Miano's 15 Months of Moments

The last 15 months of Toni Ann Miano's life have been filled with moments: good moments, disappointing moments, life-changing moments, celebratory moments alike.

Now widely considered one of the top college hockey players in the country and one of 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented annually to the national player of the year, an outsider may not have figured she'd be in this position back in December 2016.

In her own words, Miano talks about the key moments from the last 15 months that have brought the Boston College defenseman from the lows of December 2016 and along her climb back to the peak of the present now in February 2018.

December 2016
Miano found out she would be suspended from Boston College for the second semester of her junior year right before the holiday break. The Eagles had wrapped up fall semester classes and were focusing on finals before they could look ahead to a quick break at home before starting the spring semester.

At the time, Miano was leading all defensemen nationally in points per game and was on a career pace. The news of her suspension hit her hard.

"After I heard the news that I was being suspended, I was obviously distraught about it. It was awful; it was the worst day ever for me. And one of the hardest things I had to do was telling my teammates that I would be gone for second semester. I knew I'd let them down and it really hurt me.

"If there was any positive, it happened right before Christmas break and I was able to go home and be with my family and spend some time with my friends. I was able to just reset since I really hadn't been home in a long time."

Winter 2017
Miano wasn't quite sure what to do with her time, but she knew she needed to stay in hockey shape and she needed to stay around the game. One of her favorite places was the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe, Vermont. An alumna of the program, she contacted program director Bill Driscoll and he invited her to come up and help with the teams during her time off.

"Bill welcomed me with open arms and I was able to skate with the Under-19s and coach the Under-16s at NAHA. That was an unbelievable experience for me and one I wouldn't have had otherwise.

"I gained a different perspective on hockey overall. I learned to love the game all over again. I saw the game differently, from a coach's perspective.

"And probably more importantly, I realized that I was a role model for the younger girls. Being an alumnus of NAHA and playing at BC and having the success we've had, the girls looked up to me. It was cool to feel that and also great to get the support they gave me behind the scenes. They inspired me.

"But it wasn't all about hockey. NAHA allowed me to look at my life from a different perspective and realize I had to take a step back to find myself. I was so hurt from the suspension. One of the biggest things I cherish are my friendships, and it meant a lot for me to be able to rekindle old ones and start new ones. It was the perfect environment for me at the perfect time. The continuous love and support I got every day from the girls was remarkable. Even on the rough days when I missed being at BC, they still managed to put a smile on my face.

"Spending last winter at NAHA might have been the best thing that happened to me. I got to re-evaluate hockey and what it meant to me. I learned so much about myself. I realized the influence I had on others in a way I would have never understood. More than anything, it helped me re-focus on what was important to me and made me fall in love with the game all over again. Being back up in Stowe was really the reason I came back the way I did this fall. It's where I turned everything around.

"My mom always tells me, 'Everything happens for a reason.' I'm starting to believe that."

Spring 2017
While she was focusing on the program at NAHA, Miano's mind still drifted back to Boston College, especially her coaches and teammates she left behind. It was their constant support that Miano get through the spring and re-focus on coming back stronger in the fall.

"While I was away from BC, BC was never far from me. Kinger (head coach Katie Crowley) and Court (associate head coach Courtney Kennedy) checked in a lot throughout the months, seeing how I was, what I was up to. I obviously had my days when I was miserable. But I just tried to focus on the moment I could come back and I wanted to be the best hockey player and person I could be.

"I wanted to be in the best shape of my career, play my best hockey. I knew I had to prove something and I knew I had unfinished business after having a great first semester.

"I stayed in touch with Kinger a lot and we'd text back and forth to check in and see how things were going. She wanted to make sure I was doing OK because she knew I was really upset by the suspension. Same with Court. I talked to her a lot. She would send me drills if I was looking for something different to do.

"I talked to my teammates all the time and always wanted them to know I was keeping up with the team and wishing them well. I actually came down for the first-round Beanpot game to support them.

"It was a really good feeling to know that my coaches and my teammates were behind me, and to be reassured that everything was going to be OK when I came back. I knew my actions that earned the suspension were detrimental to the team, but the fact that they stood by me and stood up for me – it was tough for me to understand that they were OK with it. They supported me through it and were there for me when I needed it. It was really helpful to know that they were behind me during this whole thing. It meant the world to me and helped me get through the spring.

"It did stink since I wasn't able to be around them couldn't be on the ice with them and had to support from afar.

After the season ended at NAHA, Miano left Stowe and returned to the Bronx and her family. Reinvigorated by her time with the younger NAHA players, Miano was more committed than ever to come back to BC better than ever.

"I left NAHA in March and went back home and found new ways to re-focus on hockey. I joined a Cross-Fit gym, and then I worked out and skated every day. Some days I would go straight from the gym to playing at least nine holes of golf with my brother, Mikey. I worked with a power skating coach, Erik Nates, throughout the summer, who also motivated me and reminded me the season was right around the corner.

