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A32 sports
Diaranson 14 october 2020

Meghan Duggan, a champion across women's hockey, retires

Her legacy off the ice will executive with the PWHPA.
be defined by her role in “The gist of it was, ‘How do "We’re lucky to have her as a
the 2017 boycott over player we win this gold medal?’" voice.”
compensation, especially in Granato said. "Like, ‘We are Duggan put up 238 points in
non-Olympic years. Duggan not going to this Olympics 159 games over four seasons
was a central figure in nego- and coming away without a while winning three national
tiations with USA Hockey gold — how do we do it?’” championships at the Uni-
and was a spokeswoman for Duggan recorded 75 points versity of Wisconsin. She
the team while they were on- (45 goals, 30 assists) in 137 had 19 points in 26 games
going before a four-year deal games in a U.S. uniform and over four in the Canadian
was reached. “She fights for helped transform the culture Women's Hockey League and
our sport the way she fought after a gut-wrenching over- 36 more during two in the
on the ice to win a game,” time loss to Canada in the National Women's Hockey
said Canadian defender Re- gold-medal game at the 2014 League.
nata Fast, who had Duggan Sochi Games.
as an assistant coach at Clark- “I think that span from 2014 “It goes just to her work ethic
(AP)- In the midst of the son University and played to 2018 was probably the on the ice — hardest worker I
U.S. women's hockey na- “We were able to work against her at the Olympics. most crucial years for our know,” said Brianna Decker,
tional team fighting for through that and move "She was just so competitive program,” longtime team- who played with Duggan in
better wages and equita- through things together and in everything she did, and she mate and friend Kacey Bel- college, the CWHL, NWHL
ble support, Meghan Dug- be on the right side of his- always had a great head on lamy said. “Meghan had such and on the national team.
gan got on the phone with tory,” Duggan said Tuesday her shoulders that knew the a hand in the way she led “She always led by example
every player to explain in announcing her retire- direction of where our sport our team and the change in on the ice but off the ice,
what it was all about. ment after 11 years with the needed to go." culture that we had to do in too, every little detail of the
national team. “That experi- order to be successful, and game."
With the world champion- ence brought us together as With Duggan wearing the that’s one of the main reasons Because of her accomplish-
ships on home ice weeks a team, it empowered us and captain's “C,” the U.S. won why we won gold in 2018.” ments from the boardroom
away and the stakes high, it encouraged us to be even the worlds after their con- to the locker room and on the
Duggan felt it was her duty better moving forward.” tract victory. Then she turned Duggan was a founding ice, Duggan will likely soon
as captain. “When you think her attention to the Olympic member of the Professional be a part of at least the U.S.
of a captain on your team and Duggan was the first Ameri- gold medal that had eluded Women’s Hockey Players As- Hockey and International Ice
a leader on your team, you can men's or women's player the U.S. since 1998. sociation in 2019. The aim Hockey Federation Halls of
want someone that’s willing to win seven consecutive At an event in the fall of 2017 was to establish one sustain- Fame. She won't have to wait
to do things that no one else is world championship gold at Nike's campus in Beaver- able pro league. She could long.
willing to do," teammate Mo- medals, two silver medals ton, Oregon, Duggan took continue playing a crucial
nique Lamoureux-Morando at the Olympics and one at copious notes when Hockey role in fighting for more “Not many athletes get to
recalled. Duggan did that on worlds and the title in South Hall of Famer and ’98 gold prominence for her sport. end their career on top,"
and off the ice, leading the Korea in her final interna- medalist Cammi Granato was “She’ll continue to be a part teammate Kendall Coyne
U.S. to the 2018 Olympic tional tournament. She said addressing the team. Duggan of that, obviously not as a Schofield said. “Whatever the
gold medal and spearhead- family, teammates, coaches, and Granato had countless player, but I think in other criteria is for the the waiting
ing the wage boycott. A year staff, fans and the next gen- conversations that year about ways," said Hockey Hall of period, she’ll be there. So
earlier, that fight led to a new eration changed her life. getting a more equitable con- Famer Jayna Hefford, who give it the grace period and
contract and a brighter spot- She also changed theirs. tract and trying to win at the played against Duggan with we’ll definitely see her in
light on the sport. Olympics. Canada and now works as an those Hall of Fames."

Sleek, determined Fields driven by quest for national title

(AP) — Not knowing Fields transferred from can get there. accountable." truly doesn't want to leave a
when or if Ohio State was Georgia last year, lured by Fields patiently waited out stone unturned.” Fields put
going to play in 2020, Jus- Day to be the successor to the Big Ten as the conference Day added: “If (the play) up gaudy numbers last sea-
tin Fields never stopped star Dwayne Haskins Jr. He shelved the season for about doesn’t work it’s usually on son (3,273 yards, 41 touch-
working toward another blossomed as expected, lead- five weeks due to coronavi- the quarterback, the offen- downs, three interceptions)
college football season. ing Ohio State to a national rus concerns before reversing sive coordinator and the head in his first year working in
He stayed in Columbus, semifinal game and emerging course. Instead of moving on, coach. He understands that Day’s system, for which the
embraced a vegan diet as a Heisman Trophy final- he spearheaded an online pe- now. So if things aren’t exact- creative, mobile quarterback
and filled his days with ist while battling through a tition that was signed by hun- ly the way he sees it, he gets is an ideal fit. But entering
physical conditioning and late-season knee injury that dreds of thousands of people with (us). His leadership has Year 2 there is a deeper un-
regular sessions of video made it difficult to even walk urging the Big Ten to start been excellent.” derstanding of the scheme
study and field work un- at times. back up. Quarterbacks coach Corey and the goals.
der the tutelage of head Dennis puts it this way: “He
coach Ryan Day. He finished third in the Fields emerged from the
Heisman derby, which was pandemic break leaner and
As the Buckeyes prepare for a landslide for former Buck- stronger. Coaches and team-
their Oct. 24 opener against eyes quarterback Joe Burrow, mates say he's also a more
Nebraska, the 21-year-old who won the national title at confident and demonstrative
quarterback's determination LSU and now starts for the leader.
is palpable, even in his Zoom Cincinnati Bengals. “I think when you have a year
interviews with reporters. Fields likely will be playing under your belt, you real-
“I know the time's ticking, in the NFL next fall whether ize the consequence of every
so I'm just more anxious and or not he plays another down game, every snap, the prepa-
anxious every day until game of college football. He could ration that comes into every
day comes," Fields said Tues- have opted out of this pan- play,” Day said. “He asks the
day. “I know I've said it 10 demic-shortened season but right questions going into
times, but y'all don't know wanted one more shot at the practice if he’s not sure. He
how excited I am to play.” Heisman and a national title makes sure he has it right.
with a team he's convinced And he’s also holding people