Give us your backstory. Where you’re from, childhood, hobbies, etc.

I originally grew up on Long Island. I grew up my entire childhood playing soccer. So, that was definitely a large part of my upbringing. I grew up with my mom, my dad, and my sister. We don't have a huge family, but the family we do have is super, super close, and they've definitely contributed to the adult I became. So super thankful for them. But yeah, I ended up playing soccer throughout my whole life and transitioned over to trying to play at the collegiate level. I ended up playing soccer at UMass, which is where I ultimately met John. Then at UMass, I got a couple degrees, but now I work in cybersecurity and I do a bit of configuring software systems to meet client needs. Super exciting stuff, I know.

 My sister is four years older than me and it's been awesome. I always talk about how much of a blessing it is to have a sister because you really go through similar things growing up. It's been awesome just to have someone to guide me. She's been a huge, not going to get emotional, but a huge role model for me my entire life. It really is one of the biggest blessings to have had her there since I was born.

My dad, he's honestly the hardest worker I've ever met. He works in printing. When I was growing up, he actually drove back and forth from Long Island to Jersey City for, I want to say, at least 18 or so years, which was two hours of a drive there, two hours home, and then worked a full day. So that instilled a high-work ethic in my sister and me. I work remote now but I look back and I'm like ‘holy crap, how did my dad spend that much time in a car?’ But he would literally do anything for my sister, my mom, and I, and definitely really proud of him. Then I was also really lucky to have my mom be there full time growing up with my sister, which was really special. I'm super close with my mom and she's an awesome person. Just being able to spend that time with her growing up is something that meant a lot to me and my sister. She was always at every school event and everything like that, and I think that's super special.

You went to UMass and were part of its soccer team and was captain your senior year. Can you talk about that experience? 

I have so many opinions on college soccer and just being a collegiate athlete in general. It was such a [proud moment]. I remember being little and I would go to Hofstra games, which is a university on Long Island. I used to look up to those girls and be like, ‘oh my gosh, I want to be there one day’. So just working really hard and getting there was a surreal moment for me. As far as college athletics goes, I have met some of the most incredible people throughout that process. One of the girls was even in my bridal party last summer. I definitely know there's a lot of struggles when it comes to playing a sport at a high level. One thing I knew going into college was that I still had to get a degree just because being in women's sports, it's really hard to come out and play professionally and make a living where you can live comfortably. So, I think that's a little bit of a tough pill to swallow when you are a female athlete, especially if you're division one and that's something that maybe you would like to do. But it was a grind, I will not lie. Definitely went through a lot mentally, but at the same time, I'm so excited that I did it. I remember my last game ever. We were playing at St. Louis and there was 10 seconds left on the clock. We were down 1-0 and you could tell like the team camaraderie, everyone looked so sad and the whistle blew and everyone was crying on the sidelines. However, it was this feeling of relief for me and I smiled hugely. I was like, ‘my gosh, like I made it through four really hard years as far as schoolwork and sports went’. My parents took two flights to get there. So, I ended up sprinting over to them right after the game and it was just feelings of being really thankful for all my experiences. But I also felt at that point that it was actually ready for me to move on and start my career and my life out of sports.

You and John met in college. What do you remember most about your early days together? 

John and I kind of laugh about this. I'm more of a rule follower. But the one time I vividly remembered breaking the rules was my freshman year. We were having a bit of a tough time as a team from a win percentage and stuff. It was getting toward the end of the season, and we had an entire dry season during freshman year, which meant we weren't allowed to go out. Being a freshman in college, you're seeing all your other friends and so I ended up breaking the rules, which I know was so bad. But I went out and that was actually the night that I met John and started talking to him. So sometimes I'm like, ‘maybe you do have to break the rules a little bit’. I met him a couple weeks into my freshman year and I've literally been with him ever since. It's kind of funny, we had similar majors. So, we definitely tried to take a lot of classes together. It was so fun. We met in 2017. We were both there for preseason and I saw him in the dorms we were both living in, but it was more from a distance. It's actually funny, the name of the place was Oak Hall and now we have a dog named Oakley named after the 1st place we saw each other. But yeah, the first time we really talked was I think October of 2017.

Can you talk about the ups and downs of professional hockey from your point of view?

I think just being that I was a collegiate athlete gives me perspective into how difficult it is at the professional level. By the time my career was over, I almost felt relieved because of the overwhelming pressure you feel. I admire John so much because of that, because obviously, you know, every year could be different. You might go through injuries. You might go through tough times. I mean, every single athlete has moments where you're doing really well and then other moments that might be tougher. But I'm so proud of John and mentally how much he handles. I think it's really important to surround yourself with a good support system so that even outside of hockey or professional sports in general, you have a basis to be really happy and feel loved and cared for. Obviously, there are ups and downs, but you need to appreciate all the moments. So, you really feel the highs when they come about.