"Time actually started to fly by.

"As I worked all summer, I kept the fact that I knew I had to produce more this year in my head. There was no other way. I couldn't take a game off and I couldn't take a practice off. If I did, the underclassmen could think was OK for them do it.

"So over the summer I got in better shape. I got stronger, I got faster.

"I was also drafted by the Riveters, which was another motivating factor for me. I was excited to think about what was going to come after I got back on campus.

"One of the best parts of being home was actually being home and being able to have fun with my family and friends. It was still tough in the spring and summer, but having unwavering love and support from them helped get me ready to come back."

August 2017
August finally arrived and Miano was able to go back to Boston College and was re-instated on the team. Captains practices started soon after the players moved into their dorms, and those sessions couldn't come fast enough for Miano.

"Walking back on campus the first day was awesome. I had the biggest smile on my face and everyone saw it. I was so happy to be back again, be in our routine again and be able to get back to classes. Being around campus was awesome and I was so excited to move forward and to start the new season.

"It was as if I never left. My teammates were awesome and really made it easy for me to transition back. They kept telling me they missed me, and I knew I missed them and being around the team.

"It was great to back on the ice in Conte again – I literally laid on the ice for a bit the first practice and absorbed it and took it all in.

"When I got back on the ice and we really got practicing, I started doing things I didn't know I could do. Court made sure I knew I could do those things. She helped me re-evaluate what I was capable of and also helped make me confident in my abilities. That made me more driven. I set goals for this season and I made sure I did everything I could, day-in and day-out, to reach those goals.

"At that point, I didn't look back since I wanted to focus on the present. I put it behind me. But, also in the back of my head, I knew this was going to be my 'revenge' year. I wanted to be the best I could."

October 2017
The Eagles, who were once again picked to finish atop the Hockey East standings and were firmly entrenched in the top-three rankings nationally, started the 2017-18 season undefeated. Two defensemen from the 2016-17 team had taken a year off from school to live and train with the U.S. National Team in the Tampa, Florida, area, but it didn't seem to impact the Eagles much. With the explosion of several offensive players, the Eagles continued to roll into late October. Miano picked up where she left off in December and was a consistent force on both ends of the ice.

"I think even coming into the season knowing that (Megan) Keller and Kali (Flanagan) would be gone, it was also another motivation for me. It pushed me to work hard this summer because I knew I had to help make up for their loss and their absences on our D side.

"We were doing well with that and managing it well as the season started and then Cayla (Barnes) got the call up in late October.

"It was bittersweet for me. I was so happy and excited for her; it was her dream come true. But I was also really worried about what was ahead for us. Losing another defenseman, after already losing Keller and Kali, I was little worried and panicked for a second because I didn't know how it was all going to pan out.

"What was really important for us was that Court made us re-evaluate where we were after that and we didn't dwell on it. It was never like, 'Well, Cayla's gone, too, so now we're screwed.' We never hung on to that. We accepted that and moved on, which I think was very important for us.

"But I realized I had to give a little more. I had to take on a bigger role – both on and off the ice. I just had to get it done. Being an upperclassman with so many younger girls, it was important for them to know it was going to be OK. And even if I thought a game was going crazy, I couldn't show that because I had to be a leader and make sure everyone else knew it would be OK and we'd get through it.

"Accepting the fact they were all not here for the year was really to our advantage and allowed us to go forward. It also gave other players confidence. More players were getting the opportunities they wanted and were producing more. For them to step and fill shoes was tremendous for us this year and we're just getting it done.

"That's something I keep in the back of mind, especially during games. It's my senior year and you can't look back and regret the way you did something. I just try to leave everything out there and contribute the best way I can: and just guiding the underclassmen the best I can from my experience, from our experience, and leaving it all out there and just getting the job done.

November-December 2017, January 2018
Boston College continued to roll into the winter and through the New Year. The Eagles went into the holiday break with just a single loss, were ranked No. 2 in the country and featured the nation's top two scorers. Miano? Like she did a year prior, she sat atop practically all of the national defensemen offensive statistics as she continued what would become a career year. But it was a balanced team effort that got the Eagles to where they were. It wasn't lost on Miano.

"What's been successful for us this year has been taking it game-by-game. Just being able to contribute, be it defensively – keeping the puck out of our zone or out of our net – or offensively – jumping up into plays, which I've taken a bigger role in. It also has helped our forwards are aware of it a lot too, allowing the D to be offensive. Getting in lanes for them, getting open and just being involved way more has brought us success so far."

January 13, 2018
BC brought a 12-game undefeated streak into the New Year, going 10-0-2 after a road loss at No. 8 St. Lawrence on Nov. 10. That changed on Friday, Jan. 12, when cross-town rival Northeastern earned a 4-2 win at Kelley Rink, snapping BC's streak.

The next day, the Eagles headed to Matthews Arena for the return game, but did so with heavy hearts. After Friday's loss, Joe King – father of head coach Katie Crowley – suddenly passed away. He was an ever-present fixture around the team and one of its biggest fans. His loss was immediately felt. Crowley coached the Eagles at their game at Northeastern less than 18 hours after his passing.

