Ketchum Enshrined in New York State Hockey Hall of Fame
7/27/2026 9:28:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Fairfield, Conn. - Former Sacred Heart women's ice hockey standout Teagan Ketchum was inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame.
Fairfield, Conn. - Former Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey standout Teagan Ketchum was inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame, adding another prestigious honor to a career that has left a lasting impact on both the Pioneers' program and the broader hockey community.
Ketchum was presented for induction by Sacred Heart head coach Thomas O'Malley, who coached Ketchum during her collegiate career and continues to lead the Pioneers today. O'Malley spoke about Ketchum's impact as both a player and person, reflecting on the opportunity to watch her grow throughout her time at Sacred Heart.
"I am also very proud of the fact that I was Teagan's college hockey coach at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, and was able to watch her grow both as a great player, but more importantly a very fine person," O'Malley said.
O'Malley, who has been involved in women's collegiate hockey as a head coach since 1985, described Ketchum as one of the standout players and people he has had the opportunity to coach throughout his career.
"There are a few that I could quickly name as the ones that stood out above the rest, those very special players, and one of those players is Teagan Ketchum," O'Malley said.
Ketchum first stepped onto the ice at Sacred Heart in the fall of 2013 and quickly established herself as a key contributor to the program. A forward from Averill Park, New York, Ketchum appeared in 2016-17 as a senior wearing No. 21. During her career, she was recognized not only for her work ethic and skill, but also for her character and leadership as a student-athlete.
"She practiced hard, and played hard, and she was also most importantly a character person, and an upstanding student-athlete that represented Sacred Heart University on and off the ice," O'Malley said.
As Ketchum's talent continued to develop, her demeanor never changed. She was a dependable teammate and someone her coaches and teammates could count on every day.
"One of the nicest things about Teagan was as her talent and skill kept progressing, her demeanor never changed," O'Malley said. "She was always someone you could have an easy conversation with, and she was the person that her teammates and coaches looked up to and counted on every day."
Ketchum also played an important role during a pivotal period in the history of Sacred Heart women's ice hockey. O'Malley credited her with helping the program continue to progress as it moved up the NCAA college hockey ladder.
"In my years at Sacred Heart University, I was able to help build the program as it transitioned from Division III to what it is today as an incredible NCAA Division I program, and Teagan was instrumental in helping our program take those steps up the NCAA College Hockey Ladder," O'Malley said.
Among the many memories from Ketchum's career, one of the most memorable came during her senior season. On Feb. 25, 2017, Ketchum's brother, Trevor, who was home from deployment with the United States Navy, surprised her by stepping onto the ice to drop the ceremonial faceoff.
The emotional moment left an impact on everyone in attendance.
"There was not a dry eye in the house, me included," O'Malley said.
The special weekend became even more memorable the following day, when Ketchum scored a shootout goal to help Sacred Heart secure a victory in the final game of her senior season.
Ketchum's induction into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame now adds another significant milestone to her hockey legacy. For O'Malley, the honor represents a fitting recognition for a player who made an impact far beyond the scoresheet.
"I have seen and have had the pleasure of coaching some unbelievable people and players," O'Malley said. "There are a few that I could quickly name as the ones that stood out above the rest, those very special players, and one of those players is Teagan Ketchum."
O'Malley also recognized the role Ketchum's former defensive partner, Amie Varano, played in her Sacred Heart career. Varano, who was also in attendance to help honor Ketchum, formed a defensive tandem with Ketchum during their time together as Pioneers.
The New York State Hockey Hall of Fame induction marks another chapter in Ketchum's lasting legacy in the sport and serves as a reflection of the impact she made on the Sacred Heart program, her teammates and the coaches who had the opportunity to work with her.
