For Kaltounkova, academics comes first

Kristyna Kaltounkova ’24 is known for terrorizing opposing teams with her size, skill, and shot. But what might catch some by surprise is that she spends most of her time off the ice working on a degree in educational studies.

Kaltounkova, who hails from Vlasim, Czech Republic, is a dynamic forward on the three-time ECAC championship team that — at the moment — ranks No. 4 in the country. 

She’s also an exemplary student who works as hard in the classroom as she does on the ice.

The senior is living her dream of playing college hockey at the highest level, while piling up impressive achievements with the Raiders. Yet no matter how much success she sees on the ice, she says her academics comes first. 

“I wanted a good quality education,” Kaltounkova said when discussing her reasons for choosing Colgate. “That’s something that comes first. No matter what, that’s something my parents and I put a lot of emphasis on.”

Growing up in a town about 30 minutes from Prague, Kaltounkova left home at age 15 to study at Vermont Academy, a boarding school in Saxtons River, Vt. 

The move allowed her to play hockey at a school with an educational setting that’s similar to a college environment. The experience not only prepared her for college and D-I hockey, it helped to develop her interest in teaching.

Kaltounkova is intrigued by history, and is open to teaching the topic to teens at a boarding school — while coaching hockey. 

“I can definitely see myself being a teacher, especially coming from a prep school with a very friendly environment,” she said. “I can see myself teaching and coaching there.” 

As a result, she has enrolled in Colgate’s master’s program in teaching, which she will begin next fall. She plans to focus on history and secondary social studies, and has already taken a number of courses on the topic to get a head start. 

Now with only one semester left before she completes her four-year degree, Kaltounkova said she’s loved her experience as an educational studies major. 

“It’s been a lot of fun,” she said. “A lot of professors ask how the season is going and always support my needs. They’ve been very supportive.”

Kaltounkova is in good company with her commitment to academics. Colgate routinely performs well when it comes to the academic standings of its student-athletes. 

With a 97 percent graduation rate for student-athletes, Colgate ranks well above the national Division I average.

Kaltounkova has relished Colgate’s liberal arts education, which has allowed her to take courses across various subjects. Some of the classes that really tested her covered topics like cancer biology, statistics, economics, and geography.

No matter the challenge, every subject has helped her become a better student.

“I’ve taken some challenging courses,” she said. “But, like my approach on the ice, it’s all about working hard and going to office hours. Whenever I can’t rely on my own knowledge to get through material, I seek help and work hard to get better at it.”

She’s also found various ways to get involved on and off campus. 

Kaltounkova has taken on coaching two young local girls to help improve their hockey skills. On campus, she’s part of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and Athlete Ally — a group for athletes who work to foster greater equality for LGBTQ+ students. 

When Kaltounkova graduates in May, the ceremony will be a significant moment for more reasons than the completion of her bachelor’s degree. It will be the first time her family will travel to the U.S. to see her at school — an experience that almost happened at Vermont Academy until the pandemic derailed those plans.

Her parents have always been a major influence on her life, and she’s eager to thank them for all they’ve done for her.

“I think they’re really proud,” she said. “I don’t like to brag about my academics. I let them know how I’m doing with school and what my grades are but it’s a completely different educational system than back home. My biggest goal is to make them proud and to give back to them what they gave to me.”

A JOURNEY TO THE U.S.

Kaltounkova was 14 when she was ready for the next stage in her hockey career. 

While the Czech Republic has a strong hockey program for boys, the same could not be said for girls at the time (though she says it’s improving). 

Kaltounkova grew up playing in boys’ leagues, which is often the case for teen girls, even in the U.S. But in her homeland, girls who sought more competitive leagues had to travel to other parts of Europe — or cross the pond for the U.S. or Canada. 

But she had only one destination in mind.

“Since I was young, I knew that if I wanted to pursue my hockey career, I would have to strive to play in the U.S. or Canada,” she said.

A year later, her bags were packed and she was saying good-bye to her family at the airport. The jitters of moving to a foreign land didn’t hit her. She was too fired up to embark on her new life in the U.S. 

“I was so excited,” she said. “It was a new challenge. At that point, it was not difficult to move away from home. It’s getting harder as I get older though.”

At Vermont, Kaltounkova was finally playing hockey with other girls as her team traveled across New England for games. As her hockey abilities evolved, so did her opportunities. 

In 2017, she represented her country at the U18 Women’s World Championship in Prague, where she was teammates with Noemi Neubauerova ’22.

Neubauerova, who already had Colgate in her sights, told her about her college plans. Kaltounkova wasn’t familiar with Colgate, but she didn’t have to wait long to learn more.

A number of teams were already scouting Kaltounkova — with Colgate among them. Colgate continued to recruit her once she returned to Vermont. 

As Kaltounkova learned more about the University, she was intrigued by everything she saw. But there was one major factor she sought, and Colgate provided it. She wanted a program that provided a family environment. 

“The Colgate coaches caught my attention,” she said. “I was looking for someone who would be like my second parents. Coach Greg Fargo and his staff, they seemed like they would fulfill that role and always showed interest and cared for me.”

Now four years later, Colgate Women’s Hockey has become the second family she wanted. And Kaltounkova is thriving. 

As the Raiders seek a fourth consecutive league championship, Kaltounkova has become a wrecking ball in Fargo’s arsenal. 

As a first-year, she dominated at times, and has continued to evolve by the year. Her strength and size presents problems for opponents, and she has demonstrated an ability to score from anywhere around the net.

In 16 games this season, the Czech led the team in goals with 14 to go along with 14 assists. Her 28 points ties her for the team lead in points with Danielle Serdachny ’23. She’s unloaded 60 shots thus far. She has a six-point game and a hat trick — the third of her career.

And speaking of careers, in the 114 games she’s played at Colgate, Kaltounkova has amassed 72 goals and 84 assists for 156 points.

Fargo said Colgate knew early on that Kaltounkova would have a major impact and be a great addition to the team. 

“When we recruited her, we saw the potential for her to become a top player, but I never imagined she would achieve the level of success she has today,” Fargo said. “Her dedication, determination, and passion for the game have played a significant role in her transformation into the exceptional player she is now.”

Kaltounkova is a center, though she has played wing in previous seasons. She’s worked diligently on every aspect of her game while soaking up everything her coaches taught on game scenarios. 

While hard work has been crucial to her success, she has also focused on bringing positive energy to the locker room and being a good teammate. 

Colgate’s mantra of “We play free” has been much to her liking, giving her the room to be creative while having fun with her line mates — who she credits for helping her become a star for the Raiders.

“Not only do they push me to be better, they create great opportunities for me on the ice,” she said. “They’re fun to play with.”

Fargo said he’s proud of her growth and development as a player and person. 

“Kalty is coachable, a quick learner, and incredibly intelligent,” he said “In addition to her hockey career, Kalty has excelled academically. She has been a dedicated student throughout her time at Colgate, balancing her commitments both on and off the ice. Her commitment to her studies is as admirable as her athletic achievements.”