ITHACA, N.Y. - The story of Cornell women's hockey begins with passion, a dream, and pure determination. Growing up just minutes from Ithaca in Lansing, New York, Reggie Baker (now Reggie Robbins) had always dreamed of starting a women's ice hockey team at Cornell. She was introduced to the sport by her father, a Cornell professor and Big Red hockey fan. Baker grew up playing hockey on the frozen pond in her backyard with her sister Reenie, along with some of the boys from the neighborhood, and developed a tried and true love for the sport. She would practice year-round, on the frozen pond after school, and even on her driveway with a tennis ball when the ice melted away.
 

    In the eighth grade, Baker began planning her course of action to make her dream come to life. She approached her science teacher, Gail Murphy, with a proposal that she coach the team. Despite her lack of experience with the sport, Murphy agreed and went on to become the first head coach of the Cornell women's hockey team (pre-varsity). When she reached her senior year, before even being admitted into Cornell, Baker was posting fliers around campus to start spreading the word and gaining interest in her team.
 


    When she finally arrived to East Hill, Baker recruited 23 women for the team. For the first few months, the team never even touched the ice; instead, they ran and conditioned at Schoellkopf Field. When Baker approached the athletics office about getting the team time in the ice rink, her appeal was rejected, as they were not an official varsity sport. Despite the setback, Reggie pushed on, and with the help of her father, got the team to be recognized as a varsity sport, for the 1972-73 campaign.

    Although they were now a varsity sport, the team did not receive funding from the university. With another challenge placed in front of them, the women persevered and proved themselves as capable and serious about playing ice hockey. Through their fundraising and own contributions, the team was able to fully fund their uniforms, equipment, and transportation for the year. 

    With much of the team having no experience playing hockey, and some even learning to skate as the season started, the women's first game was a 14-0 loss. The team took it in stride, though, and continued to improve over the course of that season as they got more ice time and game experience. The men's varsity team helped and supported the women in their progress, giving them tips and pointers when they had the chance.
 

    Following that season, Murphy stepped down as head coach and took on the role of general manager. Bill Duthie, a second-year master's student at Cornell and former player and captain of the men's team, stepped in to lead the women with the help of Johnny Hughes, a second-year law student and also a former player and captain for the men's team. 
 

    Coach Duthie set a league record, leading the team to six consecutive Ivy League championships from 1976-1981, in which three consecutive seasons were 17-win seasons. He ended his coaching career at Cornell with a .611 winning percentage, winning 135 out of 225 games. His best season was the 1979-80 campaign when the Big Red won its fifth straight league crown, finished second at both the Granite State Tournament and the Concordia Invitational, and recorded a third-place performance at the first-ever AIAW championship.

 

In the 50 years since inception, the program has racked up a lengthy list of accomplishments. They have clinched the national semi-finals on three occasions, claimed four ECAC Hockey Tournament championships, registered six ECAC Hockey regular-season titles, and earned 15 Ivy-League championships. 

In addition to the team accolades, the individual accomplishments are just as boastful. Nine athletes were named Ivy League Player of the Year, 10 first-year Cornellians have been recognized as Ivy-League Rookie of the Year, three earned ECAC Hockey Player of the Year, and another three players notched ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year honors.
 

    The Patty Kazmaier Award is one of the premier awards in women's hockey ranks, as it honors the top collegiate player in the country. Coaches across the nation nominate and vote on players that they deem deserving. Since its creation in 1998, the Cornell women have had 12 players nominated for the award, with standout skater Jillian Saulnier being the lone top-three finalist. Kristin O'Neill, Jaime Bourbonnais, Emily Fulton, Lauriane Rougeau, Laura Fortino, Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Johnston, Catherine White, Micah Zandee-Hart, Gillis Frechette, and Izzy Daniel are among Cornell skaters who were granted nominations for the prestigious Patty Kaz Trophy.
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   The Big Red women have a bright future ahead with multi-time Coach of the Year Doug Derraugh at the helm. The quest for the program's first national championship looms, and with the foundation of perseverance, hard-work, and dedication that Reggie Baker, Gail Murphy, Bill Duthie and the pioneers of the program put forth, it is only a matter of time before the ice will be broken for the Big Red women to hoist a national trophy.

Learn more about the history of Cornell women's ice hockey here.