Hall of Fame
Sophie Leclerc is the first women’s hockey inductee in the Norwich Athletic Hall of Fame after the varsity program began in 2007. She was a cornerstone of the women’s ice hockey program, building it to a national powerhouse during her four-year playing career.
Leclerc is still the program’s all-time assists leader with 92 assists to go along with 72 goals for 163 career points, which ranks third on the all-time points list. Leclerc captained the 2010-11 women’s hockey team to the program’s first national championship with a 5-2 win over R.I.T. in just its fourth year at the varsity level.
“The experience of winning my last-ever collegiate and competitive hockey game, raising the trophy among friends, family and coaches that I love, was not only an unforgettable moment, but the driving force behind my passion for the game to this day,” Leclerc said.
In her senior year, Leclerc set new single-season personal records at the time for goals (26), assists (28) and points (54). She finished as the NCAA Division III points-per-game statistical champion (1.86 points-per-game).
Leclerc was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East Player of the Year, New England Division III Player of the Year, American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) First Team All-American and was the runner up for the Laura Hurd Award (National D-III Player of the Year).
Leclerc has returned to Northfield twice after graduating, serving as an assistant women’s ice hockey coach from 2013-2015 and again as the head coach prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
Leclerc graduated from Norwich first with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and later earned her Master’s in Organizational Leadership in 2012.
Prior to returning to Norwich for the second time, Leclerc helped head coach Greg Fargo lead a dramatic program turnaround at Division I Colgate University. The duo guided the Raiders to a 101-36-1 record in their four seasons together, including making the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Division I National Championship game in 2017-18.
In her first season as the head coach at Norwich, Leclerc guided the Cadets to a 23-4-2 record. Norwich won its fourth straight NEHC Tournament title with a 9-2 win over Suffolk and beat Amherst in the NCAA Tournament First Round. Leclerc tutored Amanda Conway ’20, who went on to become the program’s second Laura Hurd Award winner and Division III National Player of the Year. She coached three All-Americans (Conway, Samantha Benoit ’21 and Sophie McGovern ’20), and nine NEHC All-Conference honorees.
Leclerc was recently married this past summer to her husband, Pat Doherty. They live in Barre, Vt. with their dog Chili.
