ANTIGONISH, NS – Head coach Ben Berthiaume is excited to announce the signing of NCAA transfer forward Maggy Burbidge from the Robert Morris University Colonials in the College Hockey America (CHA) conference.
A native of Falmouth, N.S., Burbidge played two seasons with the Pennsylvania-based team, earning CHA rookie all-star status last season, and CHA playoff Most Valuable Player honours this year. This past season, Maggy scored nine goals and had eight assists in 24 games for the Colonials. Due to the pandemic and NCAA rulings, this past season will not count towards playing eligibility, so Burbidge will be joining the X-Women this fall with four years of playing eligibility remaining.
With university officials deciding to fold both the women's and men's hockey programs at Robert Morris University, Burbidge was left in a tough position, having to uproot and join a new program to continue her university career. "When we saw that Maggy was going to become available, we reached out to her immediately," says Coach Berthiaume.
"We were extremely happy to hear that Maggy had serious interest and that she had many of the same goals and character traits that we look for when recruiting players," continues Berthiaume. "All the people we reached out to had great things to say about Maggy as an individual. She has played with or against quite a few players on our roster over the years, so the team was pretty excited to hear that she'll be joining us next season. She will mesh nicely with our forward group and her leadership and experience will help make us that much more well-rounded."
A 5'4" right-handed forward, Burbidge has a great release and has been an elite scorer throughout her career, including leading the Nepean Wildcats (PWHL) in scoring in during her grade 12 year in 2018-19. Maggy was also team captain for Team Nova Scotia at the 2019 Canada Games, and played for three seasons at Rothesay Netherwood School, and one year at Selects Academy in Rochester, N.Y.
Burbidge's Nova Scotia homecoming will reunite her with former Team Nova Scotia teammates Landyn Pitts, Josie Chisholm and Lea MacLeod. She joins previously announced 2021-22 X-Women recruits forwards Ellie Brown (Kemptville, ON), Anna MacCara (Yellowknife, NW), Pitts (Antigonish, NS) and Kamdyn Switzer (Stittsville, ON); defenders Vivian Hinch (Vancouver, BC), Ella VandeSompel (London, ON) and Ashley Monds (Brockville, ON); and goaltender Amaya Giraudier (Assiniboia, SK).
Burbidge will study Psychology at STFX and plans to pursue Education. Her addition bolsters a talented and driven X-Women line-up that will push to be an AUS and U SPORTS contender.
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