Nicole Giannino


Nicole Paolina Giannino is an American professional ice hockey player and actress.
Giannino was a second-round draft pick in the 2015 Professional Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) Draft, playing for the Boston Blades. She was featured in The New York Times as amongst the first professional women's hockey players to receive a salary.

Early life

Giannino grew up in Long Island, New York, as a childhood actress before beginning playing hockey at the age eleven. She played for teams such as the Long Island Waves, Suffolk PAL, 'Suffolk County Selects, and the Long Island Lady Islanders.
Giannino attended West Islip High School and later transferred to the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid, New York, an Olympic training center school where she was scouted by Bill Ward.

Career

Hockey

Giannino played NCAA Division I collegiate hockey for the College of the Holy Cross in the Eastern College Athletic Conference on a full athletic scholarship. Over her four years, she played in 104 games, and was among the top three point leaders in all four years, leading the team in points during her junior and senior year.
Giannino organized annual Breast Cancer Awareness and Multiple Sclerosis Awareness games at Holy Cross and the Boston Blades.
In 2015, Giannino became the first Holy Cross player to be drafted into professional women’s sports, selected in the second round, 10th overall of the CWHL Draft by the Boston Blades. She competed alongside notable Olympians in the league such as Marie-Philip Poulin and Meghan Duggan.
Giannino was an advocate for professional women's hockey to receive a liveable salary, and was amongst the first women to get paid to be a professional athlete.
At just 15 years old, Giannino became the youngest player ever selected to the Team USA Women’s Inline Hockey Team. She competed in multiple World Championships with notable accolades earned including 2018 World Championships, Italy, 2019 World Championships, Spain and others.

Acting

Giannino has appeared in films such as A Packing Suburbia, Wannabes, Marie, The Signs of the Cross, Jesse, and Send No Flowers.

Awards and honors