Hall of Fame
Jillayne DeBus was a critical piece to the women’s hockey program’s emergence as a national powerhouse. A CCM East Region First Team All- American selection in 2012 and a Second Team All-American recipient in 2013, DeBus earned a pair of ECAC First Team All-Conference nods and finished her career with 52 goals and 66 assists to finish with 118 points.
She was a member of the 2011 NCAA Div. III National Championship team, and was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams while at Norwich. She helped lead the Cadets to three consecutive ECAC regular season titles and two ECAC Tournament titles.
“Jill was an ultimate competitor,” said Head Coach Sophie Leclerc Doherty, who played alongside DeBus in 2011 en route to the national title. “She came in as a transfer from another great program, and right away I knew we had hit the jackpot. She fit in immediately into the Norwich culture. She was an absolutely incredible teammate that would do anything to win. Her genuine work ethic combined with incredible skill made her a teammate that anyone would dream of. I feel so fortunate to have been able to compete alongside her.”
After transferring to Norwich after spending her first season at Elmira College, DeBus wasted no time making an impact, earning an ECAC Honorable Mention nod and scoring the Cadets’ second goal in their 5-2 National Championship victory over RIT in 2011.
DeBus ranked second on the team in points her junior (49) and senior (37) seasons, dishing out a team-best 23 assists during her final campaign on the ice. In addition to her CCM and ECAC honors, DeBus was also named a New England Hockey Writers Div. II/III All-Star in 2013. The Cadets, with DeBus as a captain, reached the NCAA Tournament for the third time in her three years.
DeBus and the Cadets finished with an overall record of 74-11-5, while going 50-2-2 in conference play.
“Jill was a nifty and consistent goal scorer with massive amount of hockey IQ,” said then-Norwich Head Coach Mark Bolding. “She was competitive and confident on the ice and was willing to take the game in her own hands and bury a goal when we needed it the most. She was clutch in our first National Championship in 2011 - getting us on the board early versus a great RIT team. Jill was a purposeful and focused player, student-athlete and leader for us - and we all benefited from her tenacious style of play and her outstanding offensive ability. Jill made a huge impact on Norwich Women’s Hockey during her time in Northfield and we are grateful #15 wore maroon and gold.”
