It is always a great feature to have a defenseman who can get in on the offensive side of the puck. Kate Randazzo has done just that for the Oswego State women’s ice hockey team this season.

Last season, as a freshman, she had one goal and seven assists. She was third among freshmen for points for the Lakers, and she was a point behind Jacquelin White, who is no longer with Oswego State.

“As a freshman, she got a lot of minutes. We knew bringing her in that she would be a defenseman that would be a freshman who could step in right away,” head coach Diane Dillon said. “She played through a lot of mistakes, but she kept playing. She doesn’t like to get beat. If you beat her once in a drill, you won’t beat her the second time. She plays like that in games, as well.”

During the offseason, Dillon gave Randazzo a workout packet to complete. The offseason was very beneficial to her, playing 4-on-4 hockey to learn new playstyles. Along with that, her desire to become a better student has translated to the ice, according to Dillon.

“I worked out every day on the ice, I did those all week and I played in a summer league,” Randazzo said. “With the league, I got to play different roles on the ice.”

As a sophomore, Randazzo has been put in some tough situations. As a top defender, she has been placed on both the penalty kill and power play often and was called a young leader among even younger players by Dillon. However, the biggest change she sees in Randazzo is her level of confidence.

“She knows that we’re going to put her in certain situations as one of our top defensemen,” Dillon said. “So, just settling into that role, and feeling comfortable and confident that we believe in her, she’s more and more confident in her own play.”

The sophomore currently leads the team in assists and points, with four and five, respectively. All four assists came from the dominant 5-0 victory over New England College. Her lone goal came from the overtime game-winner against Castleton University on Oct. 28 when the Lakers won 3-2.

“It’s great when you have a defenseman that can be involved on the offensive and putting up points,” Dillon said. “We always love for them to have assists because they’re the ones that really drive the puck. We have high expectations for her, so we’re going to be pushing her even harder. But we’re thrilled with her start.”

Along with Randazzo being on the team for two years, this is also her second conference that she is in. After the Lakers left the ECAC Women’s West last season, the team will be facing well-known rivals in their new league, the Northeast Women’s Hockey League.

The team will be facing every conference opponent four times, compared to the two times per season last year. They will be going against common rivals, such as SUNY Potsdam, Buffalo State and the always dominant Plattsburgh State. They are all important games, according to Randazzo.

“All the teams in the conference are always the teams we rivaled against,” Randazzo said. “I’m looking forward to every conference game this season, so that’s the main difference this year.”

It is not necessarily about the points for Randazzo, according to Dillon. As a defenseman, she is expected to keep it simple yet effective within her own zone. Early this year, she has played confidently with the puck on her stick and has made some great passes both on offense and defense, according to Dillon.

“Obviously, I want to get as many points as I can and continue to grow in the role I have on the team,” Randazzo said. “More importantly, I want the team to do well this season.”

Dillon stated that Randazzo is the youngest member of their leadership council for their team. She is one of two “full-time” defensemen, along with Madison Byrne. Natalie Giglio, also a sophomore, plays both forward and defense but focuses mainly on playing as the centerman.

“We believe that she has the potential to be a very good leader on this team,” Dillon said. “I think she enjoys that role, but there’s a lot to learn when you’re dealing with a group of 22 other players.”

Randazzo and the Lakers will be taking on their first NEWHL opponent this season, Buffalo State, for a back-to-back weekend matchup on Nov. 11 and 12. Both games start at 3 p.m. at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena.

Photo by: Ryan Zalduando | The Oswegonian