grads who will be moving on to great things after school.
“It is really special, especially coming from the U of S,” the 38-year-old said in a statement.
“My heart is, and always will be, in Saskatchewan.
“That is where my life was really shaped and I am grateful to be able to come there and receive an honorary degree and to be able to address the students.”
Wickenheiser, widely considered the greatest female hockey player of all time, graduated with a kinesiology degree in 2013 from the University of Calgary and begins medical school this fall.
She retired this winter as Team Canada’s all-time leading scorer, with 168 goals and 379 points in 276 international games. A member of Canada’s hockey team at five Winter Olympics, as well as the Canadian softball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics, Wickenheiser carried the country’s flag at the 2014 Winter Games.
“Hayley Wickenheiser has been the face of women’s hockey for decades and a remarkable role model for young players from coast to coast” said U of S president Peter Stoicheff.
“Off the ice, Hayley has been a passionate advocate for youth in all sports, working with a wide variety of charities and community programs as well as fundraising for girls who couldn’t otherwise afford to play hockey. She leaves a legacy unmatched in the game and has inspired a generation of future Olympians.”