By Anfal Hanif
Long before she wore the maple leaf on the international stage or undertook NCAA women’s hockey, Kate Viel’s hockey journey began with a simple request.
Pink equipment.
“I told my dad I would only play if he got me all pink equipment,” Viel recounts. “He got me pink gear from head to toe, and I still remember how excited I was.”
It was colourful equipment that drew her in, and it was fun and friendships that made her fall in love with the sport that’s now at the forefront of her life.
“Some of my favourite early hockey memories are from tournaments and hanging out with my teammates at the hotel,” the 18-year-old reflects. “Those experiences are what make hockey so special for me at a young age.”
Viel then drew inspiration to push for the top by watching players like Team Canada captain Hayley Wickenheiser and fellow defender Renata Fast.
“I remember watching them play and thinking, ‘I want to be just like them one day,’” smiles Viel, whose dreams were amplified by seeing older local players she knew get opportunities to play in the NCAA and beyond.
Now it’s the Paul-Desmarais high school grad’s chance to enter the collegiate ranks as she begins her rookie season with the famed Ohio State University Buckeyes.
Last season, the 2024 and 2022 NCAA champions earned the #1 ranking in NCAA women’s hockey and came within a goal of the national title for the second year in a row behind the Wisconsin Badgers.
Come February, the Buckeyes will get their rematch at the Frozen Tundra Faceoff, to be played outdoors at the home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
“Ohio State had always been my dream school,” Viel says, explaining that the program’s hockey pedigree, facilities, coaching and team culture attracted her, and then one phone call from head coach Nadine Muzerall after she finished Grade 10 solidified her post-secondary destination.
“From the beginning, they made me feel valued and showed that they believed in me as a player and a person,” she adds.
Viel remembers realizing that hockey could become more than just a hobby for her when she was invited to play at the 2022 Ontario Games.
Opportunities with Team Ontario followed, and after winning a national title in November 2024, she was overjoyed to be selected to play for Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.
“I was on my way to hockey practice with my mom, when she got a text from my dad telling us to check our email,” Viel recalls. “When we opened it, it was an invitation from Hockey Canada. I was completely shocked and excited, I started tearing up.”
The dream-come-true experience only grew from there as Canada went unbeaten in six games and triumphed 3-0 over arch-rival USA in the gold medal game. Viel scored a goal and four assists and earned a +8 rating over the course of the tournament and was part of the Canadian defensive effort that gave up just 14 shots in the championship game shutout.
“Winning gold was an incredible feeling and something I will never forget, especially because of all the work and sacrifices that went into getting there,” Viel highlights. “It was the most exciting feeling I have ever experienced. I felt so much happiness, pride, and a huge sense of accomplishment.
“And it was so special to share those experiences with my teammates. We became such a tight group in a short period of time, and being able to work toward the same goal and experience those moments together made them even more meaningful.”
Viel was chosen to play for Team Canada at the U18 worlds again in 2026. This time, she was on the losing end of a 2-0 championship game with USA, although she was pleased to feel more confident playing in a top-level tournament and drew motivation from the silver medal performance.
“It showed me that even though we accomplished something incredible, there is always more to improve and work toward,” she notes.
The Nepean Wildcats’ Eliot Spencer, who coached Viel in her final Ontario Women’s Hockey League season after she began playing U22 Elite with the Ottawa Lady Senators, says Viel’s physically and work ethic are among the defining traits that have allowed her to earn next-level opportunities.
She’s funny and energetic off the ice, he adds, and a strong, reliable and tenacious player on the ice, with excellent technical skills, a very hard shot and tremendous hockey sense.
“And she’s fearless – she doesn’t back down from anybody,” underlines Spencer. “Going to the next level, she’s gonna need that because she knows she’s gonna play bigger and stronger players and she’s gonna have to adapt to that physicality.”
Viel says she’s feeling confident about her ability to match up physically thanks to her work with trainer Samantha Batchelor at Adaptive State Performance.
“Since I started working with Sam, I’ve seen a massive difference physically,” signals the 5’6″ player from Kanata. “She has prepared me for the demands of high-level hockey.”
Viel’s training also helped inspire her field of study at Ohio State – exercise science, nutrition and health promotion. She feels ready for the demands of being a varsity student-athlete since she became accustomed to balancing school at Paul-Desmarais while playing junior hockey.
“With the amount of travel, I was often missing school and had to learn how to manage my time effectively. It taught me a lot about discipline and being responsible about my own success,” Viel indicates, adding that her involvement in sport allowed her to “become more confident, smarter, stronger and better leader.”
She feels proud of all the work she’s put in over many years in order to arrive at the next stop in her hockey career in Columbus, Ohio.
“My journey didn’t happen overnight. There have been countless hours of training, and people behind the scenes who helped me get here,” Viel outlines. “My family has had the biggest impact on my development. They have supported me through every single step of my journey.”
Viel’s family estimated that they spent around 110 weekends away for hockey during her youth career. There were many tears shed at the seniors night hosted by the Jr. Wildcats, who put together touching tributes to each of their graduating players, including messages from players’ families.
Viel’s love of the colour pink has persisted since she first flashed onto the ice.
Eighteen years before Viel was born, the Canadian women’s hockey team wore pink as a publicity ploy prior to the first Women’s World Championships at the Ottawa Civic Centre in 1990.
Eighteen years after her birth, the Civic Centre (now TD Place) has become too small to accommodate crowds for the Ottawa Charge of the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
Viel, who wore pink to her prom, is fully primed to pursue a university education while on athletic scholarship and a future career in hockey. She’d also like to one day wear the maple leaf again, even if it’s unlikely to be pink in colour.
“My goal is to continue playing hockey for as long as I can,” Viel emphasizes. “I aspire to one day represent Canada at the Olympics and play professional hockey. Beyond hockey, I want to earn my degree and eventually work with athletes and help them reach their goals.”
Read More of our 2026 High School Best Series as we tip our caps to top local student-athletes at: OttawaSportsPages.ca/Ottawa-High-School-Best-2026
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