Defender Jacquie Greco is in new surroundings for the 2020-21 PWHPA season. Greco will venture outside of New York State, suiting up for the New Hampshire Regional Training Hub in year two of the PWHPA. For Greco, it’s a new adventure that she will take with fellow Buffalo products Kimberly Sass and Hayley Scamurra.
Greco played her college hockey for Syracuse University, suiting up for the Orange from 2009-13. During her senior season, 2012-13, Greco served as captain for the Orange and scored a career-high ten goals. It wasn’t until the 2016-17 season when she resumed her career, turning pro with the local NWHL team. Greco joined the Buffalo Beauts, playing three seasons in Western New York. She won an Isobel Cup in 2017, and was a key cog for a strong Buffalo team.
Following the 2018-19 season, her third with the Beauts, Greco made a change. She left the NWHL and joined the upstart PWHPA, training out of Buffalo. With the new Regional Training Hub alignment in 2020-21, Greco was left with a choice. Buffalo does not have a Hub, so Greco made the decision to play out of New England for Head Coach and General Manager Bill Flanagan in Hudson, New Hampshire this season.
We recently caught up with Greco to get her thoughts on the PWHPA, the upcoming season and much more!
WHT: What drew you to the sport of hockey as a young girl, and what fueled the passion that has led you on a very impressive career?
JG: Buffalo is a pretty big hockey city boarding Canada, so it is very easy to love the game growing up here. My older brother started playing hockey when he was about four, and I always loved going to the rink with my mom and dad. I bugged my mom that I wanted to wear the equipment so they signed me up to play with my brothers team when I was about three. I am constantly fueled by my family, and making the game better for those three & four year old girls today.
WHT: What drew you to the PWHPA? What about the organization’s goals and values stood out to you?
JG: I love mission of the PWHPA. Our main goal is to get women’s hockey to a sustainable point where we can create a league that can provide the resources and a platform that these players and future female hockey players deserve. I also love how the PWPHA aligns with sponsors and partners that believe and fight for our same mission.
WHT: How has your experience with the PWHPA been so far?
JG: It has be so great and so much fun every step of the way. We all play for the same reason, and I am so honored to play with and against the best hockey players in the world. Everyone I have played with so far has been so welcoming and awesome to play with. Every ‘Dream Gap Tour’ showcase event has been unique in itself. It’s amazing to see the support we have from people all over the world and at every age.
WHT: I always like to ask this question because the answers can vary so much, what is your favorite memory in the sport of hockey?
JG: My favorite hockey memory has to be my first ever professional game in Buffalo. All of my family and friends were able to watch me play in my hometown. It was a feeling that I will never forget.
WHT: What are some of your goals both personally and for the region as a whole this coming season?
JG: I personally hope to be able to play in some showcases this year, and obviously for our New Hampshire Region to win every showcase. This region is a lot of fun to play for and I think we have so many strengths and skilled players going into this upcoming season.
