Brooke Balogh is enjoying her final season of youth hockey with Team Colorado AAA’s 19U team.

As the season started, Balogh knew she wanted to keep playing the game in college and also wanted to follow her music dreams.

Once Potsdam entered the picture, the search was over.

“I have been in the college process for a little over two years now and I had the opportunity junior year to visit a few campuses in rural New York,” said Balogh. “Coach Olivia (Cook) and I had a long conversation in the locker room and it became apparent to me that I was wanted at Potsdam. Through the summer, I explored other options, but towards the end of October, I decided I wanted to visit campus again and went for an overnight stay, right after assistant coach Kamryn Barnes was hired. As I narrowed down the list, I kept being told the same thing, ‘go where you are wanted,’ which is what I did.”

Balogh noted the appeal about the school’s hockey and academics, a win-win for the Wyoming native.

“As an NCAA Division I athlete, it would have been extremely challenging to major in music and play at the highest level, which soon became apparent to me as I navigated my way through the recruiting process,” explained Balogh. “There are only 11 Division III programs that offer Music Performance for trumpet, which was non-negotiable for me. I was also looking at schools with rinks on campus which is rare at the D-III level. As soon as Coach Cook reached out to me, it became apparent Potsdam was in one of the stronger leagues in D-III and I was excited about the opportunity. Not only did Potsdam have a degree for Trumpet Performance, but they have a whole building dedicated to it called the Crane School of Music.

“Academics have always been a priority for me as I have always prioritized school and have a strong 3.9 GPA at one of the hardest schools in Colorado, Cherry Creek High School.”

At Potsdam, Balogh is planning on majoring in Trumpet Performance with a minor in Jazz Studies and a potential minor in Psychology.

Balogh said she started playing hockey when she was about four years old in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

“I started playing because my brother was already a part of the Jackson Hole Moose youth program and my mom would bribe me every day to get a cookie at the Mexican bakery if I went to hockey practice,” remembered Balogh. “I soon fell in love with the sport and around COVID, I was running out of options in Wyoming. My brother is also a high-level athlete and a professional skier which brought our family to Park City, Utah, where I played for the Utah Lady Grizzlies, Utah Jr. Grizzlies and Park City High School varsity team.

“From then, I realized I wanted to chase my dream of playing collegiate hockey which I knew would only be possible if I was a part of a AAA roster which had been a dream of mine since I knew that was the highest level.”

That’s when Team Colorado took notice.

“I tried out for TC as a second-year 16U going into my sophomore year and I was brought to the program by Hannah Westbrook as she told me to try out from watching me play during one of my Utah Lady Grizz AA games,” Balogh said. “As me and my mom were driving back to Utah, coach Chris Lockrem gave us a call that I had been offered a spot on the 2024 roster. I was so excited but this also meant a new beginning and a new school. As I navigated my first year of AAA hockey, coach Vanessa Taylor got on my nerves so much, but she later became one of my favorite coaches I had been able to work with. My first year of 19U AAA with coach Karen Rickard was so fun and very different from any other coaching style I had been accustomed to.

“Through my 14 years playing this sport, coach Kollin Kleinendorst gave me the confidence to level up my game and showed me the value of this sport.”

Her college destination locked in, Balogh can now start planning the next stage of her future.

“I want to coach hockey after my collegiate-level experience and I hope to stay involved in the sport for years to come,” said Balogh. “I also hope to receive my graduate degree in Trumpet Performance and freelance as a jazz and classical artist.”

Photos/Be Feral Media

— Matt Mackinder

(February 8, 2026)