University of New Hampshire Athletics
Wildcats Introduce the Class of 2025
7/6/2021 8:53:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
DURHAM, N.H. – Eighth-year head coach Hilary Witt has announced the incoming quartet of student-athletes who will join the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team for the 2021-22 season.
The four new Wildcats are defenseman Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.) and forwards Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.), Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) and Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.).
"I am really excited to add Marina, Kira, Shea and Brooke to our program," Witt said. "They bring the skill, character and competitive attitude we know will help us continue our goal of winning championships and representing the University with the highest level of effort and integrity."
Catch this freshman class along with the rest of the 'Cats all season long with our convenient and affordable Season Ticket Membership packages. At only $50 per seat, you can enjoy the entire season (of home games) for a fraction of the cost of individual game tickets. CLICK HERE to save up to 70 percent and secure your UNH Women's Hockey Season Ticket Membership today!
Alvarez, a 5-foot-5 defenseman, is a 2021 graduate of Northwood School, where she lettered on the hockey team. She skated at the 17/18 USA Hockey National Camp in 2019 and was at the 15 USA Hockey National Camp in 2018.
As a senior at Northwood, Alvarez tallied 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 25 games and garnered the Tim Hyde Hockey Award. In 65 games of the 2019-20 season, Alvarez finished with 76 points (35 goals, 41 assists), led Northwood to second place in the state championship, and was named to the tournament All-Star Team.
Hammer, a 5-4 forward, is a 2021 graduate of Walled Lake Northern High School who has attended USA camp and played club hockey for both the HoneyBaked and Belle Tire programs. She has been the leading scorer for Belle Tire each of the past two years.
Hammer's club teams have qualified for nationals the past five years, including 2021 with the Belle Tire 19U squad. In both 2019 and 2020, the Belle Tire 16U team won the state championship and advanced to nationals.
Prior to that, Hammer helped lead the HoneyBaked 14U team to a state title in 2018 and advanced to nationals in both '17 and '18.
Juodikis, a 5-11 forward, is a 2021 graduate of Sandwich Secondary School, where she competed in hockey, basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton and track & field. She made the city all-star hockey team and senior city all-star basketball team as a sophomore. Juodikis was a city all-star team selection in hockey, basketball and soccer as a freshman, when she also garnered the team MVP award in hockey, basketball, soccer and track and field.
Juodikis was invited to the Calgary training camp for the Team Canada U18 team in 2020, but the in-person event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was replaced by weekly Zoom calls.
Sports were paused in Ontario in the 2020-21 season, but Juodikis led the Team Ontario Red team to a gold medal at the National Championship in 2019-20, and she was named Game MVP in the win against Alberta. Juodikis won the Windsor Essex Sports Person of the Year Female Hockey Award and was one of three finalists for the Female Athlete of the Year.
In the 2018-19 season, Juodikis was part of a Hockey Canada team that traveled to Japan to play the U15 Japan National Team. Prior to that, she skated on team Green at the London Ontario Summer Games in 2017-18.
Juodikis also played for club for the Southwest Wildcats Jr. hockey team, which is coached by former UNH Wildcats Jen and Jess Hitchcock.
In the classroom, Juodikis made the Honour Roll every year and received a chancellor scholarship for UNH.
Verrier, a 5-7 forward, is s 2021 graduate of Cushing Academy, where she lettered in hockey and lacrosse. She was named captain of the hockey team as a senior, but the season was cancelled because of COVID. She also captained the lacrosse team and made the All-NEPSAC Team.
As a junior assistant captain in the 2019-20 season, Verrier recorded 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 34 games to earn the team's offensive player award. On year earlier, she tallied 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists) in 29 games.
Verrier also skated for the Boston Jr. Eagles club team. And in 2017-18 with the Boston Shamrocks (JWHL), she finished with 61 points (27 goals, 34 assists) in 74 games. As a member of the East Coast Selects in 2015-16, Verrier played seven games overseas in the Czech Republic.
In the classroom, she received High Honors as a senior and Honors as a sophomore and junior. Verrier's older brother Ryan is a three-year letterwinner on the UNH men's hockey team.
New Hampshire recorded two wins against nationally-ranked teams with a 4-3 victory against No. 8 Boston University and a 1-0 win vs. 10th-ranked Providence College in the 2020-21 season. The Wildcats also skated to a 2-2 tie – and won the shootout – vs. No. 3 Northeastern University and went on to advance out of the Hockey East first round with a 3-0 victory against College of the Holy Cross.
The four new Wildcats are defenseman Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.) and forwards Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.), Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) and Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.).
"I am really excited to add Marina, Kira, Shea and Brooke to our program," Witt said. "They bring the skill, character and competitive attitude we know will help us continue our goal of winning championships and representing the University with the highest level of effort and integrity."
