Canton’s Ameigeiras First Argentinian-Born Ice Hockey Player to Play at NCAA Level
SUNY Canton’s Alma Ameigeiras became the first Argentine ice hockey player from her home country to play ice hockey at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) level. The freshman from Buenos Aires, Argentina accomplished the feat when she suited up for the Roos NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey team in a 1-1 tie against No. 3/2 nationally-ranked Nazareth University on October 30, 2026.
Ameigeiras grew up in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, where the most popular sport is soccer.
“In Argentina, in every home there’s a soccer ball,” Ameigeiras said. “We would always play soccer during school breaks.”
When she was 10 years old Ameigeiras first discovered the sport of inline hockey. Inline hockey, also known as roller hockey, is a fast-paced team sport played on a hard, smooth surface – such as concrete or asphalt – where players use inline skates instead of ice skates to shoot a puck or ball into an opponent’s net.
“I had moved to a new neighborhood with my dad and while searching for sports to do around the area we found roller hockey,” Ameigeiras said. “I already knew how to roller blade, so I tried it, and immediately fell in love with it.”
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