Polson goalie signs with Hilbert College

Emma Knoll, interim head coach for the Hilbert College Hawks Women's Ice Hockey Team (NCAA D-III) recently announced the signing of Summer Newman. The Polson High School senior will major in biology and roster as a goalie with the Hawks for the 2025-2026 season. The school is located in Hamburg, N.Y. 

Newman, a Polson native, started her goalie path at 9 while the family lived in Minnesota. Summer brought home "Learn to Skate" and "Try Hockey for Free" flyers from school, which helped spark her passion for the sport. Soon she was the goalie for the North Country Blue Devils 10U from the Cambridge-Isanti Youth Hockey Association.

Summer has been a goalie under coaches Alexis Kinder and Brooke Bogart for the Flathead Lady Fusion 19U of the Montana Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) for the past three seasons. The Flathead Lady Fusion 19U is comprised of players from the Flathead and Mission Valleys.

Along the way, she has picked up two MAHA 19U state titles with The Lady Fusion and hopes to add a third this season.

Last season she played for the Idaho Vipers 19U Tier II program and this year Summer will handle net duties for Coach John Hornibrook and the Idaho Junior Steelheads Tier II team out of Boise.

Over the summer, Newman was selected to play for the Infinite Edge and Power U19 with Coach Valeriia Manchak-Jensen from Boise. Playing for the Infinite Edge and Power U19 Team exposed her to the rigors of training and playing collegiate hockey.

"I realized, I can do this, and I can play at the next level," Newman said.

She originally wanted to play in the Midwest, but after the recommendation of Harry Rosenholtz, executive director of College Hockey Showcases, she cast her net wider and that included Hilbert College.

"Hilbert College checked all my boxes," Newman said. “I'm excited to be on the ice with the Hawks and Coach Knoll next season,” which will mark the fourth season for women’s hockey at the school.

Newman is a multisport athlete. Along with ice hockey she has earned three varsity letters in tennis as a doubles and singles player for the Lady Pirates under Coach Bob Hislop. She earned a trip to the Class A State Tennis Tournament by taking fourth place in singles at the Western A Divisional Tournament in 2023.

Hockey and tennis complement each other. Reaction time, quick first movement, and finding a moving object to either stop it or hit it back are just a few of the skills that cross the boundaries between ice and a tennis court.

At her signing, Newman thanked her coaches and supporters, including Alexis Kinder and Brooke Bogart (Flathead Lady Fusion), Valeriia Manchak-Jensen (Infinite Edge and Power), Bob and Donna Hislop (Polson High School Tennis), Harry Rosenholtz (College Hockey Showcases), Emma Knoll (Hilbert College), and her family.