Across the storied history of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, countless student-athletes have left their mark on the ice and have continued to excel in their post-collegiate careers. In this special Alumni Spotlight series, the WCHA will highlight former players around the league who have made an impact and gone above and beyond in their respective professional careers.
For the second installment of this series, the WCHA is highlighting former Minnesota State skater Sheri Hudspeth (Maisonneuve). The former Maverick center is the Director of Youth Hockey Programs & Fan Development for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Throughout her two seasons at Minnesota State, Hudspeth played in 61 games while totaling 10 goals and 13 assists for the Mavericks. Hudspeth arrived at MSU in 2000 on an athletic scholarship and played for two seasons until a knee surgery and concussions ended her career with the Mavericks.
In her current role with the Vegas Golden Knights, Hudspeth is responsible for several operations within the organization, from working on youth hockey clinics in the Las Vegas community at schools & recreational centers to overseeing all aspects of the Vegas Golden Knights road trips throughout their TV Territory (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona). Hudspeth also assists the Vegas Golden Knights with the execution of hockey clinics, including the team's annual trip to Mexico.
During the regular season for the Vegas Golden Knights, the team has 20 “Mites at Knight” games during the first intermission for both VGK and Henderson Silver Knights, where Hudspeth's role is to ensure that all the kids participating have a great experience at the game.
Among other duties within her role, Hudspeth also works with partnerships & ticketing on youth hockey activations for both the Henderson Silver Knights and the Vegas Golden Knights, and leads the Bauer Empowered Girls Hockey program in the summer.
How did playing college and or professional hockey prepare you for your current career?
My biggest takeaway from playing college hockey is the importance of time management and the ability to work effectively under pressure. In the NHL, all events and activations have high visibility and must be executed at a high level under tight deadlines. Being a Division I College athlete is very demanding with class schedules, workouts, on-ice schedules, and travel, and you always have to plan your work and work your plan to have success. Time management and being organized stuck with me into my professional life.
What was your favorite memory from playing in the WCHA?
The family day game. It was special to share my Maverick hockey life with my father and show him around the facilities, the campus, and to honor him pregame for all he did for me as a young player. I also really liked playing at Ohio State, that was the series my parents could drive down from Toronto to watch.
What advice would you give to current WCHA Players?
Enjoy every minute of the glory & the grind. It goes by so quickly, so it is important to take a minute to realize what you have accomplished, where you are, and what you have because of hockey. It’s a great game that can open doors for you for the rest of your life.
What advice would you give your college self?
Branch out and try to meet new people. I would have liked to join a club and get more involved in student life to meet more people on campus outside of my hockey teammates.
What was the most rewarding part about playing in the WCHA?
Playing against some of the best players in the world in some of the best arenas in college hockey.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were playing?
When I was playing, there was very little information on concussion awareness and brain injury prevention. Since then, I have learned more about taking care of my health and recovery. When you are young, you feel invincible, you don’t realize the long-term effects of injuries and their impact on your playing career and adult life.
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league on X and Instagram @WCHA_WHockey, and online at wcha.com.