Arvada native Jackson utilizes strong season with Team Colorado AAA to earn NCAA D-III commitment to MSOE

BY MATT MACKINDER COLORADO HOCKEY HUB

Lexi Jackson spent five seasons with the Rocky Mountain Lady RoughRiders before joining the Team Colorado AAA program for the 202223 season.

Next year, the Arvada native will be on the move again, starting her NCAA career with the Division III Milwaukee School of Engineering program, a team that will be starting its first season in 2023-24.

“I first got into contact with MSOE when Coach Hannah (Westbrook) was talking with the coach at the school (Chad Davis),” Jackson said. “He came to a few games and reached out to me personally. From there, I decided to go visit the school and I loved it and the opportunities it had to offer, so it really wasn’t a hard decision to commit.

“This coming season will be the school’s first year with an NCAA girls hockey team, and this was something I found very interesting and something that attracted me to the school because of the opportunity to build a brand-new program. The school is really nice and provides a lot of hands-on work and internships that students can get even after their freshman year. I think this is something that will provide me with many opportunities outside of hockey.”

Admittedly, college hockey wasn’t on Jackson’s radar until recently.

“Academics have always been a priority for me because, up until a year or two ago, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to play in college,” said Jackson. “Even after I decided that I did, I still made sure to stay on top of my schoolwork, even on hockey trips.”

In the classroom at MSOE, Jackson said she plans to major in Mechanical Engineering.

On the ice, Jackson found her love for the game at a young age.

“I was born in Arvada, but we moved pretty often when I was younger,” explained Jackson. “After watching my dad and brother playing hockey in Aspen, I decided that I wanted to do the same. I didn’t truly find my love for the game until my family moved to Florida. We ended up back in Colorado because of my dad’s work. I grew up watching the Avalanche and they will always be my favorite team.

“I played for the Lady RoughRiders for five years where my favorite coaches were Chris Lockrem and Molli Mott because of how they coached our teams to success and still had fun with us along the way. I moved to Team Colorado this year and I loved playing for Hannah Westbrook because she has given the girls on the team this year so many opportunities.”

Down the line, Jackson’s goals are simple.

“My short-term goal is to prepare for college,” Jackson said. “My longterm goal is to do well in school and carry lessons from hockey into the world with me.”