Two players from Boston College women’s hockey will be taking a leave of absence from the program next year to train and compete as part of the United States national team. Megan Keller and Kali Flanagan, both defensemen for the Eagles, will start training in September. The honor of joining the national team this year comes with an added bonus, as it will be competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Last month, USA Hockey hosted its Olympic Selection Camp, in which Keller and Flanagan participated. Katie Burt, Makenna Newkirk, Caitrin Lonergan, and BC commit Cayla Barnes also attended, but were not chosen. Additionally, two alumnae of the program—Alex Carpenter and Emily Pfalzer—were picked for the national team, while three more attended the camp.
Keller has played on the U.S. national team for the past three years, earning three gold medals in the IIHF World Championship. In college play, she holds the record for most points and assists scored by a defenseman, and has earned several honors from Hockey East. Flanagan, on the other hand, is new to the competition circuit, participating on the national team for the first time this year. As an Eagle, she proved an integral part of the defense corps and saw a burst of offensive power toward the end of the season, in which BC made it to the Frozen Four.
The two juniors will return to BC in fall 2018 to finish out their senior year and last season of eligibility.
Featured Image by Kyle Bowman / Heights Staff
