Monique Lyons was an offensive powerhouse for Williston Northampton this season and is looking to get better. With back-to-back NEPSAC championships under her belt and a commitment to play Division 1 hockey at Brown University, the junior forward’s love for the game has fueled her to the next level.
“I have four older siblings and they all played hockey at one point. My two brothers played hockey and my two sisters did figure skating,” Lyons said. “I was very drawn to hockey. … I would wear the figure skating outfit and then have hockey skates on.”
Lyons joined her first hockey team when she was 4 and never looked back. Pulled in by the competitive edge the sport offered, Lyons has been fine-tuning her game ever since and had an explosive year as the leading point producer at Williston in the 2022-23 campaign.
On top of helping her team to a nearly perfect 27-0-1 record, Lyons netted a team-high 26 goals and dished out 24 assists for 50 points, setting a program record. Despite her individual productivity, Lyons said this season’s accolades stemmed from Williston’s team-first mentality.
“Even though we are a team on the ice, we know that everything translates from off the ice, too. Our team culture is like a family,” Lyons said. “We’re working hard every day, but we’re also having so much fun with one another, which is very important, and I think that led to a lot of success.”
After winning the program’s first NEPSAC title last year, Williston lost seven seniors, and the makeup of the incoming group wasn’t completely clear. However, in its first game of the season –– a road matchup with rival St. Paul — Williston earned a decisive 5-2 victory, keyed by a hat trick from Lyons.
“We are just a relentless team,” Lyons said. “We work hard every day. We know that nothing is given to us and we always earn it. We play 200 feet — we play in the defensive zone, the neutral zone, the offensive zone.”
That complete game has been a staple for Williston and something Lyons has been specifically working on to prepare for the collegiate level. Being able to play both sides of the puck has added an important versatility to Lyons’ game. While she’s dangerous on the power play, she’s also a shut-down player on the penalty kill.
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“Coach (Christa) Talbot and I have been working very closely trying to make sure that I get back in the D-zone so I can then go transition to score,” Lyons said. “Everything starts in the D-zone, and that’s been engraved in my mind.”
During the offseason, Lyons is captain of the varsity softball team and plays varsity soccer. She said her time as a defenseman on the soccer field has translated to her growth on ice, especially in terms of positioning.
“Soccer actually helped me more defensively for hockey. I would play defense in soccer and see the different stepping and different movements, which was very helpful,” Lyons said. “I feel like each sport, you get different takeaways, and being able to be part of the team every season and get that team environment is very crucial to our team for the hockey season.”
In the O-zone, a majority of Lyons’ points come from down low. She’s spirited on the forecheck and tenacious on the boards in puck battles. In the corners and behind the net is exactly where she wants to be, Lyons said, and it has become a signature to her style.
“I would describe myself as an offensive playmaker. I set up my linemates and I can also put the puck in the net,” Lyons said. “I like to be behind the net. I can see the ice very well from there and I feel like against other teams, it’s hard to defend when someone’s in the corner.”
Lyons, in general, is hard to defend — as is the Williston team as a whole. Its transition game and sparky offense was a big reason why Williston was able to secure a 4-1 win over Phillips Andover in the 2023 NEPSAC championship tilt.
“We come in, we have a target on our back, so we expected to get everyone’s best game every single time we played someone,” Lyons said of the group’s mindset. “Being able to win it all again two years in a row was a feeling like no other.”
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The team has left a mark on the Williston girls hockey program, and now Lyons has one more run left in the tank before packing up for Providence.
“I decided to go to Brown because I wanted to further my education at an Ivy League (school),” Lyons said. “The coaching staff there and the team and what they’re building right now is something that I look forward to being a part of.”
Melanie Ruzzi, head coach at Brown, went to Providence College with Williston’s head coach, Christa Talbot Syfu. Lyons said she sees some similarities in their coaching styles, which she thinks will help with the transition. Leading up to her Brown debut, Lyons will be working on her strength.
“I feel like I need to get a little bit stronger, for sure. I know it’s going to be a faster game because they’re stronger,” Lyons said. “With my playmaking skills and offensive skills I feel like I can contribute to their program.”
For now, though, Lyons will prepare to sport the Williston jersey with pride for her upcoming senior season with a team that has turned family.
“My best friends are on my team,” Lyons said. “We’re probably the closest team on campus if you ask anybody here. What we stand for, and how we all are hard workers and we earn it … our team culture and how close we are is very crucial. That’s my highlight.”
