BFA-St. Albans freshman Reina Spaulding contributed two goals and an assist in the Comets’ 3-1 win over Essex on March 15 at Gutterson Fieldhouse in the D1 Vermont girls’ hockey state championship game.
Q&A with Reina Spaulding
What will you remember most about your freshman season with the Comets? Two things I’ll remember most about my freshman season is winning the state championship and the connections on the team. We came together really early on in the season and got along so well. Winning the championship was a huge goal for all of us, and it feels so good to have won it.
What Comet traditions did you most enjoy being part of this year? I enjoyed celebrating Coach Luke Cioffi and Coach Jeff Rouleau’s 400th win. It was a lot of fun being part of such an exciting milestone. Another tradition I enjoyed was helping the Young Blades. It was so enjoyable seeing them have fun playing hockey because I remember being a little girl and looking up to the older girls who inspired me to keep playing.
What three qualities did this team possess that led to this season’s success? Three qualities the team possessed that led to success were positive attitude, hard work, and determination. Every girl worked hard every single day, whether it was a practice or a game. We were determined to get to the last game and win. All the girls had a positive attitude, and that really contributed to our connections on and off the ice.
Adam Laroche
Comets’ Coach Luke Cioffi: Reina is an amazing person with a drive and passion for success on and off the ice. She brings an unstoppable work ethic and coachability that is representative of the Comets this entire season.
Reina’s 13 goals and 16 assists for her first Comet season are impressive, but pale in comparison to what she brings to the Comet family every day. All season long, Reina’s selfless approach helped set the bar for the entire team. The gratitude of simply making the team and the desire to take on any role made the transition to the Comets flawless. Her ability to play at a high pace, play at both ends of the ice, and always strive to be better helped solidify Reina as a consistent contributor to the team’s success throughout the year. She makes others around her better by graciously doing her job while celebrating her teammates.
She’s always practicing like she wants to play the games, with confidence, passion, and perseverance. Her ability to communicate effectively with her teammates, her vision on the ice, and the speed at which she plays make Reina a very difficult person to defend against. She sets the standard of attitude and effort every day.
Reina’s first appearance on Gutterson ice for the 2026 Championship was remarkable. She was unable to practice the day before due to illness, yet she found the strength and energy not to miss a shift during the title game. Reina’s ability to scan the ice, communicate, and be in the right place at the right time has been a key to her and her linemates’ success all year. The best example of Reina’s selflessness is not wanting credit for the third goal of the game, but wanting Emma Caster to receive the goal credit for the shot that came from Emma at the point. Reina’s gritty performance, quiet confidence, and selflessness helped propel the Comets to our 13th title!