I know a lot of people say hockey life can be crazy and it's really easy to get caught up in that and the constant moving or, you know, just like you said, the ups and downs. I always try to take a step back and think about how lucky we are to live this life and to be here. We've lived in cities I never would have had the opportunity to had it not been for John's career. I've met so many new friends and it's honestly just such a blessing. I feel like sometimes in life I'm very quick to get stressed, but I think it's really grounding thinking about all the amazing experiences it brings and just being really thankful for that.

John did not have a 20-goal season until last year and obviously, he’s been on quite the run this year. Have you personally seen anything that’s changed in the last couple years that has initiated this kind of offensive output?

I think so much about this just because obviously people see John's metrics of the goals he scored this year and last year. We've been together eight years now, so I've seen him throughout that entire process. Where I'm so proud of him is the work that he's put in for the seasons where maybe he hasn't had that high of a goal count. For example, in the summers, John is so dedicated. He wakes up really early in the morning, he has a specific diet he does, he makes all these little sacrifices that contribute to his success now. I'm so so happy for him to see that come to fruition. Again, I think of those specific moments of all the things he sacrificed to get him to where he was. I feel like, too, he's just playing really free this year and last year. It's more that attitude, like, ‘hey, I got this’. I've seen his confidence really blossom, which he absolutely deserves, especially, like I said, with all the sacrifices he makes and the work he puts in the offseason. I'm so excited for him. He's the best person and it's so nice to see. 

Looks like you majored in sports management with a minor in Spanish. Can you talk about the career switch?

That's what I started out as. UMass was really cool in their business program. You could get a dual degree. So, I actually ended up getting a dual degree in operations information management, which is where my tech background comes from, and then sports management. Since I was playing soccer, one thing I was very financially motivated as far as trying to get my schooling in under scholarship. So, I ended up actually graduating a semester early to start my master's just so I could get that covered from a financial aspect. But yeah, in four and a half years, I ended up with two degrees and a master's. That was an absolute wild ride. Sometimes I'm like, ‘girl, what are you thinking?’ 

Honestly, during COVID, I had an internship opportunity with the New York Yankees. So, being born and raised in New York, that was so exciting. But then it got canceled because of COVID. The world shut down. The only really options at that point for me for internships were more of remote positions. So, baseball and sports in general at that point just weren't really taking on new employees, which made me actually go to PWC, which is a big accounting firm. I ended up interning for them and then that just kind of dictated my path, but a lot of [the career change] had to do with COVID.

Got married on Long Island last summer. How was that day and experience?

My gosh, yes! So, we actually got married at a venue called the Piermont. It's where my parents got married 35 years ago. So, when we were looking at venues at that point, we were actually living in Arizona. It was really hard to get back and forth and try to venue tour and do all this stuff with vendors. But that was always a really special location for my family. Then my older sister and her husband got married there in 2023. So, we didn't really want to look at a bunch of places. It just felt immediately, like it had a connection to us and my family. It was so awesome. John's family drove out a couple of days early. There's pictures actually of his hometown friends all holding up a 413 flag because Western Massachusetts. There's a lot of pride in coming from there. It's an awesome place with really good people. So, that was floating around our wedding a bit, but it really was a special day. We got married on July 19th, which is special, John's number 19. Now I'm married to my best friend, so that's pretty sick.

Yeah, [the wedding] was pretty big. We had both of our families there, some extended family, and then we were really lucky to have a bunch of our friends there. We had some of John's teammates he went to college with even come in from Canada. I had two of my really close friends from college. One was actually from France and one was from Germany and they flew in for the wedding. So, it was just a day where you take a step back and you say life could be crazy sometimes, but you're so thankful for the good people that you have that keep you grounded and make you feel loved. That was a day we just absolutely were on cloud 9. Everyone was so supportive and loving and it made it so special.

Married into a super athletic family. Do you feel like you fit right in with your athletic background?

Oh my gosh, that's hysterical. His family is literally incredible. From his two older sisters, Alyssa, Brianna, since day one, they were so kind to me and I genuinely feel like they're my closest friends too. Then it was funny when I met his little brother Ryan, he was still going through puberty because he was so little at that point. So, I'm like, ‘my gosh, I got to watch him grow up too’. But yeah, very competitive in his house. They love playing cards or even like cornhole or things in the backyard. I was thrown in. I'm like, ‘my gosh, I live for this’. It's so fun and competitive and that's been really fun. It's kind of a wild transition. My sister was in musical theater. She's literally an incredible singer. Growing up, I was the sports kid and then my sister was more the music kid, which was really fun going to her shows and stuff. Then it's definitely a transition from John's family where everyone's super athletic and competitive. So, I think I fit right in. A lot of times over the summer, we do have some battles against cards and I get upset sometimes too when I lose. Definitely a high level of competition [in that house]. 

We saw a college post that you can name the first 45 presidents in order. Can you still do that and are there any other hidden talents you have?

