Equally successful on and off the ice, Maude Gelinas is among a remarkable group of accomplished student athletes competing for the University of Montreal Carabins. A fourth-year forward who was raised in Montreal, Gelinas is among the many homegrown talents contributing to a golden era for women’s hockey in the city.
Although the love of hockey is an important part of her life, her maturity and dedication can also be attributed to her academic success. As a side note, Gelinas is majoring in mathematics. Hockey and academics have gone hand-in-hand for Gelinas, as her strong skills allowed her the opportunity to elevate her game to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) level.
“My studies have always been a priority. To excel at the women’s game has only allowed me to pursue my education at a higher level.”
Among the highlights of competing with the Carabins is her lifelong friendship with Ariane Barker. Prior to suiting up for the Carabins, they were teammates with the renowned Lynx du College Edouard-Montpetit at the CEGEP level. Of note, they played alongside the likes of Melodie Daoust (who would capture a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games), Katia Clement-Heydra (the 2014 winner of the Brodrick Trophy) and goaltender Roxanne Douville, who played at the University of Vermont.
In their final season with the Lynx, Gelinas and Barker were among five members of the team named to the league’s All-Star team. The two own the unique distinction of having won a CEGEP championship and a CIS national championship. Having both joined the Carabins in the autumn of 2011, their careers continued their almost symbiotic connection,
“For a very long time, we had always been teammates. On many occasions, we were both competing for the same team, looking to win championships.”
During the 2014-15 campaign, Gelinas registered a dozen points in 20 regular season appeareances for the Carabins. Her best performance was a three-point output in a 7-2 win against the Ottawa Gee-Gees on November 7, 2014. Logging points in eight games during the season, the Carabins enjoyed an undefeated mark of 8-0-0.
While Gelinas is contemplating whether she shall return for a fifth and final season of eligibility, her proudest legacy with the Carabins was the ability to constantly place the program in the national championship picture. Starting in 2011, Gelinas competed in the title game for three straight years, claiming the title in 2012.
Although the 2014 edition of the CIS Nationals saw the Carabins compete for the bronze medal, it was an equally important game. As it marked the final appearances for fifth year players such as team captain Janique Duval and Elizabeth Mantha (who was also a referee at the 2014 Four Nations Cup), Carabins pride was an essential factor. In defeating Alex Normore and the St. Francis Xavier X-Women, the bronze medal is a bittersweet yet essential accomplishment, testament to the dedication of women like Gelinas to place the needs of the team first and foremost.
“In what may be my final year, it would have been remarkable to bring another championship to the program. It is a mutual goal (every year) for all members of the team.”
”All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise indicated”
