Sharks’ Julia Poole commits to D1 Clarkson University

Poole said getting a chance to know the coaching staff, as well as visiting the campus, led to her decision to choose Clarkson. She said the rink impressed her the most about the campus.

“The rink is basically my home, and seeing just how close it is to where I live and just how accessible it is. There are always opportunities to get extra ice and just hang out. So that’s something that I really wanted, and seeing that at Clarkson was definitely a big bonus.”

She also spoke about the support the team gets from the school and community, with hockey being Clarkson’s only Division 1 sport.

Poole said representing Saskatchewan on a large scale means a lot to her.

“There’s so much more you can do past minor hockey, and there’s just so many opportunities that are available now.”

After committing, Poole said she is now able to play with less pressure.

“There’s a lot of relief for sure. I think just being able to focus on the team now and even when I wasn’t committed, the team was my biggest priority and I can really dial in on that and help out the younger girls with their future as well and always be a support for them.”

Sharks head coach Nolan Horbach spoke about what it means to him as a coach to see Poole commit, and its importance to the program.

“When you see what she does on and off the ice day after day and the attention to detail she puts into achieving the goal of taking that next step, you’re not surprised, but at the same time, just so incredibly proud,” he said.

“I think it’s a huge feather in the cap for the Sharks program. Understanding that you can be in a place that might be a little bit off the map or radar in terms of a big name. But the last few years, we’ve become a big name in terms of a chance to develop here.”

Poole leads the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League (SFU18AAAHL) in all scoring categories with 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 13 games.

“I really play with my teammates and that’s when my game is at its best. I think I’ve really been able to do that this year,” Poole said.

“Everyone has kind of stepped up and played their role. So, it’s allowed me to do mine.”

Poole joins Brooke Weber (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2028-29) and Savannah Mucha (University of Maine, 2027-28) as the third current Sharks player to commit to NCAA Division 1 hockey.

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com

by Ryan Lambert

Sharks’ Julia Poole commits to D1 Clarkson University

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