Shelby Guinard '23, the former Lebanon Valley College Women's Ice Hockey and Women's Lacrosse goalkeeper, made history this past summer, winning the Women's Ball Hockey World Championship with the USA Women's National Ball Hockey team in Switzerland. 
 
Ball hockey is a sport with similar rules to ice hockey, with the primary differences being that the game is often played on concrete or a plastic tile dek surface instead of ice, and a ball is used instead of a puck. 
 
Guinard joined Team USA shortly after their LVC season ended in the spring of 2022, when a friend competing for the squad told them the team needed a substitute goalie for a training tournament in Pottstown, Pa. Guinard eagerly accepted the offer, as they had followed Team USA since the squad earned a silver medal in the 2017 tournament. Their strong effort in the practice tournament led to them eventually making the 2024 roster. 
 
Guinard contributed to the USA Women's National Ball Hockey team that won the world title this year, competing in the squad's 7-1 victory over the United Nations. Team USA went on to win its first-ever championship with a 3-0 victory over Czechia in the Gold Medal game. 
 
"It was truly an experience I will never forget," Guinard said. "Counting down the seconds and then erupting in celebration was such a huge feeling of excitement. Truly nothing can compare as we stood on the line with the medals around our necks singing the national anthem. I had this sense that all the hard work and training on and off the court had paid off."
 
Guinard's skills as an ice hockey goaltender for the Dutchmen translated well to ball hockey. During their four seasons with Lebanon Valley, they made 1,359 career saves and posted a .928 save percentage, which currently stands as the best in program history. Guinard also played an integral role in the program's first appearance in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Tournament in 2022, which they rank among their favorite memories with the team. Guinard was a goalie for LVC's Women's Lacrosse team for two seasons as well, making 36 saves.
 
Additionally, they received multiple accolades in their collegiate ice hockey career, including the 2020-21 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Defensive Player of the Year award and two selections to the All-MAC Women's Ice Hockey team. Guinard said that among their hockey experience, their time at LVC led to their success at the international level.
 
"Competing at the NCAA level prepared me the most," Guinard said. "Knowing that I could face between 20-60 shots in an LVC game really grew my mental toughness."
 
Academically, Guinard graduated from LVC in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science. They teach chemistry at a high school in Massachusetts and coaches the school's ice hockey and lacrosse teams. 
 
"Teaching chemistry has been so much fun," Guinard said. "While my heart lies in environmental science, interacting with the students is just as fun in chemistry. The reward of helping future scientists develop their basic lab skills and data analysis is truly exciting. These two roles allow me to share my love for science and sports."

Stay Connected
Be sure to follow @lvcathletics on Instagram, X, and Facebook for the most in-depth coverage of LVC Athletics.