Wasilla grad to play college hockey

WASILLA — As a member of the Anchorage-based Alaska All-Stars, Josie Fletcher spent about a third of her life making the commute to play hockey. But now after realizing her goal of playing college hockey, Fletcher knows the extra effort was worth it.

Fletcher, a 2013 graduate of Wasilla High School, recently committed to play for Division III SUNY-Cortland in Cortland, N.Y.

“It was definitely worth it,” Fletcher said recently of community to Anchorage to play for the All-Stars for the last six years.

It was a unique opportunity to Fletcher to play for the All-Stars. Of the six Valley athletes who tried out for the All-Stars’ U19AAA team, Fletcher was the only player to make the team. Fletcher’s time with the All-Stars as a member of the U14AAA, U16AAA and U19AAA squads are part of an impressive hockey résumé, which also includes success at regional championships and select camps.

Fletcher also spent two years with the Valley-based Mat-Su Ravens girls high school program. As a senior, Fletcher tallied nine goals and nine assists. She finished tied for second on the team with 18 points.

Fletcher led the Ravens in goals and points as a junior, bagging 8-4-12 totals.

Fletcher said she also considered Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pa., SUNY-Plattsburgh and Concordia University-Wisconsin. But SUNY-Cortland rose to the top of the list.

“I wanted to be on the East Coast. I talked to the players on the team and they told me everything about the campus. My parents recently went there and said really good things about it,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher, who was also the captain of the Wasilla High girls’ soccer team, said there may also be an opportunity to play college soccer at SUNY-Cortland.

Before deciding on where to go to college, Fletcher said she had to make the decision between Division I and Division III hockey. With limited opportunity in the sport for women beyond the college level, Fletcher said she preferred the Division III route so she’d also be able put a focus on her academics. Fletcher plans on studying kinesiology with hope of a career as a chiropractor.

Fletcher is also expected to see playing time early in her career.

“They said I’d be playing a lot, definitely on the (penalty kill),” Fletcher said.