ATHLETICS

ATHLETICS TORI CHARRON’S RAPID RISE IN PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY

After a pro season in Toronto, the 2014 grad signs on as GM for New Jersey’s Metropolitan Riveters

BY SEAN PRENTISS

During her senior year at Norwich, Tori Charron wrote a paper about how to become a collegiate hockey coach. “Hockey is a true passion of mine,” she wrote, “[and] becoming a collegiate coach is something I aspire toward.” While Charron has yet to realize that dream, she has done something more impressive: She was recently named general manager of the Metropolitan Riveters, one of only seven professional women’s hockey teams in North America.

Charron, who was raised near Windsor, Ontario, transferred to Norwich in 2012 to play women’s hockey. During her two years with the Cadets, the star forward dazzled with 59 goals and 31 assists in 59 games. Both years, she earned ECAC East Player of the Year and CCM All-American honors. She also scored the winning overtime DREAM JOB goal to clinch the 2014 NCAA Tori Charron ’14 (second from right) with coaching staff of the Metropolitan Riveters professional Division III quarterfinals for the Cadets against Elmira College, her former team, and propel women’s hockey team in Norwich to the NCAA Division East Rutherford, N.J. III Finals against Plattsburgh. Photo courtesy Tori Charron Off the ice, Charron excelled in the classroom and majored in business management. Her aim was to leverage the skills learned in the classroom to lead her into coaching. “I remember sitting in my advisor’s office, realizing it was the first day of the rest of my life,” Charron says, recalling the moment she declared her major. “I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t gone to Norwich. So many people on campus helped me succeed.” Charron graduated cum laude.

After graduation, Charron first put her degree to work as an engineering products manager. Later, in partnership with her brother, she assumed ownership of her father’s mechanical contracting company. Her career path initially led Charron to step away from hockey. “With a commitment to the family business, it wasn’t feasible to commit to playing professional hockey,” she says.

Despite considering herself retired from hockey, Charron still participated in a weekly skate for high-level female players. After one game, the coach for the Toronto Six (a 2012 expansion team in the Premiere Hockey Federation), asked Charron if she had thought about playing professionally. “There’s a place for you on the Six,” the coach told her.

Charron signed a contract, becoming one of four Norwich graduates to play in the Premiere Hockey Federation last season, joining Kaycie Anderson ’15, Sarah Schwenzfeier ’18, and Amanda Conway ’20, as well as former league players Kim Tiberi ’18, Kayla Parsons ’15, and Adelle Murphy ’17.

Charron played just one pro season. “When I joined the Six, I was the oldest player on the team. The PHF is so strong. It’s hum-