X-Women Hockey
to Celebrate 30 Seasons of Excellence
This fall will mark a historic milestone for the X-Women Hockey team as they take to the ice for the program’s 30th season.
What began in the mid-1990s as an effort to create more opportunities for local women in sport has grown into one of the most successful and respected women’s university hockey programs in the country.
The X-Women spent their first three seasons competing through campus recreation before joining the Nova Scotia Senior Women’s League (NSSWL) in 1997–98 as a varsity program. That transition marked a major turning point for the university, as the team became eligible to compete for the then-named AUAA and CIAU championships for the first time. Prior to that, the X-Women played exclusively exhibition games, often with limited schedules, as many student-athletes competed simply for the love of the game.
...the program’s rise from humble beginnings to national prominence has been remarkable to watch.
At the time, X-Women assistant captain and future CIAU All-Canadian and AUAA all-star Sarah MacIsaac (née Racicot) ’99 reflected in the StFX AlumniNews that before joining the NSSWL “there was nothing at the end of the tunnel” for female hockey players. The opportunity to compete for AUAA and CIAU championships, however, gave the team “something to look forward to.”
Three decades later, Ms. MacIsaac, now the owner of her own injury rehab and family wellness clinic, says the program’s rise from humble beginnings to national prominence has been remarkable to watch.
“It’s unbelievable to see where the program is now,” she said. “Somebody had to start it, and somebody had to carry the legacy on.”
The roots of X-Women Hockey trace back to St. Francis Xavier University’s Memorial Rink, a facility built in 1922, where chain-link fencing, rather than glass, stood above the wooden boards to stop pucks from entering the stands.
"It’s unbelievable to see where the program is now. Somebody had to start it, and somebody had to carry the legacy on."
Above l-r, Lisa Oakley ’01, Madonna Connors ’03, Frank Isherwood ’77, Heather Gilfoy ’01, the late Marcie (Murray) Martel ’99
Ms. MacIsaac remembers she and her teammates having to shovel snow off the ice before every X-Women scrimmage just to make the surface playable.
In the program’s early years, the X-Women wore X-Men Hockey practice jerseys during exhibition games and were supported behind the bench by three SFX students who volunteered as coaches: Alex Armsworthy ’98, Aaron Stubbert ’97, and Tony Tornberg ’98.
To help keep the program afloat, the X-Women organized their own fundraisers, including the sale of StFX-branded bandanas. As the program continued to gain momentum, Ms. MacIsaac recalls meeting with then-athletic director Dr. John “Packy” McFarland ’56 to advocate for the team’s transition to varsity status. At the same time, director of campus recreation Joe MacDonald ’74 and faculty advisor Leo Gallant ’69 played instrumental roles in the growth and development of the program.
In 2000–01, Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women’s hockey officially became a fully sanctioned sport.
“I am so grateful for everything everyone did for us back then to make things happen,” Ms. MacIsaac said. “We all did the best we could, and it worked out in the end.”
Picture l-r: Norma MacKinnon '99, Becky Doyle '99, Heather Gilfoy '01, Sarah (Racicot) MacIsaac '99 and then StFX President, Dr. Sean Riley '74
"We have always been viewed as a championship-calibre program."
Since 1998, the X-Women have captured 12 AUS championships, the most in conference history, and made 18 national championship appearances, earning silver in 2011 and bronze in 2013.
“In the early days we didn’t have the same opportunities as today, so it’s incredible to see how good these girls are now,” Ms. MacIsaac said. “It’s a game, and if you love it, you just have to do it. For this team to go 30 years, you need likeminded people who continue that mindset.”
Head coach Ben Berthiaume ’04 ’06 ’15, who has been with the team since 2006, says over the last 30 years, the X-Women program has grown into one of the nation’s best.
“We have always been viewed as a championship-calibre program,” he said.
“It’s incredible to see the growth of women’s hockey overall. The talent level has improved so much over the years, and people’s perception of women’s hockey has changed, which you can see through the strong support we receive.”
That support was on full display this past season, when Game One of the AUS finals in Antigonish sold out in just over an hour.
To celebrate their 30th season, the club will don special X-Women blue jerseys featuring a commemorative patch. These jerseys will be available for fans to preorder ahead of the 2026–27 season at goxgo.ca.
Learn more about how you can help support X-Women Hockey
the xaverian digital | e. alumni@stfx.ca · t. 902 867 2186 © 2026. All Rights Reserved
StFX is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw People.