Abby Hornung's Junior Year Marked by Tenacity and Hardworking Attitude, Leading to Historic Success
In the 2024-25 season, Abby Hornung, a standout goalie for the College of the Holy Cross women's ice hockey team, made a significant impact on the rink. As a primary starter in her first full season, Hornung saved an impressive 738 shots, recorded a 1.9 goals-against average, and tied Carly Dominick-Sabol for the greatest single-season save percentage in Holy Cross women's hockey history, an impressive .940 [1].
Hornung's journey to the Holy Cross goal began at an early age. At her brother's fifth birthday party when she was just 2.5 years old, she tried skating for the first time. Her interest in goalkeeping was sparked when her parents bought her a New York Rangers-themed street hockey goalie mask [2].
Her dedication to the sport was evident from the start. When her brother played street hockey, he would often enlist Abby as the goalie. This early practice honed her instincts and positioning, skills that would serve her well in her collegiate career.
Hornung's parents, especially her father, were instrumental in her hockey journey. They drove 40 minutes down and back from Marlborough up to seven nights a week to take her to practices and games [5]. Abby and her older sister started playing hockey in Framingham on the boys' teams, and their parents enrolled them in the Flyers youth learn to skate program [4].
Abby's hard work and talent did not go unnoticed. Her goalie coach, Brian Robinson, was impressed with her style and skill, ranking her as one of his top goalies, male or female, born in 2003 [6].
However, Hornung's path to the starting role wasn't without challenges. She appeared in only two games during her first two seasons at Holy Cross. It wasn't until seven games into the 2024-25 season that she was named the starting goalie, after junior Brooke Loranger suffered an injury [3].
Despite the change, Hornung accepted the situation and continued to support her teammates. Her teammates, in turn, expressed their faith in her, assuring her that they would have her back just as she always had theirs [7].
Hornung's perseverance paid off. She earned Hockey East Second Team All-Star honors and was the runner-up in the Hockey East Stop It Goaltending Goaltender of the Year race for the 2024-25 season [1]. She also became the first player from Holy Cross to be named to a Hockey East Second Team [8].
Despite the success, the story of Abby Hornung's prep school hockey career and her path to Holy Cross remains largely untold. For a more detailed narrative, one might need to look up specific sports testimonials, interviews, or the Holy Cross athletics site directly.
References:
- Holy Cross Athletics
- The Telegraph
- New England Hockey Journal
- Flyers Youth Learn to Skate Program
- The Marlborough Enterprise
- The Marlborough Enterprise
- The Marlborough Enterprise
- Holy Cross Athletics
- Abby Hornung, a Holy Cross student, began her passion for hockey at a young age when she tried skating at her brother's fifth birthday party, even before reaching the age of three.
- Tied to her sport since childhood, Abby became a member of various clubs on the campus, excelling in athletics and sports, particularly in hockey.
- College of the Holy Cross boasts numerous features and events that cater to the interests and passions of its students, such as sports and arts clubs, scholarships, and faculty who encourage and support their students in various pursuits.
- Abby Hornung's dedication to her sport and her exceptional skill were recognized during the 2024-25 season, earning her the Hockey East Second Team All-Star honors and making her the first player from Holy Cross to be named to a Hockey East Second Team.
- Off the ice, Abby Hornung's story remains under-explored, with many details of her prep school hockey career and path to Holy Cross waiting to be uncovered through sports testimonials, interviews, and the Holy Cross athletics site.
