photo: Andre Ringuette/IIHF
Slovakian goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova made history this past May as the first woman to receive the Richard “Bibi” Torriani Award (she became a new member of IIHF Hall of Fame).
“It’s something I didn’t expect and especially being the first woman means paving the way,” she said during her speech. “I’m very happy the international hockey world is recognizing women. It’s so important for young girls today to have role models. I hope after me there will be more women because there are others who need to be recognized.”
Only three times have the Slovak women played at the top level of IIHF competition, and all three times their goalie was the incomparable Tomcikova, who played every minute of every game for the team at these events. Incredibly, she was named tournament MVP at the 2011 Women’s Worlds, the first and only time a Slovak woman has been so honoured. It was her sensational play in the Relegation Round against Kazakhstan that allowed the Slovaks to remain in the top pool for 2012.
“I am humbled to be included among such an inspirational group of people,” she continued. “Girls don’t play hockey in Slovakia. It’s the number one sport in the country, just not for the girls. Luckily, that wasn’t an issue for me early on. I was fortunate enough to have coaches who didn’t care I was a girl and just let me play because I was good enough. I also had teammates who accepted me and fought for me.”
“I’ve always been stubborn and driven, wanting to compete with the best and to become the best. I played my first Women’s Worlds at age 14, and after that I dreamt only of competing on the biggest stages. I wasn’t alone. In 2008, we shocked the hockey world by qualifying for the Olympics from the number 17 World Ranking. A year later, we moved up to the top division of the Women’s World Championship.”
Indeed, Tomcikova was the star at the 2009 Olympic qualifications, where she won all three games, two by shutout, to help Slovakia qualify for the Olympics for the first, and still only, time. Additionally, she was key to bringing the team from Division II to Division I to the top pool of the Women’s Worlds during the period 2003-2009.
Tomcikova began her development in Saskatchewan, at a private school, and then played a year in Sweden before moving to NCAA hockey with Bemidji State. During her four years with the Beavers, she had a save percentage of .929 and posted 19 shutouts in 118 games as the number-one goalie, a Bemidji record for games played and shutouts. She was inducted into the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.
“My journey took me abroad, to Canada and Sweden and then NCAA, and the opportunity to play hockey at the highest level while getting an education is something that I wish for every athlete,” she added.
Outside of IIHF competition, her greatest moment came at the 2011 Universiade in Erzurum, Turkiye. She backstopped the Slovaks to two wins over the United States, the second a 3-1 victory in the bronze-medal game. She retired in 2015, but her dedication to fighting in the lower divisions and her remarkable success when the team made it to the top make her one of women’s hockey’s most accomplished goalies.
“It’s something I didn’t expect and especially being the first woman means paving the way,” she said during her speech. “I’m very happy the international hockey world is recognizing women. It’s so important for young girls today to have role models. I hope after me there will be more women because there are others who need to be recognized.”
Only three times have the Slovak women played at the top level of IIHF competition, and all three times their goalie was the incomparable Tomcikova, who played every minute of every game for the team at these events. Incredibly, she was named tournament MVP at the 2011 Women’s Worlds, the first and only time a Slovak woman has been so honoured. It was her sensational play in the Relegation Round against Kazakhstan that allowed the Slovaks to remain in the top pool for 2012.
“I am humbled to be included among such an inspirational group of people,” she continued. “Girls don’t play hockey in Slovakia. It’s the number one sport in the country, just not for the girls. Luckily, that wasn’t an issue for me early on. I was fortunate enough to have coaches who didn’t care I was a girl and just let me play because I was good enough. I also had teammates who accepted me and fought for me.”
“I’ve always been stubborn and driven, wanting to compete with the best and to become the best. I played my first Women’s Worlds at age 14, and after that I dreamt only of competing on the biggest stages. I wasn’t alone. In 2008, we shocked the hockey world by qualifying for the Olympics from the number 17 World Ranking. A year later, we moved up to the top division of the Women’s World Championship.”
Indeed, Tomcikova was the star at the 2009 Olympic qualifications, where she won all three games, two by shutout, to help Slovakia qualify for the Olympics for the first, and still only, time. Additionally, she was key to bringing the team from Division II to Division I to the top pool of the Women’s Worlds during the period 2003-2009.
Tomcikova began her development in Saskatchewan, at a private school, and then played a year in Sweden before moving to NCAA hockey with Bemidji State. During her four years with the Beavers, she had a save percentage of .929 and posted 19 shutouts in 118 games as the number-one goalie, a Bemidji record for games played and shutouts. She was inducted into the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.
“My journey took me abroad, to Canada and Sweden and then NCAA, and the opportunity to play hockey at the highest level while getting an education is something that I wish for every athlete,” she added.
Outside of IIHF competition, her greatest moment came at the 2011 Universiade in Erzurum, Turkiye. She backstopped the Slovaks to two wins over the United States, the second a 3-1 victory in the bronze-medal game. She retired in 2015, but her dedication to fighting in the lower divisions and her remarkable success when the team made it to the top make her one of women’s hockey’s most accomplished goalies.