BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — The 2024 Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft will be one that Nichols alum Katy Knoll will never forget as she was selected 39th overall by Minnesota.
“The fact that I was able to be there, hear my name be called, it was totally surreal. It’s something special I won’t forget anytime soon," Katy told 7 Sports.
Her father Danny Knoll Jr. wont forget it either.
“It was really neat. Not everyone gets to do it. There were 166 girls that declared for the draft. That’s top-25 percent and now she gets a chance to play on the team that won the championship last year," Danny added.
While the path to Katy’s professional career has just started, the Northeastern grad has plenty of experience playing on the big stage.
Knoll worked her way onto Team USA's U-18 team for the Hockey World Championships in 2018 and 2019. And just last year she earned a spot on the Under-22 Collegiate Team.
It takes a lot of poise to play at the level she has but thankfully, Katy grew up competing in another sport that would help her prepare for that kind of pressure.
You’ll find countless trophies and pictures inside the Knoll family garage that show Katy’s success in the driver's seat of a race car and you’ll also find a museum that chronicles the family’s love for dirt and asphalt.
“I always say I really like the big games I almost tend to thrive in them more I feel like. I love the big stakes and the big moments. I definitely think I learned a lot of that from racing," she said.
“If you’re having a down day flip through a few pictures. It’s great family times and both sports kept us and still do real tight," her dad said.
When Katy had to focus on her hockey career and leave racing behind, it was tough for Danny to watch his youngest leave a sport that has given their family a lifetime of memories. But watching her travel the world and live out her dream on the ice is all he could ever ask for.
"You always want your kids to fulfill their dreams. Something like that you’ve got to let them go and do it," said Danny. "Would I like her (Katy) to jump in the car today? Absolutely but the risk/reward doesn’t make sense at this time.”
Katy hasn’t ruled out a return to racing in the future, but for now, she’s perfectly content with the life she’s carved out for herself.
“It’s kind of about the journey at this point. Everything that I’ve got to experience and learn from it has made it so worth it," said Katy. "And I’m kind of at a point where I love it so much that as long as my body can do it and I’m healthy enough to do it then I’m going to do this for as long as I can.”
