Oswego State women’s hockey captain Kate Randazzo is everything a coach wants out of a captain.

“We want someone who has a passion for the game, and Kate has that,” said head coach Diane Dillon. “We want someone that people gravitate for, that people respond to, someone that can inspire people to do the right thing”.

But it is not just in the leadership role where Kate excels; it is virtually everywhere–on the ice, in the locker room and in the classroom.

On the ice, Randazzo led the Lakers’ defense last season with five goals and a +14 +/- rating and was second in assists (14) and points (19). She also had 12 blocks en route to First Team All-NEWHL honors in her sophomore year. Although Oswego State has only played two games this season, Randazzo has totaled two goals and an assist to help the Lakers jump out to a 2-0 start, outscoring their two opponents a combined 15-1. But even with the two blowout wins, Randazzo is always striving to do even better.

“I think I played well. I could’ve played better. I think, as a team, we could’ve played better,” Randazzo said. “It was a tough couple games, even though we scored a lot. There’s always room for us to clean up.”

With a defenseman as productive on the offensive end as Randazzo, it can create headaches for any opposing defense. Oswego State’s ability to start offensive possessions at the point makes them extremely tough to defend against. And, according to Coach Dillon, the defense led by Randazzo is the backbone of the Lakers.

“They’re going to be extremely important–not just Kate, but the entire defensive core,” Dillon said. “That’s where a lot of our strength is. We’re really strong on the back end. I think we’re going to have to generate a lot of offense from the point, and that’s where Kate and Philomena [Teggart] really have to step up.”

The performance on the ice is important for any player, but it goes beyond that to be the captain of a team. Randazzo is also seen as a huge leader for the Lakers off the ice. Even though she is just a junior, Randazzo was named captain by a vote. That vote was conducted by her teammates, and when the results came in, it was Randazzo who was chosen.

“When she [Coach Dillon] announced it would be me as captain, I felt honored that my teammates felt that way about me,” Randazzo said.

It seems that Coach Dillon feels the same way about Randazzo as her teammates do.

“She leads by example. She’s one of those guys if you beat her once, she won’t let you beat her again. Her desire to win is incredible,” Dillon said. “Kate has had that factor since day one. She was a captain on her former team, so she understands what it’s about.”

But, as expected, the responsibilities of a captain are more than just surface level, especially with Oswego State’s team this year. The Lakers have 11 new players, consisting of nine freshmen and two transfers. Randazzo understands her role in preparing the younger core.

“There’s a lot of new players, so it’s really important that they know how we do things,” Randazzo said. “Preparing them for the season is letting them know they’re just as big a part of a team as everyone else. It’s not just about preparing them individually, as it is making them feel comfortable as a team and preparing the team as a whole.”

On-ice performance, locker room leadership and preparing the new players: Randazzo does it all. But, to add to the preparation, she also excels in the classroom. Randazzo, a biology major with a minor in health science, was given the SUNY Athlete Award for 2017-18. The honor is given to 84 student-athletes in New York for academic and athletic excellence. To add another impressive statistic to her resumé, Randazzo balances her schoolwork and preparation to the tune of a 3.95 cumulative GPA. That balance has also been noticed by Dillon.

“Kate is one of those people that is incredibly organized,” Dillon said. “She’s been a very successful student and athlete, and to make that happen, she has to be on top of her game. She has her act together.”

Photo by Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian