May 19, 2024 | Eileen Marley | 121 views
Hannah Franz - Committed to Wilkes University
The Central York Panthers would like to congratulate our graduating 2023-24 Jr Panther Hannah Franz on her commitment to Wilkes University and playing hockey for the NCAA Division III Wilkes University Colonels women's hockey team. Hannah is a great example to all Panthers that if you work hard enough you can realize your dreams. We are so proud of you Hannah!
For Immediate Release
(May 6, 2024 Aurora, Ontario) – The Central York Girls Hockey Association are pleased to
announce that their 2023-24 Jr Panther Hannah Franz has committed to play for the women’s
hockey program at NCAA Division III Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania for the
2024-25 season.
Hannah was always on a mission from day one of becoming a Panther. Hannah came to the
Panthers as a result of working extremely hard during the pandemic and proving to the Panther
organization that she would never ease up in her pursuit to become the best player possible.
Hannah is a great example that the pathway to success is not a straight line. Hannah had some
ups and downs while she was a Panther but even a change in position from defense to forward
this year could not derail her. Hannah also struggled with her confidence as well as her mental
well being. She showed extreme resilience and has come out on the other side of these
challenges as an even stronger person.
Hannah is an outstanding ambassador for our team. She takes pride in being a very inclusive
and welcoming person to anyone that steps into our Jr dressing room. Hannah has left a huge
footprint on our program and we are so very proud of her. Hannah bet on herself through all of
her challenges and she has won the ultimate prize. Not only has she achieved her goal of
playing university hockey for a prestigious program but she has also won the knowledge that
there is nothing out there that she can not overcome. Hannah has become an inspiration for her
entire team and anyone that knows her!
Usually a very quiet person who keeps her thoughts to herself, Hannah really opened up to us
when asked about her time here with the Central York Panthers. “My time with the Central York
Panthers has been truly amazing. Moving away from home to play hockey was difficult, but my
teammates welcomed me without hesitation and became like a second family to me. I am
beyond grateful for my coaches, who continuously pushed me past my limits, challenging me to
step outside of my comfort zone to become a better player. The culture of the team provided me
with a safe space to open up about my mental health journey. With their support, I started to
share my story within the community and advocate for mental health awareness in sports. I truly
believe that without the guidance and encouragement of my coaches and teammates, I wouldn’t
be where I am today”, declared an emotional Franz.
Central York’s Jr Coach Steve Dempsey is ecstatic about this announcement. “Hannah has
been working so hard towards this goal and even though there were some challenges along the
way she just kept working at her game. Hannah really took in everything our coaches were
telling her and she made the changes that she needed to and now she is living out her dream of
playing for one of the top NCAA Division III programs. Hannah is not only a great player but has
really left a huge footprint on the Central York Jr program and the Panther community as a
whole. It is not easy being away from home at a young age. It is even harder to do it when there
are challenges at every turn. I am so proud of Hannah and I can not thank her enough for
allowing us to be a part of her journey. She has made all of us better people for knowing her.
Hannah has made me a better coach and person. I have learned so much from her and I hope
she feels the same way about us and her time here. I’m so happy for her and for Coach Labaff
at Wilkes University.”
Hannah is scheduled to start the 2024-25 season with the Wilkes University Colonels in
September 2024.