Blake Bolden

Blake Bolden
Blake Bolden playing for the Boston Pride in the 2016-2017 NWHL season
Born (1991-03-10) March 10, 1991
Euclid, Ohio, U.S.
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Right
NWHL team
Former teams		 Buffalo Beauts
National team  United States
Playing career 2008–present
Medal record
Women's ice hockey
Representing  United States
IIHF World Women's U18 Championships
2008 CanadaTeam

Blake Alexis Bolden (born March 10, 1991 in Euclid, Ohio) is an American women's ice hockey player. On October 11, 2015, she became the first African-American player to compete in the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). She won the 2015 Clarkson Cup with the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). In 2016, she won the Isobel Cup with the Boston Pride of the NWHL.

Early life and education

Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Blake began following the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League (IHL). Her father worked for the team and facilitated her meeting many of the players.[1] She attended Northwood School, known for its top ice hockey programs, in Lake Placid, New York, where she captained the team during her senior year and played with Kelley Steadman.[1] She attended Boston College where she played for the Boston College Eagles women's ice hockey team from 2009 to 2013.[2]

Playing career

NCAA

In 2009–10, Bolden led all Hockey East freshmen defenders in scoring with four goals and nine assists for 13 points. Her first collegiate point was a goal in a 1–1 tie against Clarkson on October 3, 2009. Her first assist was also earned in a tie in a 1–1 draw with the Quinnipiac Bobcats on October 16, 2009.

On October 24, 2010, in a 5–2 victory over Brown, Bolden was one of three BC players who scored their first goals of the 2010–11 season. In addition to the goal, Blake Bolden tallied two assists in the win against Brown. It was a career high for most points in one game in her BC career. On December 9, 2010, she was invited to try out for the United States national women's ice hockey team.

In her first three seasons at BC, Bolden appeared in 102 contests. Her 21 points during the 2011–12 campaign ranked second among defenders during Hockey East conference play. Statistically, she amassed 20 goals and 33 assists. She was part of the USA Hockey evaluation camp for the 2012 IIHF World Championship, and was a 2012 nominee for the Patty Kazmaier Award. On August 21, 2012, Blake Bolden was appointed team captain for the 2012–13 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season.

Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL)

Selected in the first round, fifth overall by the Boston Blades in the 2013 CWHL Draft, Bolden became the first African-American player taken in the first round in the CWHL Draft's history. Bolden competed in the 1st Canadian Women's Hockey League All-Star Game, held on December 13, 2014, at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. In March 2015, Bolden helped the Boston Blades win the Clarkson Cup.

National Women's Hockey League (NWHL)

The National Women's Hockey League, the first women's hockey league to pay a salary, announced to play its inaugural season for 2015–16. On October 11, 2015, Bolden joined the NWHL's Boston Pride, thus becoming the first African-American player to compete in the NWHL. On December 31, 2015, Bolden and the Pride participated in an outdoor women's ice hockey game against the CWHL's Les Canadiennes de Montreal, known as the 2016 Outdoor Women's Classic and was the first professional women's ice hockey outdoor game.[3] Bolden would score Boston's first and only goal of the game.[4] In 2016, she helped the team win the inaugural Isobel Cup.[1]

Bolden was selected as a player for the 2nd NWHL All-Star Game, in which she won the fastest shot skills game with a shot of 87 mph.[5] In May 2017, Bolden left NWHL and signed on to play for the HC Lugano women's team in Switzerland.[6]

On August 15, 2018, Bolden signed a contract with the NWHL's Buffalo Beauts.[7]

Overseas

During the 2017–18 season, Bolden competed in the Swiss Women's Hockey League for HC Lugano, where she competed in 20 games. She led all defenders on the team with 27 points (16 goals, 11 assists), pacing fourth overall in team scoring with 27 points.

Awards and honors

  • 2011 Hockey East All-Tournament team[8]
  • 2015 CWHL All-Star Game
  • 2nd NWHL All-Star Game (2017)
  • Clarkson Cup: 2015
  • Isobel Cup: 2016

References

  1. 1 2 3 Yampolsky, David (2017-01-13). "Blake Bolden: Trailblazer". National Women's Hockey League. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  2. ↑ "Blake Bolden - 2011-12 Women's Hockey Roster - Boston College". bceagles.com. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  3. ↑ "Women's hockey happy for Winter Classic showcase". nhl.com. 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  4. ↑ "Women's Hockey Happy for Winter Classic Showcase". nhl.com. 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  5. ↑ "All Star Game footage 2017". nwhl.zone. 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  6. ↑ "Blake Bolden, Leslie Oles to Switzerland". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  7. ↑ "Beauts Agree to Terms With Defenseman Bolden". NWHL.zone. August 15, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Blake Bolden - 2011-12 Women's Hockey". bceagles.cstv.com. 2011-03-06. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
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