Alumni Digest / Waterloo / People /
A life beyond the rink
For Kristin O’Neill, graduate study created room for another kind of ambition.
The context
Where the work begins
Kristin O’Neill (MASc ’24) combined elite hockey with graduate study in psychology at Waterloo. Her work on child development and language helped shape an interest in speech pathology, a field she plans to pursue after hockey.
The takeaway
What follows
The university profile traces the support that made this possible, including flexibility as her professional career moved to Montreal. She later made Canada’s 2026 Olympic team and recently signed with San Jose. Her academic life provided a separate source of purpose during an uncertain sporting career.
Source reporting
A life beyond the rink
Original summary by Alumni Digest, based on public source reporting. This independent publication is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Waterloo. Source image retained for editorial review; rights clearance is still required before any broader reuse.
