'Sader Stories: Emma Min

Emma Min has never turned away from a challenge. Whether it’s throwing her body in front of a puck to block a shot or conducting impressive research in the lab, this Holy Cross senior has proven to be a resilient leader. As a standout defender and team captain on the women’s ice hockey team, Min has embraced every opportunity that has come her way, both on and off the ice.

Growing up in London, Ontario, Min was immersed in hockey from an early age. With three siblings and a father who built rinks in their backyard during the winter, the sport was deeply ingrained in her family life.

“My two younger siblings still play hockey, and our whole family was always traveling for tournaments on weekends,” Min recalled. “It was just such a big part of my childhood.”

Min played in Ontario for 12 years before being recruited to come to Holy Cross. In Worcester, she not only found a home away from home within the hockey program, but she also discovered a passion for biology that would influence her future career path.

Having just concluded her senior season as a team captain, Min now understands the balance between leadership and individual performance, while thriving on energy and positivity both on the ice and in the locker room. Min’s ability to motivate and uplift her team helped her embrace the responsibilities that came with wearing the ‘C’ on her jersey. But her leadership wasn’t just about words, it was about action. Someone’s energy can be contagious. When you see someone you look up to as a leader maximizing their potential, that can bounce off of everyone else on a team and bring that same energy and power to everyone.

“I feel like I play my best when I have a lot of energy and I’m super vocal on the bench,” Min said. “I try to lead by example. If I’m working hard every shift and keeping a high-energy attitude, I think naturally others will follow.”

One of the nation’s leaders in blocked shots, ranking sixth in the country during the 2024-25 campaign, Min made a name for herself as a defender and her fearlessness in front of the net was noticed. She closed out her senior season with a career-high 88 blocked shots, 42 more than the next-closest Crusader, nine more than anyone else in the league and the most by a Holy Cross player since joining Hockey East. The defensive powerhouse tallied 236 career blocks during her four-year career, the most career blocks in the Hockey East era.

With adrenaline pumping during the game, the impact of blocking a shot might not always show its effects in the moment. But she still never hesitated, even while knowing the pain that might come after.

“I can’t lie, it definitely hurts sometimes,” Min laughed. “But I’m so passionate about helping my team win. If putting my body on the line is what it takes, then I’m more than willing to do it.”

Aside from the physical training that Min has gone through to become the athlete she is today, hockey has also provided her with valuable lessons that can be utilized off the ice as well. Min expressed that one of the biggest things that hockey has taught her throughout the years is the importance of teamwork and collaboration, as well as being dependable and trustworthy. Learning how to rely on others in an effective way not only builds a powerful team but will extend into the classroom and the workplace in the future. Min also credited the sport for helping her maintain a strong balance in her time between academics and athletics so she can be successful within both realms.

For the past three years, Min has worked in the Marine Organismal Biology lab at Holy Cross. Recently, she conducted her own research project on coral regeneration. 

“When I decided to get involved in research at Holy Cross, I wasn’t sure where to begin,” Min expressed. “However, when I joined Professor Justin McAlister’s lab in my sophomore year, he took me under his wing and provided many opportunities to learn and conduct research independently. I credit much of my academic success to his guidance and mentorship.”

Her study focused on Astrangia Poculata, also known as the northern star coral or the northern cup coral, which is a species of non-reef building stony coral that is usually found in shallow water in the Caribbean Sea or Atlantic Ocean. Alongside her research partner, she wounded the coral and performed a starvation study that measured how the coral regenerated over time under different feeding conditions. The study took six weeks to complete. In January, the partners had the opportunity to present their research at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology Conference in Atlanta, Ga.

“Being so busy actually helped me manage my time better,” Min said. “Anytime I wasn’t at the rink, I had set hours for my research and schoolwork. I knew I wanted to prioritize both my academics and athletics, so I made sure to stay on top of everything.”

As Min nears the end of her undergraduate years, she already has her sights set on dental school. She was inspired by her mother’s career as a dentist and feels this path will be a good fit for her as she enjoys working with her hands and will get to help others. While she hasn’t decided where she will attend dental school quite yet, Min is planning on taking a gap year after graduation and working in a dental clinic before continuing her education.

Though she is preparing to step away from competitive hockey after graduation, Min knows the sport will always be a part of her life. 

“I definitely hope to keep playing at a less competitive level,” Min said. “It’s been such a huge part of my life for so long that I can’t imagine completely stepping away from it.”

While taking some time to reflect back on her hockey journey, Min credited her parents and her siblings as her biggest influences. She expressed that the support from her parents has always been there, whether it was building rinks, driving them to tournaments, or taking trips down from Canada to watch her play for Holy Cross. Their continued support is what allowed her to grow in her hockey career and get to where she is today.

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