Jaana Pickering is heading to NCAA Division III Milwaukee School of Engineering this fall.

Truth be told, up until a few months ago, the Erie native had no idea that the school was interested.

“My commitment to MSOE is all thanks to (Team Colorado AAA) Coach Karen (Rickard),” said Pickering. “I honestly did not know that MSOE had a girls hockey team until she presented me the opportunity to chat with Coach Baylee (Marabella). Thanks, Coach K!

“MSOE is a great engineering school, perfect for my intended major (computer science), but I also received a great scholarship from the school as well as an opportunity to complete my master’s degree (in machine learning) in four years due to my involvement in the IB diploma program. The hockey program seemed like a great fit for me after talking with Coach Baylee, with a supportive network of teammates and girls completing similar academic courses.”

Pickering added that academics have always come first for her.

“I love hockey, but my future career will stem from my academics, not hockey,” she said. “That being said, MSOE combines both aspects of things I love so I can have rigorous academics as well as a hockey team to play on.”

Growing up in Erie, Pickering said making the trips to Denver for practice were “a full-day excursion.”

“My mom and dad started me in skates when I was little, as they both played at the time for beer league teams, and I just stuck with it,” Pickering said. “I’ve been playing hockey for a very long time, starting at the YMCA of Lafayette on the Colorado Jr. Buffs. That program then absorbed into the Boulder Bison at the Sport Stable, later becoming the RoughRiders. I played boys hockey until my first year of 14U when I switched to the Lady RoughRiders. I played for the Lady RoughRiders until this past season (first year 19U) when I switched to Team Colorado AAA. However, I was involved with TC beforehand through the AA program offered for two seasons prior to this one. My junior year, I ended up playing for three teams, Lady RoughRiders 16U, TC AA, and the Monarch Lady Coyotes.

“Coach Bobby Dominski was one of my youth coaches who really improved my skills when I played for a boys team. He never treated me differently just because I was a girl, which I really appreciated. Coach Chris Lockrem has also been a very influential coach in my career as he’s followed me in my hockey journey since I played youth hockey.”

Her commitment set and summer here, Pickering can now set future goals to accomplish.

“For hockey, my goal is just to be the most helpful teammate I can, both on and off the ice,” said Pickering. “All I want is to make a positive contribution to the team. I see school as a stepping stone for my career. I want to do well because that knowledge directly transfers to how well a job I can do at work.

“My long-term goals for my career are pretty flexible, as the market for computer science is constantly changing with AI and other technological developments, but I am just going to ride the wave and see where college takes me. I would eventually like to end up working in a computer science role at an environmental company, because I see climate change as a huge problem and would like to apply my skills to help this cause.”

Photo/Be Feral Media

— Matt Mackinder

(June 29, 2025)