BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Alyssa Exline is ready to continue her academics and playing hockey on the next level.
Exline, a senior at Clarkston High School, signed her letter of intent to play Women’s Ice Hockey at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Feb. 20.
“It was the atmosphere,” she said about what first stood out to her when she was on campus. “I met with my counselor and he talked about how there were small classes and the professors really care and get to know you. You can build relationships easily because it isn’t as big as going to a larger school.”
Exline added she already knew one of the players, and she met the rest of the team on her signing day.
“It’s just a great group of girls,” she said. “Aquinas is top ten in their league and it really stood out to me in that way. They have their own locker room. The coach is very impressive and really cares.”
Exline has been playing ice hockey for the past ten years. It started with going to her brother’s practices and games. She became interested while watching him play.

They both grew up skating at Lakeland Ice Arena. She currently plays for Troy Lady Sting U19 team.
Exline explained she didn’t want it to end when she decided to continue playing in college.
“I just felt so passionately about the sport,” she said. “I never really wanted it to end.”
While playing this last season with her club team, she realized if she had the opportunity to play in college she would take it.
One of the aspects she enjoys about ice hockey is the community.
“You meet so many amazing people and you have so many amazing experiences,” she said. “You can say that about any sport, but since I started so young, I started making those relationships and having those experiences at a young age. The community is just a small circle.”
With her club team, she plays all year long. They have a fall season then a spring season which goes in to the summer. They continue skating during the off times.
Exline also played for the Clarkston Girls Varsity Field Hockey team for four years, with three years as a team captain.
“It was a new program,” she said when the interest first sparked for her. “I tried out when I was a freshman along with a few other freshmen. In total they took three of us. I was interested because it had hockey in the name. I thought I would try.”
She received the All-State Academic award during her sophomore, junior and senior years for having a grade point average of 3.7 or higher.
Exline was selected by the Michigan High School Field Hockey Association as a 2020 All-State player. She was also selected by opposing coaches as Player of the Game for every game she played in the 2020 season.
Exline added both ice hockey and field hockey are competitive and the biggest difference she has noticed is field hockey has a lot more rules.
She is also a member of the high school’s National Honor Society and has a part-time job at Nieman’s Family Market.
“I just feel like I have been busy and wanted to stay busy,” she said about balancing hockey, academics and working. “It’s when I am the happiest – when I do things to keep busy. It’s just what I am used to. During the pandemic it was really weird – I only had work because I work at a grocery store. It was strange to have a lot of free time. But managing it has just been natural. There are times it gets stressful but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Exline is currently taking a math class, Language Arts class, Anatomy, Mixed Media and Sculpture and Stress Management this semester.
Her advice to aspiring athletes is “find something that makes you happy and something you are passionate about to work your hardest at.”

  Alyssa Exline, college signing