Mia Becker Tackles Male-Dominated Sport
MABE senior and Ice Vol goalie Mia Becker has never let her gender stop her from playing a sport she loves. Since the age of 9, Becker has been playing ice hockey—a sport most females don’t play. Becker has played on teams of boys, girls, women, and men. To her, the teams are all the same.
“On the ice, I’m a hockey player who happens to be a female, and my male teammates treat me like any other hockey player,” Becker said. “They want me to score and I want to stop the puck. That’s the same with male and female hockey players.”
Becker transferred to UT in 2015 from Boston University where she played goalie on their NCAA division one women’s ice hockey team. She came to UT to focus more on her studies in engineering and play for the Ice Vols—a less time-demanding and male-dominated team.
“The only real difference when I am on a male-dominated team is I put my equipment on in a different locker room,” Becker said. “Once on the ice, it’s just hockey, no matter who is on the team.”
Becker is a tough player and in some cases a better player than her male teammates. Once she’s on the ice, her goal is play the best she can and help her team win.
She is grateful for the opportunity to play for the Ice Vols and said the best part of being on the team is the people she has met through it. “I’ve made friendships with my teammates that I will have for the rest of my life,” Becker said.
Becker will be graduating this spring with her degree in mechanical engineering. After graduation she plans to play adult league hockey as well as in Ice Vols’ alumni games.