After impressive career at Bishop Stang, Brightman to play hockey at Castleton University
Mikayla Brightman left her mark on the girls hockey program at Bishop Stang, scoring 134 career goals.
She will continue her hockey career at Castleton University in Castleton, Vermont. She recently signed a letter of intent.
“Castleton is a smaller school, like Bishop Stang, and I expect it to be a smooth transition,” said Brightman, an Acushnet resident. “The coach, Tim McAuliffe, was amazing, and he did a great job showing the school. Castleton is a small town, and I feel comfortable there. The class sizes are small, so we will get attention in the classroom. I am interested in kinesiology and exercise science.”
Brightman, a two-sport captain, was a Catholic Central League All-Star in hockey and the 2021-22 Standard-Times Girls Hockey Player of the Year.
This year she helped the Spartans qualify for the playoffs by scoring 33 goals and handing out 15 assists for 48 points.
“Stang is definitely a tight-knit community — a family — and far more than I expected it to be,” she said. “Athletically and academically, there has been great competition, higher than I expected. This whole experience pushed me to be better. My teammates made this a memorable experience, and I will forever cherish the memories that I have with them. We always pushed each other to be better, and the chemistry on our team was aces.”
Brightman attributes her success to the support from her family.
“Without the support of my family, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said. “My mom (Tracy) helps me mentally, and my dad (Michael) has coached me all of these years. They are the reasons why I am in this position.
“I am beyond thankful for the four years that coach [Bill] Theodore and the Bishop Stang coaches gave me.”
One of Brightman’s favorite memories was bonding with her team.
“The team breakfasts after the morning practices were special,” she said. “Whenever someone was having a rough day, it did not stay that way. You would walk into the locker room, and you would automatically smile.”
While Brightman is also an impact player on the softball field, her passion lies with hockey.
“Hockey is a different sport,” she said. “It requires dedication, and I just never want to stop. It becomes your happy place when you play. I can get away from anything negative through playing.”
Bishop Stang coach Bill Theodore added, “It has been great to watch Mikayla's journey through high school. She has progressed, she is a great player, and she works hard to make herself better. Mikayla is a great student, she works very hard, and she sets the example. Most importantly, she is a great person.”
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Bishop Stang's Brightman signs for Castleton University to play hockey
