WALKING TALL: Gabby Vukasin races up the ice for the Williams College (Mass.) women’s hockey team in recent action. Sophomore forward Vukasin, a former hockey and soccer star at Princeton High, walked on to the Williams team as freshman. This winter, she has emerged as a star for the Ephs, tying for the team lead in goals with 12 through 16 games.

Blessed with good size and athleticism, things came naturally for Gabby Vukasin during her high school ice hockey career.

Vukasin was the go-to player for the Princeton High girls’ team from the moment she hit the ice and also starred for the Princeton Tiger Lilies and New Jersey Colonials club programs.

Her success had Vukasin looking to join a college hockey program. “I started thinking about playing in college when I was 16 and everyone was talking about recruiting,” said Vukasin, a 2010 PHS grad who was also a star goalie for the Little Tigers girls’ soccer team.

But no schools ended up seriously recruiting Vukasin and Williams College (Mass.) emerged as her first choice.

“I visited Williams twice and when I went to other schools, I realized I was comparing them to Williams,” said Vukasin.

“I met with the hockey coach and she said she had a big freshman class coming in and she couldn’t push for me.”

But Vukasin was offered the opportunity to walk on to the Williams hockey team and she pushed her way on to the squad last winter.

“I did the summer workouts and then I had to try out in the first three practices,” said Vukasin.

“It was very nerve-wracking, I never had to fight for a spot like that. I definitely could hold my own. In the second practice I separated my shoulder. They must have liked what they had seen because I made the team. I was ecstatic. It was a great feeling; I felt like I had really accomplished something.”

For Vukasin, playing at the college level prompted some uneasy feelings at first, as she got up to speed.

“There was definitely an adjustment period,” said the 5’6 Vukasin, who scored two goals and had two assists in 22 appearances last winter.

“It is a quicker game. There is a lot more crisp passing. On turnovers, the puck goes right up the ice. There is so much emphasis on each game. There are more systems. We do a lot of video work and watch other teams and plan how to deal with their systems. It took most of the year to get used to it.”

With a season under her belt, Vukasin focused on her conditioning over the summer.

“I didn’t play as much hockey this past summer,” said Vukasin. “I lifted more and I worked out more.”

It didn’t take long for Vukasin’s fitness and intensity to catch the eye of new Williams head coach Meghan Gillis.

“The first thing with Gabby is her work ethic, she competes hard when it comes to every practice,” said Gillis. “She is tall, fit, and strong. She is a power forward.”

Parlaying that power into productivity, Vukasin has become a go-to player for Williams this winter, as she is tied for the team lead in goals with 12 through 16 games.

Last Saturday, Vukasin scored the game-winning goal in overtime as the Ephs edged Colby 4-3 to improve to 9-7 overall and 5-3 in NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) play, more than doubling last season’s win total of four.

“I didn’t expect it,” Vukasin said of her scoring prowess this winter. “I didn’t do as well with scoring last year, it takes a while. I don’t have great stick-handling skills but I have found a pretty good role in the front of the nest. I am decently sized for a NSCAC player and I use my size.”

Vukasin’s teammate and fellow Princeton resident, senior Sarah Herr, notices the difference in Vukasin this season.

“Gabby worked hard over the summer,” said Herr, who skates on the same power play unit with Vukasin. “She is aggressive around the net; she goes after rebounds like nobody’s business.”

In Gillis’ view, Vukasin is just scratching the surface of what she can achieve.

“Gabby has a good skill set and size for this league,” said Gillis. “Clearly with the numbers she is putting up, she can get better and better. I am looking forward to seeing what she can do over the next two years.”

Vukasin, for her part, believes the team can do some good things over the rest of the winter.

“I think we are working things out,” said Vukasin. “Last year, we had so many close games that we lost. Now they are starting to go our way. We are working hard to correct things. Communication is key between the players and between the players and the coaches.”

And Vukasin’s good work has certainly been a key to Williams’ success this winter.