Julia Gosling decided to enter the PWHL Draft instead of returning to the NCAA for another season feeling "read for the next step." She discusses her decision and making the jump to play against the best of the best.
Julia Gosling decided to enter the PWHL Draft instead of returning to the NCAA for another season feeling "read for the next step." She discusses her decision and making the jump to play against the best of the best.
Julia Gosling could have returned to the NCAA for a fifth year. Instead, she's one of only two players of 61 NCAA athletes in the PWHL Draft to bypass her final season of eligibility.
The reason? Gosling felt she was ready for the next step in her hockey career.
"It was definitely a hard decision," said Gosling. "In the end after my season and the World Championships I felt like I was ready for the next step and to join all these elite athletes and playing with the best of the best and kind of challenging myself, so in the end that's just what my gut was telling me and just excited to join the league."
The 23-year-old, 5-foot-10 forward scored 22 goals and 51 points in 37 games this season with St. Lawrence University in the NCAA. She added two goals for Canada at the World Championships, including a goal in the gold medal game against USA.
Gosling is considered a top 10 prospect for the upcoming draft, and alongside goaltender Kayle Osborne of Colgate, is one of only two players to enter the PWHL Draft forgoing their final season of eligibility.
Osborne is another Hockey Canada prospect, being named to Canada's senior national team for the December stop of the Rivalry Series replacing an injured Emerance Maschmeyer.
Gosling also centralized with Canada prior to the 2022 Olympics but eventually was not named to Canada's roster. She's expected to step in and make an immediate impact in the PWHL next season.