Sophomore Summer: Jennifer Costa of Women's Hockey

Throughout the summer, DartmouthSports.com will be focusing on members of the Class of 2021 who are currently in their "Sophomore Summers" presented by Cape Air.

This installment focuses on Jennifer Costa of the women's hockey team. Costa is a left-handed forward and Pawtucket, Rhode Island, native.

DartmouthSports.com: What would be your best advice to your 15-year-old self?
Jennifer Costa: If I could give my 15-year-old self some advice, I would remind myself that hard work never goes unnoticed and that eventually it does pay off, even though at times it may seem like it is a complete waste. I would remind myself to take it easy and not be so hard on yourself all the time.

DS: What have you been doing during your sophomore summer?
JC: So far during sophomore summer, I have been learning a lot in my three classes - Biology 13 Genetics, Statistics and The New Latin American Cinema. I find my Genetics class very interesting and I enjoy collaborating with my group members. Aside from school, I've been working hard to improve in the weight room every day so that when the season officially comes around, I'm ready to go and I can be even a better version of myself compared to last season. My favorite part of summer has been participating in DRIVE. While it has helped me improve my mental toughness, I'm happy to have made some new friendships with other student-athletes. Seeing all the athletes together makes me realize how fortunate I am to be part of Dartmouth athletics and motivates me to challenge myself every day.

DS: If you could play another sport at Dartmouth, what would it be and why?
JC: It would definitely be soccer. I started playing soccer when I was four and I played all throughout high school. Growing up, my dad was my soccer coach until high school and my family and I were considered one of the well-known "soccer families" in our small town of Smithfield. When I was younger, I used to spend all my free time at the park working on my foot skills, speed, and accuracy with my dad and even during my down time, I still always found myself at the park playing pick-up with my friends. Ultimately, I chose to prioritize hockey over soccer once I began high school, but the decision was not easy, and I miss playing the game. Soccer is a big part of who I am today and for that I have my dad to thank. Whether it was soccer or hockey, my dad is the reason why I am the athlete I am. He taught me to never ever give up and constantly challenged me every day to be better than the day before.

DS: Other than your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life?
JC: My 25-year old sister Catalina has had the greatest influence on my life. She earned her PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) from University of Rhode Island last spring and I couldn't be prouder of her! She is currently licensed to work in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Cat is my absolute best friend and my biggest supporter. She has always believed in my academic and athletic abilities when at times I didn't believe in myself. More importantly, she is someone I know I can always rely on and someone who loves me unconditionally, which is a tough task to take on, because she still believes I'm her "annoying, troublesome, baby sister" sometimes.
Also, my mom has had a major impact on my life. When I was younger, my mom was always at every single one of my games for all the sports I played no matter how far of a drive she had to make. Today, she comes to every home game and to all of my away games she can. From bringing me to 5 a.m. hockey practices, to helping me do my homework, to laughing at dumb jokes with me, my mom has always been there. Especially during the recruiting process, my mom helped me put things in perspective when I was being too hard on myself by reminding me that hockey is just a game and that if I work hard enough and if it is what God wants, then a DI opportunity will present itself. While my mom has done many things for me, I learned some of my most important lessons from her when she had breast cancer. She taught me to always keep fighting and to never lose hope. I'm so thankful that God gave me her as my mom.

DS: If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?
JC: I would go to Cape Verde in Africa, because my dad and his entire side of the family were born there. He came to Rhode Island when he was 13-years old and he speaks about the island as the most beautiful place he has ever seen. I would love to visit one day and learn more about my dad's home country. As I've become older, and closer to my Cape Verdean aunts, I've learned more about my ethnicity - whether that be listening to my aunts share stories about their upbringing, making traditional meals, or listening to the music with my dad - and am proud to be Cape Verdean.

DS: What is your favorite place on campus?
JC: My favorite place on campus is the Green, especially on a sunny day when Dartmouth has Ben and Jerry's set up their ice cream stand. Sitting on the Green with my teammates reminds me of how fortunate I am to be at Dartmouth and to play the sport I love every day.

DS: What has been your best on-ice memory thus far in your Dartmouth career?
JC: Thus far in my Dartmouth career, my favorite memory has been the game vs. Quinnipiac this past year. I scored my first collegiate goal during OT to win the game and I'm never been more pumped up in my life. I'll never forget the emotional feeling of the locker room from that day. Seeing the joy of success on my teammates' faces gave me the best feeling. I carry that game with me, because it reminds me of what I can contribute to the team and it is a feeling I strive for every game, because I want all of us to feel as accomplished as we did after that game.

DS: What show do you binge watch?
JC: I definitely binge watch 'Friends' the most of any TV show. I've seen it completely through five times, and for some reason, I'm still not tired of it!

Schedules