The
Central York Panthers would like to congratulate our 2024-25 Jr Panther
Zoe Li on her commitment to play NCAA Division 1 women's hockey for the
NCAA Ivy League Brown University Bears. Zoe is an outstanding
student-athlete that is making a major impact with our Panthers High
Performance (PHP) program. Zoe was a huge reason for the success of the
Jr Panthers in 2023-24. We know how much effort Zoe put into getting to
this point and we couldn’t be happier for her. This was always a huge
dream for Zoe and she was very emotional when she received the word from
the Brown Bears coaching staff. What a great accomplishment for such a
passionate Panther!
(December 5, 2024 Aurora, Ontario) – The Central York Girls Hockey Association are thrilled to announce that their 2024-25 Jr Panther Zoe Li has committed to play NCAA Division 1 women’s hockey for the Brown University Bears for the 2025-26 season.
Zoe was an integral part of the Central York Panthers Jr program this past season and has continued to build on that impact by becoming a leader both on and off the ice this year. Zoe was a key piece to our offensive team play that helped our program be at the top in most offensive categories last year in the highly competitive OWHA U22 Elite League. Zoe’s extraordinary offensive abilities and high hockey IQ allowed us to play a very offensive style of game and that style allowed the Brown University Bears to see what a great fit Zoe would be at the university level. Zoe combined her offensive style with a drive and determination on the ice that made her very hard to contain. We were looking to be a grittier team to play against and Zoe has given us that element. Zoe has combined her speed with a relentless drive on the ice to help her become a standout on one of the best teams in the OWHA U22 Elite league.
“I’m extremely grateful for the Jr Panthers and the culture that Coach Steve has created. The culture here is built upon character, family, and mutual respect. It has pushed me to develop not only as an athlete but also as a person. Being a part of this program has allowed me to challenge myself and open up in ways I would’ve never imagined. In my time here as a Panther, I have met so many people who have continued to inspire and challenge me to push past and create new limits. Thank you to all of my coaches and teammates for your support. Playing at Brown is a dream come true, and I cannot wait to be a Bear!” exclaimed Li.
Melanie Ruzzi, Head Coach of the Brown University Bears has been watching Zoe’s progress as a Panther over the past 2 years and is thrilled that she is joining their program.
Central York’s U22AA(Jr) Head Coach Steve Dempsey is very excited about this commitment. “Zoe was an easy pick for our team. She brought an offensive ability that we needed. To our surprise we have seen Zoe become a very gritty player over the course of last year as well as this year and that was exactly what we needed to add to our line up. Zoe really blossomed over the course of the year and she became a big inspiration to our team with how much she bought into being a Panther. There is no doubt that Zoe is a great player but it is her compete level that will be missed the most. We knew that Zoe would help us offensively but it is her play away from the puck that has really made a huge impact for our team and the program. No one works harder away from the puck then Zoe does. She does all of the little things away from the puck that you want to see in a leader. When Zoe decides to achieve a goal no one can stop her. I am really happy for her but will miss her a lot.”
Zoe is scheduled to start the 2025-26 season at Brown University in September 2025.