Alex Carpenter '11: From the Govs Rink to the World Stage 

Earlier this year, Alex Carpenter '11 suffered an injury that could have derailed her quest to make a third US Olympic team. 

On January 31, during a Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) game between Carpenter's New York Sirens and the Boston Fleet, Carpenter took a catastrophic shot to the face that shattered her jaw. The injury was significant and required reconstructive surgery. 

Carpenter was off the ice. Her surgery and recovery meant missing time with both her PWHL team and sitting out the US Women’s National Team Rivalry Series, an annual tournament between the US and fellow women's hockey power, Canada. 

True to form, Carpenter was determined to get back in the game and returned to the ice and playing for the Sirens by mid-February, just two weeks after her injury.

“The injury was a little bit of a setback," said Carpenter. "But I am happy to be healthy again and playing alongside my teammates.”

 

A Career Forged in Resilience

This wasn't the first time Carpenter faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge in her hockey career. After earning a silver medal at the 2014 Olympics and shining internationally, Carpenter faced an uphill climb when she was shockingly left off the U.S. Olympic team roster in 2018. 

Rather than retreat, Carpenter's singular focus and devotion to the game drove her to mount a comeback. Her fierce determination and competitive spirit took root as a young player in Byfield, playing for Coach Babe Ceglarski from 2008-2011. Every time she stepped on the ice for Governor's, Carpenter was a scoring threat. Every time she stepped on the ice for Governor's, Carpenter was a scoring threat. A tireless competitor, she led her ice hockey teams to four straight New England Division II Championships, and was named N.E. Tournament MVP four years in a row, team MVP four years, ISL League MVP two years, and All-League recognition four years. Carpenter was not only an outstanding scorer but an equally outstanding playmaker, scoring 427 points (239 goals and 181 assists) in 100 games during her time at the Academy, earning her induction into The Governor's Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Winning four NEPSAC Championships was something that was really exciting to be a part of," said Carpenter. "I'll never forget all of those wins.

Carpenter was also awarded the Boston Bruins Carlton Award, given to an outstanding student-athlete in an Eastern Massachusetts high school or Jr. Hockey team. She was also a three-year member of the US Under-18 Women’s Select Team, winning a Gold medal in 2011 and Silver Medal in 2012 at the World Jr. Championships.

Taking College Hockey by Storm

At Boston College from 2011 to 2016, Carpenter won the 2015 Patty Kazmaier Award given to the top female college ice hockey player in the United States, and the Hockey East Player of the Year award twice. For the BC Eagles, Carpenter was the highest scoring hockey player, man or woman, in the school's history, with 278 career points, setting the school record in goals, assists, power play goals, game-winners, and plus/minus. During her college playing career, Carpenter also played on the 2014 US Olympic team, winning the silver medal.

Navigating the Pro Landscape

As Carpenter set out on a professional and international career after graduating from BC in 2016, she had self-motivation, but didn't have the support and structure she enjoyed as a student player. She had to seek that out on her own. The National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), an upstart league that made strides in professional women's hockey, still struggled to secure the resources necessary to support a pro team. Ice time and off-ice conditioning offerings were inconsistent, and many players had to hold down second jobs to make ends meet.

In a controversial decision, Carpenter was passed over for the 2018 US Olympic squad despite playing in the previous year's World Championships. Undeterred, she decided to renew her career in a unique place: China.

Playing for the Kunlun Red Star and Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays in Shenzhen, Carpenter found the discipline she had flourished under in the past. She was again a go-to pick for international tournament teams. 

Carpenter eventually returned to North America and played in the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) Tour, where she was an All-Star and showcased in the NHL All-Star Game. After the disappointment of 2018, Carpenter made the 2022 US Olympic Team, winning the silver medal in Beijing.

A year later, the PWHL formed, providing the highest level of professional women's hockey yet. Carpenter was the New York Sirens' inaugural pick and has been an offensive leader since. In two seasons, she has 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists), currently third in career points among all players. 

Having played in several iterations of professional women's hockey, Carpenter is enjoying the experience of the PWHL. She especially feels that the league's first-ever game, which saw her team face off against the Toronto Sceptres, is one of her best hockey memories.

"Seeing that crowd in Toronto was something special, and it was the beginning of a lot of firsts," said Carpenter.

The PWHL provides better organization and a higher standard of resources, allowing Carpenter and her teammates to focus on their own play.

"Playing in the PWHL hasn't changed my game too much, really," said Carpenter. "What's changed, if not improved, has been the structured training schedule. I enjoy coming to the rink every day, knowing exactly what's expected and when. I think the consistency is really important as a professional athlete."

Olympic Hopeful

That consistency and improved training have allowed Carpenter to extend her career to look towards a third Olympic team next year. She is one of the US's most experienced players, with ten World Championship medals and two Olympic medals. Serving as an alternate captain for the last three World Championships, Carpenter's deep experience and hockey smarts are valued by John Wroblewski, the head coach for these teams.

"The way that she times the game is incredible," said Wroblewski. "She knows where to be. She has incredible instinct." 

To Carpenter, her January injury is old news. She is only focused on what she can accomplish next.

"I am focused on what's in front of me right now," said Carpenter.