Anya Battaglino


Anya Battaglino is an American former professional ice hockey player and current director of the NWHL Players' Association. She played three years for the Connecticut Whale of the Connecticut Whale prior to being named director.

Career

University

During college, Battaglino played for the Boston University Terriers women's ice hockey team during the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons.

CWHL

Battaglino began a professional career with the Canadian Women's Hockey League in the 2012/13 season, joining the Boston Blades and making her professional debut on December 10, 2012. In her first season with the team, Battaglino won the 2013 Clarkson Cup.

NWHL

Battaglino signed a professional contract with the Connecticut Whale in 2015, joining the franchise for its inaugural 2015/16 NWHL season. Battaglino was injured in a November 2015 game against the Buffalo Beauts.
Following the 2016/17 season, Battaglino was named one of the NWHL Fans’ Three Stars of the Season alongside Harrison Browne and Rebecca Russo after a fan vote.
On the 2nd of June, 2017, it was reported that Battaglino had signed a contract to play for the Connecticut Whale in the 2017/18 NWHL season.

Post-playing career

In early 2017, Battaglino was named director of the NWHL Players' Association after serving as a players' representative in previous seasons.
In 2019, the NWHLPA negotiated a 50/50 revenue split between the league and players, leading to a 26% increase in player salaries.
She was named one of the 25 most powerful women in hockey by Sportsnet in 2020.

Personal life

Battaglino has actively campaigned in support of mental health awareness and inclusivity in sport. In March 2018, Battaglino made the decision to publicly come out as a lesbian, composing a commentary on the website Outsports.com. On July 22, 2018, she became engaged to fellow NWHL athlete Madison Packer. The two would get married in August 2019.
In addition to her playing career, Battaglino works in cybersecurity and technology research.