There was never any question that Sarah Hood '98 was a hockey fan.
As a freshman, 47 hockey posters of varying sizes lined the walls of her one-room double in Topliff.
Of course, today, four years later, there is no question that Sarah Hood has become a Dartmouth hockey legend.
Tri-captain of her team, first team All-American, All-ECAC and All-Ivy, Sarah Devens Award winner, Ivy League Champion -- the list of honors goes on and on.
But it's not just the list of awards that make Hood, a sports writer for The Dartmouth, an obvious athletic stand-out. It's Hood herself.
Her teammates give glowing reports of their former captain, calling her "intense," "humble" and "a great friend."
"Sarah is a leader by example," fellow captain Jen Lane '98 said. "She works tremendously hard both on and off the ice, and she always wants what is best for the team."
"Hoody may come across as quite an intimidating person, especially on the ice," Lauren Trottier '01 said. "But when you get to know her better, I really think that she is one of the kindest, sweetest and most sincere people I've met here at Dartmouth."
Hood, nicknamed "Hoody" her freshman year when there were five other Sarahs on the team, quickly became an inspiration to her teammates. Her natural intensity drives each player to perform at her peak.
"People see her intensity in the locker room before games and on the ice," goalie Meaghan Cahill '01 said. "That intensity rubs off on the rest of the team."
Michelyne Pinard '98 agreed: "Her intensity when she is on the ice inspired the team more than anything else. Her love for the game and playing rubbed off on everyone."
Of course, who can overlook Hood's incredible talent, displayed prominently this season as she led her team to an Ivy League championship?
Her stats speak to her abilities. In her four years, she tallied 147 points, to hit the fourth place in the record books. This season, she led her team in goals with 22 and was second on the team with 21 assists, behind Pinard. Hood also led her team on the power play with nine goals.
"I loved being on the power play with her because she kept us focused on our goal and we could almost always put the puck in the net," Trottier said.
Year in and year out, Hood has been a tremendous asset to her team. The ECAC recognized Hood's qualities this season, awarding her the Sarah Devens Award for athletic performance and sportsmanship. Hood was also one of three finalists this season for the Patty Kazmaier Award for the top women's collegiate hockey player.
But more important than all the honors she has accumulated, Hood has been there for her team, leaving a lasting impression upon them.
She was there as a freshman, showing her teammates what intensity really is. She was there as a sophomore to knock in the game-winner against Northeastern during a second, sudden-death overtime in the quarterfinals of the ECAC tournament. She was there as a junior to convert plays to goals, leading her team in scoring with 38 points. And she was there as a senior to lead her team to the Ivy League championship.
"Hoody is an all-around great teammate and hockey player, and we are all going to miss her tremendously next year," Trottier said. "She taught us how to work hard for our goals and to not let the little things get in our way."
