Once Ailin Zheng Tried Sled Hockey, She Never Wanted to Stop Playing
By Jason Stromberg, 05/27/25, 1:00PM EDT
By Jason Stromberg, 05/27/25, 1:00PM EDT
A friend in elementary school helped change Ailin Zheng’s life forever when she was 10 years old.
Zheng’s friend, Max, played sled hockey, and his parents asked Zheng if she would like to go to a local rink in Queens, New York, and try the sport.
That invitation came four years after Zheng had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis — a rare neurological condition caused by inflammation in the spinal cord — which left her paralyzed from the waist down.
Zheng’s parents were “a little bit iffy,” she said of her playing, “but once I got out there, I realized I wanted to keep playing.”
Not only did Zheng keep playing, but she became a local star for the Northeast Passage Wildcats team at the University of New Hampshire.
“They have a really good sled hockey program. There have been a lot of athletes that train for the national team there,” Zheng, 21, said. “I remember I wanted to play at the highest level, so I just kept working hard, and eventually got to where I wanted to be.”
Zheng has been playing at the highest level the sport has to offer since she participated in the inaugural Women’s World Challenge in 2022. In fact, she made history by scoring the first goal in that event’s history while playing for Team World, a squad that included players from a variety of countries.
Zheng eventually earned her way onto the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team, helping the Americans win their third straight Women’s World Challenge in 2024.
Throughout her international experiences, Zheng hopes to honor her Asian heritage and continue to see the sport grow around the world.
“Celebrating Asians in USA Hockey is an important opportunity to honor the history, culture and contributions of our heritage and the different natives, heritages and communities in our sport,” Zheng said. “It’s going to help create more access for other communities to have other players seen and supported. Right now, we are trying to grow the sport in other countries to be able to compete in the Paralympics. The men’s team is in, the women’s team isn’t. That’s a common goal.”
Catherine Faherty plays with Zheng on the Wildcats and on the U.S. development team. Faherty pointed out that almost nothing can take away Zheng’s joy when she’s one the ice.
“She’s always positive, always smiling and laughing. She brings great energy,” Faherty, 20, said. “She even comes out of taking hits on the ice with a smile. Anyone that knows her would say that.”
Faherty not only admires Zheng on the ice, but off it as well. Zheng graduated from New Hampshire this year with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Faherty, who just finished her sophomore year, is going for the same degree at UMass Lowell.
“She’s a great teammate on and off the ice,” Faherty said. “She’s been a person that I can look up to. Being a part of the same nursing school is really cool because I can ask her questions. She’s more than willing to help out with school and hockey.”
Matt McGilvray has been coaching the Wildcats program since August 2014. He vividly remembers when Zheng suited up for him for the first time.
“She was coming whether we liked it or not,” McGilvray said. “She showed up at one of our practices four years ago as a freshman and we didn’t know a whole lot about her before she got here. We just know that former players who recommended her said that she could play.”
Zheng was fully prepared for college life, as she had her living situation and classes all detailed out on a spreadsheet. On the ice, though, McGilvray noticed how nervous she was.
“When she first got on the ice, she had that deer in the headlights look,” McGilvray said. “This was a step up from what she was accustomed to on the club level. Once she gained confidence, she picked up everything pretty quick and belonged. She’s the youngest kid we ever had.”
Zheng’s favorite hockey memories vary from camaraderie with her teammates to massive achievements on the ice. She cherishes singing “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus in the locker room with her Northeast Passage teammates before games, and she’ll always remember winning the Women’s World Challenge title with the U.S. in Norway last year.
McGilvray’s favorite memory of Zheng was watching her score the game-winning goal in the 2021 Sled Classic while representing the Boston Bruins.
“It’s cool to see her get rewarded. She’s a super positive kid,” McGilvray said. “She’s an aggressive player that isn’t scared to get in the mix, no matter the size of the players on the ice. I’m proud of her that she has gotten the experience to play at a more competitive level. She’s taken advantage of her opportunities.”
Zheng’s friend, Max, played sled hockey, and his parents asked Zheng if she would like to go to a local rink in Queens, New York, and try the sport.
That invitation came four years after Zheng had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis — a rare neurological condition caused by inflammation in the spinal cord — which left her paralyzed from the waist down.
Zheng’s parents were “a little bit iffy,” she said of her playing, “but once I got out there, I realized I wanted to keep playing.”
Not only did Zheng keep playing, but she became a local star for the Northeast Passage Wildcats team at the University of New Hampshire.
“They have a really good sled hockey program. There have been a lot of athletes that train for the national team there,” Zheng, 21, said. “I remember I wanted to play at the highest level, so I just kept working hard, and eventually got to where I wanted to be.”
Zheng has been playing at the highest level the sport has to offer since she participated in the inaugural Women’s World Challenge in 2022. In fact, she made history by scoring the first goal in that event’s history while playing for Team World, a squad that included players from a variety of countries.
Zheng eventually earned her way onto the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team, helping the Americans win their third straight Women’s World Challenge in 2024.
Throughout her international experiences, Zheng hopes to honor her Asian heritage and continue to see the sport grow around the world.
“Celebrating Asians in USA Hockey is an important opportunity to honor the history, culture and contributions of our heritage and the different natives, heritages and communities in our sport,” Zheng said. “It’s going to help create more access for other communities to have other players seen and supported. Right now, we are trying to grow the sport in other countries to be able to compete in the Paralympics. The men’s team is in, the women’s team isn’t. That’s a common goal.”
Catherine Faherty plays with Zheng on the Wildcats and on the U.S. development team. Faherty pointed out that almost nothing can take away Zheng’s joy when she’s one the ice.
“She’s always positive, always smiling and laughing. She brings great energy,” Faherty, 20, said. “She even comes out of taking hits on the ice with a smile. Anyone that knows her would say that.”
Faherty not only admires Zheng on the ice, but off it as well. Zheng graduated from New Hampshire this year with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Faherty, who just finished her sophomore year, is going for the same degree at UMass Lowell.
“She’s a great teammate on and off the ice,” Faherty said. “She’s been a person that I can look up to. Being a part of the same nursing school is really cool because I can ask her questions. She’s more than willing to help out with school and hockey.”
Matt McGilvray has been coaching the Wildcats program since August 2014. He vividly remembers when Zheng suited up for him for the first time.
“She was coming whether we liked it or not,” McGilvray said. “She showed up at one of our practices four years ago as a freshman and we didn’t know a whole lot about her before she got here. We just know that former players who recommended her said that she could play.”
Zheng was fully prepared for college life, as she had her living situation and classes all detailed out on a spreadsheet. On the ice, though, McGilvray noticed how nervous she was.
“When she first got on the ice, she had that deer in the headlights look,” McGilvray said. “This was a step up from what she was accustomed to on the club level. Once she gained confidence, she picked up everything pretty quick and belonged. She’s the youngest kid we ever had.”
Zheng’s favorite hockey memories vary from camaraderie with her teammates to massive achievements on the ice. She cherishes singing “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus in the locker room with her Northeast Passage teammates before games, and she’ll always remember winning the Women’s World Challenge title with the U.S. in Norway last year.
McGilvray’s favorite memory of Zheng was watching her score the game-winning goal in the 2021 Sled Classic while representing the Boston Bruins.
“It’s cool to see her get rewarded. She’s a super positive kid,” McGilvray said. “She’s an aggressive player that isn’t scared to get in the mix, no matter the size of the players on the ice. I’m proud of her that she has gotten the experience to play at a more competitive level. She’s taken advantage of her opportunities.”
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