Katie DeSa has long been one of my favourite NCAA players. Sure, what stands out about her career certainly is the accolades, which at this point may just be tipping over the awards cabinet back home. But it’s actually more than that.
You see, Katie brings an authenticity that I believe comes through in our conversation. She’s real, honest, vulnerable, especially when it comes to how important the mental side of the game is to an athlete. That’s an aspect of a player’s career that doesn’t get discussed often enough, and being able to have that dialogue is exactly why I started Rinkside Rundown.
As has been the case over the past few weeks, this conversation was recorded before the 2026 PWHL Draft where Katie was selected 37th overall by the Vancouver Goldeneyes. While we didn’t know that at the time, hearing about the people she was likely thinking about on draft night and the emotions that stirred up for Katie highlighted why these conversations are so important. These athletes, these players, these people, have put in so many hours, worked so hard, and have so many people in their lives who have sacrificed in the pursuit of their dreams. It’s fascinating to hear about those individuals: the cancelled vacations, the long road trips, the late nights sleeping in motel rooms. And now that Katie is about to embark on her professional career, it feels all the more important to remind ourselves of the support systems we have in place that help carry us and navigate us through the ups and downs of life.
This episode was one I’ll forever feel immense gratitude for being able to be a part of, and one I’ll never forget. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and I hope you'll join me in celebrating every milestone Katie DeSa achieves in what will undoubtedly be a long and successful professional career in the PWHL.
Our full conversation is also available on YouTube here.