It was shocking new for and her University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks teammates when the women害羞草研究所檚 program was cut.

The day before it actually happened in late March, MacMillan, a product of the Okanagan Hockey Academy, said a podcast had broadcasted that the cut was happening, but the players thought maybe it wasn害羞草研究所檛 true.

害羞草研究所淭he Wednesday we got cut, we all got tense and nobody wanted to skate,害羞草研究所� said MacMillan, now months later. 害羞草研究所淲e were all pretty worried about it. No one was really uncomfortable because the coaches hadn害羞草研究所檛 said anything to us.害羞草研究所�

After practice ended they went into their locker room and picked up their phones which had erupted with text messages and social media posts that the program was getting cut. People messaged them to apologize about the news.

害羞草研究所淲e had not heard yet. Coaches had a meeting to speak with the athletic director,害羞草研究所� she said.

The coaches told the players it didn害羞草研究所檛 look good as the same happened to baseball and golf, which was cut the year before.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know if you can prepare yourself, but there was a lot of emotions going on,害羞草研究所� said MacMillan.

MacMillan said last season was awesome for her as she played with a team that was unreal.

害羞草研究所淚 probably never played with a group of girls that was that close. Everyone genuinely got along with each other.害羞草研究所�

That environment helped her become a better person and player. That lone season in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was an adjustment for the 5-9 forward. High school hockey is different from college, especially playing with women up to five years older. MacMillan lucked out as she put it getting a lot of playing time as a freshman. There were other rookies who struggled and didn害羞草研究所檛 receive as much ice time. MacMillan had her games where she didn害羞草研究所檛 play a lot either.

害羞草研究所淚t was weird going from a first-line player to trying to fill a different role,害羞草研究所� she said. I definitely think I developed as player.害羞草研究所�

Her speed is better as she had to adapt to a quicker game. Her hockey sense also got better because she learned she had to do things a second quicker.

Since then, things have moved forward in a positive direction for her.

In a few weeks MacMillan will leave Penticton for the nations capital, where she will play in U Sports for the Ottawa Gee-Gees for four years. She considered other NCAA programs, but returning to Canada she gets an extra year of hockey. MacMillan doesn害羞草研究所檛 believe she will continue playing hockey once her career with the GeeGees is over. MacMillan is excited for the next chapter in her hockey career and living in Ottawa.

害羞草研究所淢y past coaches said that they could see me fitting in that program,害羞草研究所� said MacMillan, who studied pre-science at UND. 害羞草研究所淪ome of the girls in Ottawa have reached out to me and welcomed me. Them reaching out to me, when I haven害羞草研究所檛 been there yet or met them, it害羞草研究所檚 really nice to feel welcomed already.害羞草研究所