UConn women’s ice hockey captain and Olympian Tia Chan speaks on her hockey career.
Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Tia Chan has always grown up surrounded by hockey.
Being from a hockey family, her two brothers were her inspiration for trying out. She naturally gravitated to the goaltender position and got her big break when she was invited to play on a team with older girls, where she began to shine. She soared through the levels, and playing with older kids helped her become a better goalie. With help along the way from figures such as Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner Sara Bauer, who coached her and asked her to try out for a U18 team while in U14. Chan was at the level playing with girls 4-5 years older than her. These opportunities would not go to waste as Chan’s future was just beginning.
When it was time to scout colleges for hockey, Chan says that something about New England and Connecticut called to her. Chan says that the moment she walked onto the Storrs campus, something clicked and she knew she had found her home. Another part of the program that stood out to her was how many siblings had gone through there. She mentions, “If you were to send your oldest daughter to UConn, if it’s not the right place, you’re not gonna send your other daughter. Having so many siblings go through the program, you know it’s the right program and feels like home to them.” Chan credits the support system that is in place from athletics on and off the ice is what has helped her and numerous others stay lifelong Huskies.
Once she stepped onto the ice in 2020, her career soared. Despite appearing in just 10 games during a shortened season, she posted a 4-5-1 record with an outstanding .947 save percentage and a 1.49 goals-against average. This helped her earn a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, signaling the start of a standout collegiate career.
In the 2021-22 season, Chan stepped away from UConn competition to represent China women’s national ice hockey team at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Chan was selected along with many other Asian-Canadians to join a “heritage” team that combined with the national team to make a shot at the Olympics and grow as a program. Spending a lot of time in Russia and around the world playing IIHF international play, this was a huge learning experience for Chan. “I don’t even know how to put it into words; it was just so surreal and playing best on best hockey against the top players in the world.” Along with the Olympics, Chan was able to join Team China in multiple world championship tournaments. Unfortunately, Chan would not stay on the team forever, as China decided to go with a fully national team, but she says that the goal was achieved, and she got so much out of it. “Our ultimate goal was to grow hockey in China, and we did that. There are so many rinks now, and the growth is huge. The players there are so much better; there is so much young talent now.” Although she wishes she could still be playing in world tournament play and the Olympics, Chan is proud of what she was able to be a part of in growing the game.
Chan returned to Storrs for the 2022-23 season and resumed her role as UConn’s primary netminder. She started 26 games, compiling a 12-10-4 record while recording six shutouts. Her .935 save percentage and 1.67 goals-against average ranked among the conference’s best, earning her Hockey East Third Team All-Star honors and national recognition as a semifinalist for goaltender of the year awards.
Her junior year marked another step forward. Chan posted eight shutouts and improved her numbers even further, finishing with a .944 save percentage and a 1.31 goals-against average. She was named to the Hockey East Second Team All-Star squad and continued to cement her reputation as one of the premier goalies in NCAA women’s hockey.
Last year, she reached even more new heights. Serving as team captain, she led the conference in save percentage and was named Hockey East Goaltender of the Year. Her leadership and steady play were instrumental in UConn’s success, and she once again earned national attention as a semifinalist for the HCA Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year award.
This year has been another stellar performance. She has posted an outstanding save percentage of around .949, with a goals-against average in the mid-1.60s, along with multiple shutouts and several 30+ save performances. Her consistency and ability to come up big in key games have helped power UConn to a strong position in Hockey East, solidifying her status as one of the conference’s elite goaltenders this year.
As the season winds down and her time at UConn comes to an end, Chan has hopes for her future. She will be entering the PWHL draft and while hopeful for what’s to come, it’s been a time of reflection on the chance to be part of a growing professional league. “Hockey wasn’t your job before the PWHL; it was always something plus hockey. Knowing now that there is something there to keep working for and for myself, having something to push for is just amazing.”
Along with not having to give up a sport she has given so much of her life to, being a role model for younger girls is something she is proud of. “When I was growing up, I never had the opportunity to look up to a female hockey player. If you asked my generation who their favorite player was, they’d probably say a NHL player, but now, asking that qof uestion little girls have the opportunity to look up to female hockey players.” The effects of the PWHL are trickling down, with Chan saying she’s even seen kids wearing her name on their jerseys. Chan is part of a bigger movement in growing hockey and especially women’s hockey. What she has done as a player on and off the ice is astonishing and although the future is unclear for her, I doubt this will be the last we see of Tia Chan.