Oh my gosh, wait, you guys are so funny. You really did your research. I actually learned that, crazy story, at the age of five. So, my grandpa, he's a veteran. He's also been someone who's impacted my life tremendously, along with my grandma. She's super sweet. Growing up, they actually lived with us and it was so fun to be so close to them during childhood. Yeah, my grandpa, five years old, taught me all the presidents. So, now we still go back and forth. And sometimes he's like, ‘oh, can you remind me of this one?’ But literally the most random fact, but it always makes me think of him. But yes, I can still do it. 

Other than that, I really don't have any crazy fun facts. I speak conversational sign language, so that's kind of fun. I learned that in high school. My high school had a curriculum where you could take American Sign Language, and it was so much fun. I took it with a bunch of my friends, and it's an absolutely beautiful language. I get really excited if I see people who can also speak it and going back and forth has been fun. We were actually on a team last year where I was able to speak sign to someone's sibling and it was awesome. 

Can you talk about your travel soccer career as a kid? Saw that you won three straight state championships and were on the No. 1 ranked travel team in the country in 2015. 

I feel embarrassed with you throwing these out. The state championships were with my club team. But yeah, we did that. It was great. I just always think back to my parents and how lucky I am to have them. My poor dad, I told you how much he drove for work. Then he used to drive literally at 5 a.m. on Saturdays to drive me to upstate New York to play in an indoor bubble. One of my best friends from childhood, her name's Nicole, I met her on my travel team and now our moms are also best friends. So, that's a piece that I've taken with me throughout my entire life. But yeah, those showcase tournaments were so fun. 

As you know, just being able to travel to new places at a young age with your teammates and people you care about, and then sometimes it turns into a big sleepover as you get older and you have maybe some roommates you're rooming with. It was so fun. I do, though, remember being at a specific showcase in Florida. It was the ESPN showcase, which I believe John's sisters also went to, but it might have been for basketball. They played both. But looking at the sidelines and seeing all the college coaches and the recruiting process and just absolutely sweating and just praying that was going to be a good game. I look back now and I'm like, ‘that was so fun’. To be 16 again and the world's still so open, you have no idea where you're going to school or who you're going to meet. Also, being able to travel to such different places at a young age was super fun. I got to do it alongside my mom and dad and my sister, which is always really special.

What are some of your favorite things to do when you have alone time while the team is on the road? I assume lots of time spent with the dog. 

Yeah, definitely spending time with [our dog] Oakley. I always joke around with John that I spend more time with Oakley than anyone else. It's because obviously the guys are on the road a lot, but I love having him also as a built-in best friend. So that's fun. I spend a lot of time with other girls on the team. We have an incredible group. Everyone's been so kind. So, it is fun sometimes planning girls’ events, participating in dinners or things that are planned. We had a Galentine's Day night the other day where a bunch of the girls got together. So, that was really fun. But other than that, I really enjoy reading. That's something that I bond with a bunch of the girls here. I'm actually training for a half marathon right now. So that's taking up some time. I'm running the New York City half marathon in March with my cousin and we're running in honor of his mom who had breast cancer and is a survivor. So, it's a super exciting moment for us and our family. 

On the opposite side, what are things you like to do with John when you have time together? 

Yeah, that's the best, honestly. The guys' schedule is so crazy. I feel like when they come home, sometimes you just want to sit on the couch and watch TV. So, John and I spend a lot of time watching a bunch of shows. We're watching, I think it's called 1883. It's the pre-show for Yellowstone, but we're always watching new series. We also love going out to dinner. We'll take Oakley to the park or on walks when it's a little warmer out. Then over the summer, John loves golfing. So, sometimes I'll try to get out there and play a couple holes with them but I'm not too good. So, sometimes I'll just read in the golf cart. 

What are you most excited about for your future?

Yeah, that's a good one. I mean, I hope one day John and I will be able to start a family. I think that's something that is so exciting to think about. He'll be the most incredible dad. Maybe a little fun fact about John is when we talk about at some point starting a family and having kids, he's like ‘it would be so cool to have a daughter that was on the LPGA Tour and I can be her caddy’. That's one of his life-long dreams. Being an athlete growing up and hearing how excited he would be to have a daughter and support her athletic career and be so pumped for that. I'm like, ‘oh my gosh, I know I married the right man’. So, I think when we look at our life, obviously we've moved so many places, met so many incredible people, but that family aspect is something that we're still really looking forward to. So, hopefully we'll be lucky enough to have that next step in our life.

Any fun facts about John that you could share with us?

He has a lot of fun facts. One interesting thing about John is if we're driving in a car, this is like very niche to him, but the volume in the truck always has to be an even number. So, you can't have volume 15, it has to be in 14 or 16, which is kind of funny. He's the same way with the temperature in the car or in the house. He always needs to be on an even number, which is funny because he wears an odd number. He also absolutely loves to golf, and one of the new hobbies he's picked up is fishing. A lot of his childhood friends also love it. I think it's also really relaxing, a little different from, you know, the day-to-day, but he's a great fisherman. He would love it if I said he's an incredible golfer. So, I'll throw that in there too.