Boston College athletics have a long history of star athletes being drafted into professional leagues, and BC women’s hockey is no different. Since the inception of the NWHL in 2015, 12 former Eagles have been drafted into the league.
Delaney Belinskas was recently selected 10th overall by the Metropolitan Riveters in the 2020 NWHL draft, becoming the 13th BC player ever drafted into the league. Belinskas will be joining fellow BC alumna Kate Leary, BC ’15, in New Jersey if she chooses to sign with the Riveters for the 2020-21 season.
Over the course of her four-year tenure on the Heights, Belinskas has been a consistent player for the Eagles. The Florida native began her collegiate career with a bang, recording 16 goals and 33 points in her first year, to lead the Eagles in goals alongside then-senior Andie Anastos. Belinskas was then a unanimous selection to Hockey East’s All-Rookie Team following the 2016-17 season and was recognized as the Hockey East Rookie of the Week three times throughout the year.
Since her freshman year, Belinskas has continued to grow and develop not only as a player but also as a leader, serving as an assistant captain her senior season. Finishing her career with 49 goals and 93 points in her 151 appearances, Belinskas is ranked No. 25 all-time in points in program history and 16th all-time in goals.
“Delaney is a great representative of Boston College hockey, and she is a great player who will be an asset to any team she plays on,” BC head coach Katie Crowley told the NWHL. “She has a great scoring ability, and her inner drive and determination are what set her apart from others.”
While she was one of nine Hockey East alumnae to be drafted to the NWHL this year, Belinskas was the only Eagle selected, following a BC-heavy draft the year prior. Four Eagles—Megan Keller, Kali Flanagan, Makenna Newkirk, and Grace Bizal, all BC ’19—had been selected in the 2018 draft, with two in the first round alone. Out of the four players drafted, however, none of them ended up playing for the team they had been drafted to, with three currently playing in the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association. Women’s hockey players formed the association to promote and advance the development of a single professional women’s hockey league that can provide sustainable wages for its players, a feat the NWHL has yet to accomplish.
Featured Image by Jess Rivilis / Heights Editor
