Emily Fluke (Photo by: Will Costello)

The Connecticut Whale announced on Tuesday that they signed Middlebury College forward, Emily Fluke to a contract for the 2017-2018 National Women’s Hockey League season.

The five-foot-five forward who played high school hockey with the Loomis Chafee School in Windsor, Connecticut, was honored by the American Hockey Coaches Association as a 2015 CCM First-Team All-American for the Middlebury Panthers. In addition to serving as the captain for the Loomis Chaffee ice hockey team, she was also captain of field hockey and lacrosse teams as well.

Fluke said, “I am really happy to turn pro and return to Connecticut to play for the Whale. When college ended, I was not ready to stop playing hockey, so to be able to do it in the highly competitive NWHL is a dream come true. I could not have done it without the unwavering support of my family. I am grateful for this opportunity.”

During her senior season, she was honored by the New England Hockey Writer’s Association, as the Division II-III Women’s Player of the Year. She was also the 2014-2015 New England Small College Athletic Association Player of the Year. She led the NESCAC with 20 goals and 24 assists in 28 games her senior season. Over the course of her collegiate career, she put up 54 goals and 61 assists.

Fluke graduated cum laude, from the Middlebury, Vermont college, with a degree in Economics. She played lacrosse and ice hockey her first two seasons for the Panthers, before focusing entirely on hockey for her final two seasons.

Fluke said, “I loved Middlebury. Coach [Bill] Mandingo and all the coaches gave me the opportunity to develop both on and off the ice. I am so thankful for the friendship with my teammates and know they will last well beyond my hockey career.”

This past season she served as an assist coach with the New England Pride, under-13 squad. She thanked the program directors, Jimmy and Doug Michaels, for all their dedication and support to women’s hockey, in addition to their help towards her training in the sport.

In addition to her hockey career, she works in private wealth management with First Republic Bank, as a registered client service associate, with her Series 7 and Series 66 licenses. She added, “I have enjoyed working with the people and I love the company.”

The NWHL Draft will take place on Thursday August 17 with the third season for the league is slated to face off on October 28.