BC jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead – on a Miano hat trick – but Northeastern chipped away at the lead and took a 4-3 lead into the second intermission. Daryl Watts tied the game midway through the third period and sent the game to overtime. Miano had another shot at redemption, and just 28 seconds into overtime, gave the Eagles the win.

"Makenna (Newkirk) is a great forward and she has the experience, she has the will and she's driven. She was not going to give up on that puck. I knew she was going to get it and she knew we needed it. She made a huge play to intercept that pass behind the net. Once she got the puck, I told myself I was going back in the zone. Whether she found me or not, I was going. Makenna always picks her head up in the corner and she found me in the high slot.

"It was just an unbelievable play by her, and I was just in the right spot for our forwards. I try to capitalize on those – especially when I see the other team's forwards locked in on the puck and maybe losing focus on what's going on around them – and I'll try to skate in behind. I think all around, winning that Northeastern game in overtime was a great effort from our forwards and it goes back to wanting to win and wanting it so badly."

January 20, 2018
One week after her overtime winner at Northeastern, Miano again provided the late fireworks. One night after topping a determined Vermont team in overtime by a 3-2 score, the Eagles found themselves trailing 1-0 in the third period at home to the Catamounts in the second meeting.

Miano netted two nearly-identical goals six minutes apart in the third period to lift the Eagles to the win and the series sweep.

February 13, 2018
The Eagles earned a berth in the Beanpot Championship game against arch-rival Boston University. Much like the Jan. 13 game, BC jumped out to a lead after the first period – this time a 2-0 advantage – before the Terriers rallied back and took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. A Watts goal with under four minutes to play evened the score at 3-3 and sent the game to overtime.

"There wasn't much going through my head at the start of overtime; I just wanted to win. Tying up the game late in the third period, that was it. I knew we were going to win. We had all the momentum we needed. One of the main things about our team is we don't panic.

"Right before OT started, we came out and said we were just going to play our game, do the little things and work hard and we knew the goal would come. We just needed to take care of our defensive end.

"Personally, I wasn't losing. I said in my head, 'Toni, we're not losing this game. You're going to do everything you can. This is it.'"

Miano took her customary spot among the blue line when the puck dropped on the overtime session. But what happened next wasn't customary. She blocked BU's goal-scoring machine Victoria Bach on a partial-breakaway attempt 46 seconds into the period and then again by sliding in front of her centering pass on her next shift out. She then stayed out the entire 2:00 of BC's penalty kill soon after that. In all, she played a 3:20 shift under heavy BU pressure. She continued with longer-than-average shifts in the added session until she played hero again as the Eagles drew a power play deep in the period.

"I think it was adrenaline. I couldn't feel my legs at certain points of that OT period. But it was about wanting to win and wanting to do it for our program and our alumnae and our younger players. Winning the Beanpot is one of the best accomplishments we've gotten so far.

"As we were going through OT, I remember looking over at the bench at Court and her looking back and me shaking my head to say I was alright. She nodded and gave me a thumbs-up. And part of it was being confident, as well, knowing where I could chip in, where I couldn't, to try to save myself a little bit.

"Once we got that power play, I knew that was going to be it. Kinger made a great call by calling the timeout in between to get us back out there.

"When we went back out there, Makenna made a great pass to me off the half wall and I saw that there was a great screen down in front. BU was screening with two of their own girls so before I even got the puck, I knew I was going to go toward the net to see who moves. I just picked my spot and shot it and that was it. I'm pretty sure I blacked out after that."

February 22, 2018
Toward the tail end of the regular season, a life-size cut out of Miano started appearing at Kelley Rink during games. The image – of Miano standing tall, both arms raised in the air above her head with a stick in one hand – mirrors the pose on the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top player. It's also become Miano's usual pose after she scores, and especially so after her last few game-deciding goals.

USA Hockey announced the list of the 10 players who were voted as finalists for the Patty Kaz on Feb. 22. Three Boston College players appeared on the list: Caitrin Lonergan, Watts and Miano. Soon after learning of her inclusion, Miano was asked what it meant.

"It definitely means a lot. Just finding out now, it was surreal. I'm honored and humbled to be mentioned in the same breath as such great players – both this year and in past years.

"It has a lot of meaning behind it for me personally. Feeling like I had unfinished business coming into the year, it's something I can look to as a guide that I'm on the right track.

"This sums up my story of the last year – it's a feather on the cap, so to speak. After everything I went through last year, and having the support of my family, my teammates, my coaches and my friends, and just to see that they're all behind me and want to see me success is awesome and means so much to me. It only makes me want to succeed for them, as well. Without their support, I wouldn't be where I am today.

"Having the national championship at the end as an end goal, though, is the most important part."

Players Mentioned

Caitrin Lonergan

Toni Ann Miano

Daryl Watts

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