WILKES-BARRE – Wilkes University seniors Kendall Castro (Killingworth, CT) and Allyson Joly (Lincoln, RI) have come to the conclusion of a four-year journey that has paved the way for the future of Wilkes women's ice hockey by laying the foundation of the program.

Castro and Joly are the two remaining members from the 2018-19 inaugural team that featured nine players. While their incoming first-year teammates have gone their separate ways, Castro and Joly have put in the time and dedication toward the program for all four years under the direction of head coach Earl Utter.

Castro was drawn to the opportunity to play at Wilkes as a first-year program because in high school she faced the same situation with a start-up program.

"I kind of knew what the ropes were of starting a team and the tough times you are going to have and the good times that you have," Castro said. "Knowing that Wilkes was a starting program, I was like I can do it, I'll enjoy it, and I'll have a lot of fun and definitely have playing time."

As a goaltender, playing time was a major factor in drawing Joly to Wilkes as well.

"Being a goalie, you could go to a school and sit on the bench for two or three years and then finally get your chance so having Wilkes start out as a program, I knew right away as a freshman I was going to be able to make an impact," Joly said.

Both student-athletes made impacts from the outset as Castro was tied for the team lead in scoring with four goals and three assists for seven points and Joly started 10 of the 16 games between the pipes and made 479 saves with a .912 save percentage during the inaugural season.

Castro scored the first goal in program history during the inaugural game on October 26, 2018 at King's College and it sticks as one of her favorite memories.

"Scoring my first goal and in the history of the program made me more excited for every other game and especially with having such a small bench I think it was like oh wow we can do this, we just have to work hard and keep our hopes up," Castro said.

Joly earned the Colonels first victory in program history on December 17, 2019 at the Toyota SportsPlex in a 5-4 victory over Anna Maria College. Castro scored the game-winning goal in the game.

Joly also earned the program's first United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) and Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) win on January 11, 2020, with a 3-2 victory over King's at the Toyota SportsPlex and it is a moment from that win that is Joly's favorite on-ice memory.

"Our former teammate Shauna scored against King's with seven seconds left in the game and gave us our first ever conference win and MAC win," Joly said. "It was just such a great feeling to have that win."

Joly also earned the first shutout in program history when the team won 3-0 at Alvernia University on January 25, 2020.

Heading into the final two games of the season, Castro has the program record with 28 career points on 15 goals and 13 assists. Joly has a program record 1,727 saves, a .899 save percentage, and six of the eight wins in program history. Both players have left their mark on the program and have paved the way for future student-athletes to put on the Wilkes women's ice hockey jersey.