In just two-weeks, Sarah Fillier ’24 went from a college student finishing up commencement festivities to the first overall draft pick in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) draft.
One of one. pic.twitter.com/aXg5kxBUuM
— PWHL New York (@PWHL_NewYork) June 10, 2024
Long rumored to be the first pick come draft day, Fillier’s name was indeed called first by the team closest to Princeton. She joins PWHL New York, which finished last among the six charter teams in the new league last year.
“We are so happy for Sarah,” Princeton women’s hockey head coach Cara Morey wrote to the Daily Princetonian. “Playing professional hockey has always just been a dream for most women, so to be chosen number one overall is an incredible accomplishment.”
Fillier has amassed a long list of accolades in the six years between when she arrived at Princeton and her graduation — including gap years to play for the Canadian national team, with whom she won a gold medal in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
At Princeton, Fillier leaves a legacy as one of the best hockey players to don the Orange and Black. A psychology major from Georgetown, Ontario, Fillier ranks second in career assists, fourth in career points, and sixth in career goals scored. While she is certainly a stronger player graduating than when she came to Princeton for her first season, she left a mark from her first game as an incredibly talented player and leader.
In the 2018–19 season, Fillier led the nation in points per game with 1.97, a result of leading in assists and finishing fourth in goals scored en route to winning both ECAC and National Rookie of the Year. Fillier followed that up with a second-team All-America and first-team All-Ivy sophomore campaign, finishing second nationally in points per game.
“Sarah is one of the best players in the world and one of the best to wear the Princeton jersey,” Morey added. “It’s been awesome watching her develop over her years at Princeton.”
After a COVID-canceled season forced a gap year and a national team break, Fillier developed into her role as a leader, coming back to captain the team for two straight years.
During her senior campaign, Fillier finished her Princeton career with first-team All-Ivy and second-team All-American honors, making her the first Princeton women’s hockey player to collect three seasons’ worth of All-American accolades.
Fillier heads to a New York team that can significantly benefit from her offense, having finished second-to-last in goals scored last year, with their tally of 53 only being greater than Boston’s 50. New York also ranked last in attendance with an average of 2,496 fans per game, so Fillier’s energetic play will be needed to hopefully draw a larger crowd to Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Conn., where they play the bulk of their home games.
Fillier is one of eight players drafted by New York, including fellow Ivy Leaguer Elle Hartje from Yale, and will play under their new head coach Greg Fargo. If Fillier’s time at Princeton is any predictive measure, she is sure to make an immediate impact from the first puck drop.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what she does in the next chapter of her hockey career,” Morey concluded.
Max Hines is a senior Sports writer at the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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