Former Boston College women鈥檚 hockey star Dana Trivigno 鈥�16 now experiences her passion for the sport from a new perspective.
Known for her excellence in the classroom as well as on the ice, Trivigno was the center last year on a 40-1 精东影业 team that went undefeated all the way up to the NCAA Women鈥檚 National Championship. But rather than let that be the end of her relationship with the game, Trivigno decided to dig deeper into her love of hockey.聽
In the fall, she became the first former women鈥檚 Hockey East player to work as a Hockey East referee, officiating games across New England from the University of Maine in Orono to the University of Connecticut in Storrs, as well as in the Boston area. 聽
The transition from player to referee did not come about without some nervousness, she says, but it was easily overcome by her desire to succeed 鈥� the same desire that fueled her success as a player. Her unconditional pursuit of victory has now been replaced by an obligation to fairness and objectivity.
鈥淏eing an official has allowed me to see the game from a different perspective,鈥� Trivigno said. 鈥淚t has shown me how much time and space the player with the puck actually has. In reality, the puck carrier actually has a lot more time and space than they think to make a play. Being an official has enabled me to use this to my advantage while playing by being able to better utilize the open ice available to make a pass, or skate the puck into the open space myself.
鈥淚t has also given me a heightened appreciation for all that goes into refereeing hockey. They are the third team on the ice, and the hard work and camaraderie that exists among officials is something that I did not understand until I put on a referee鈥檚 jersey.鈥澛�
Trivigno鈥檚 former coach, Katie Crowley, is pleased and proud to see Trivigno stay in the game. 鈥淒ana is a great player and person,鈥� she said, noting that not many women choose to referee in the league 鈥� or, for that matter, anywhere else in college hockey. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure she鈥檒l be a terrific official for Hockey East.鈥� 聽
A graduate of the Carroll School of Management with a degree in finance, Trivigno says her long-term career plans could take her just about anywhere, including graduate studies in law or business. But while her focus is on officiating for now, she hasn鈥檛 entirely given up on playing hockey, either. She鈥檚 staying in shape for the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea, hoping to win a spot on the US women鈥檚 hockey team.聽
鈥淭he transition has helped me grow as a player and allowed me to think more analytically about the game.鈥澛�
鈥擜lex Rougeau '18 | University Communications