Catch this freshman class along with the rest of the 'Cats all season long with our convenient and affordable Season Ticket Membership packages. At only $50 per seat, you can enjoy the entire season (of home games) for a fraction of the cost of individual game tickets. CLICK HERE to save up to 70 percent and secure your UNH Women's Hockey Season Ticket Membership today!
Alvarez, a 5-foot-5 defenseman, is a 2021 graduate of Northwood School, where she lettered on the hockey team. She skated at the 17/18 USA Hockey National Camp in 2019 and was at the 15 USA Hockey National Camp in 2018.
As a senior at Northwood, Alvarez tallied 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 25 games and garnered the Tim Hyde Hockey Award. In 65 games of the 2019-20 season, Alvarez finished with 76 points (35 goals, 41 assists), led Northwood to second place in the state championship, and was named to the tournament All-Star Team.
Hammer, a 5-4 forward, is a 2021 graduate of Walled Lake Northern High School who has attended USA camp and played club hockey for both the HoneyBaked and Belle Tire programs. She has been the leading scorer for Belle Tire each of the past two years.
Hammer's club teams have qualified for nationals the past five years, including 2021 with the Belle Tire 19U squad. In both 2019 and 2020, the Belle Tire 16U team won the state championship and advanced to nationals.
Prior to that, Hammer helped lead the HoneyBaked 14U team to a state title in 2018 and advanced to nationals in both '17 and '18.
Juodikis, a 5-11 forward, is a 2021 graduate of Sandwich Secondary School, where she competed in hockey, basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton and track & field. She made the city all-star hockey team and senior city all-star basketball team as a sophomore. Juodikis was a city all-star team selection in hockey, basketball and soccer as a freshman, when she also garnered the team MVP award in hockey, basketball, soccer and track and field.
Juodikis was invited to the Calgary training camp for the Team Canada U18 team in 2020, but the in-person event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was replaced by weekly Zoom calls.
Sports were paused in Ontario in the 2020-21 season, but Juodikis led the Team Ontario Red team to a gold medal at the National Championship in 2019-20, and she was named Game MVP in the win against Alberta. Juodikis won the Windsor Essex Sports Person of the Year Female Hockey Award and was one of three finalists for the Female Athlete of the Year.
In the 2018-19 season, Juodikis was part of a Hockey Canada team that traveled to Japan to play the U15 Japan National Team. Prior to that, she skated on team Green at the London Ontario Summer Games in 2017-18.
Juodikis also played for club for the Southwest Wildcats Jr. hockey team, which is coached by former UNH Wildcats Jen and Jess Hitchcock.
In the classroom, Juodikis made the Honour Roll every year and received a chancellor scholarship for UNH.
Verrier, a 5-7 forward, is s 2021 graduate of Cushing Academy, where she lettered in hockey and lacrosse. She was named captain of the hockey team as a senior, but the season was cancelled because of COVID. She also captained the lacrosse team and made the All-NEPSAC Team.
As a junior assistant captain in the 2019-20 season, Verrier recorded 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 34 games to earn the team's offensive player award. On year earlier, she tallied 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists) in 29 games.
Verrier also skated for the Boston Jr. Eagles club team. And in 2017-18 with the Boston Shamrocks (JWHL), she finished with 61 points (27 goals, 34 assists) in 74 games. As a member of the East Coast Selects in 2015-16, Verrier played seven games overseas in the Czech Republic.
In the classroom, she received High Honors as a senior and Honors as a sophomore and junior. Verrier's older brother Ryan is a three-year letterwinner on the UNH men's hockey team.
New Hampshire recorded two wins against nationally-ranked teams with a 4-3 victory against No. 8 Boston University and a 1-0 win vs. 10th-ranked Providence College in the 2020-21 season. The Wildcats also skated to a 2-2 tie – and won the shootout – vs. No. 3 Northeastern University and went on to advance out of the Hockey East first round with a 3-0 victory against College of the Holy Cross.
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Hometown | High School |
| Marina Alvarez | D | 5-5 | Center Moriches, N.Y. | Northwood School |
| Brooke Hammer | F | 5-4 | Commerce Township, Mich. | Walled Lake Northern |
| Kira Juodikis | F | 5-11 | LaSalle, Ontario | Sandwich Secondary School |
| Shea Verrier | F | 5-7 | Reading, Mass. | Cushing Academy |
![Graphic with action shots of each award winner. [L to R] Noemi Martinez, Hannah Rodgers, Nina Rossi, Kelly Harty, Ireland Fredrickson](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Funh.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F5%2F7%2Fwhockey_2526_awards_graphic.png&height=340&type=webp)
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