Jenny Wallace

By Kara Walser
UWRF Sports Information

Falcon Jenny Wallace is not the type of person most people think of when hockey players are discussed.

Wallace is a senior and a team captain on the Falcon women's hockey team.   She explains that while many people think she is a "tough girl" because she plays hockey, it's actually the opposite. "I am a huge girly girl," she says. "I always keep my equipment clean and am using Febreze on it after practice. I also am always wearing something pink."

For being a "girly girl", Wallace is a pretty extraordinary athlete on the ice.   "She is a two-time All-American who works to improve her game," says Falcon Coach Joe Cranston. "She can play either forward or defense, depending on where I see her best helping our team."

Wallace has helped the Falcons to a 2-0-2 record so far this year. She has picked up two assists. Going into this season she had played in 78 games and scored 16 goals and 41 points. She has scored nine power-play goals and three game-winners. She was named to the CCM AHCA West All-America team as a sophomore when she scored seven goals and 20 points. Last year she repeated the feat after scoring eight goals and 19 points.

Wallace gives credit to her dad, Richard, and brother, John, for helping her start a hockey career. She grew up watching her older brother play the sport while her dad started taking her to open skating on Friday nights. After moving to a new town, her dad signed her up for hockey to meet new people. Wallace grew up playing baseball and soccer but after joining hockey has loved it ever since.  

"I love being at the rink and hearing the sounds of the game. I love that it truly is a team sport and you need everyone out there to win a game," she says.

With hockey being such a team oriented sport, you might wonder how Wallace gets along with her teammates. Cranston says that she has a good relationship with the team because "she tells it like it is" and doesn't "sugar coat" anything.  

"My teammates mean a lot to me. I like that every girl is a different person with different personalities. But we all come together on the ice with one common goal," says Wallace.

Cranston says, "I think she has good leadership skills. She has good vision on the ice and is a very good stick handler. She can put the puck in the net."

"Wally", as some call her, feels that college hockey is a more intense and skillful game. She explains that there is more competition to fill spots on the team and if you don't stay on your game, you will most likely lose your spot. She also believes that she has improved in seeing the ice and reading where people are going to be.

Her biggest inspiration in her hockey career has been her family. Each member of the family supports her hockey goals. Her parents have always been willing to drive her to a hockey camps over the summer when she was at a younger age. "My dad always found camps for me when I was younger. He would travel to Canada with me to play in tournaments every summer. It's nice to be able to play hockey and have your family there to cheer you on all the time," says Wallace.

While off the ice, Wallace likes to go out and be with friends or spending time at home with her family. Her parents are Richard and Nancy Wallace. She has two older siblings, a sister, Nikki, and brother, John. They live on a small hobby farm in Buffalo, Minn., with horses, a pony, four cats, and three dogs. Wallace likes the color pink, ice cream, and TV shows like Friends, Sex and the City, Project Runway and Flavor of Love.

She is currently working on a business administration major with an emphasis in management. She plans on going back to school to study hotel management and interior design. "I would like to go to school in another state for awhile and get to experience a different location."