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Fiona Waddick is not a stay-at-home defender.

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The Chatham defenceman will soon be packing her bags and playing for the Etobicoke Dolphins in the Ontario Women’s Hockey League’s under-22 AA elite division.

He will then head to Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, to begin his NCAA Division I career in the 2026-27 season.

“I hope to start playing right away,” he said. “I’m excited. When I go in 2026, their team should be good.”

The Stonehill Skyhawks won the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance championship this year to advance to the NCAA tournament in the program’s second season.

“To win your conference after being in (Division I) for two years is incredible,” said Waddick, 17, who now lives in Lighthouse Cove.

Waddick played for the Bluewater Hawks last season as an 11th grader at Ursuline College Chatham. He will remain in Burlington next season.

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Dolphins coach Joe Butkevich is excited to add her to the ranks of OWHL bronze medalists and Ontario Women’s Hockey Association silver medalists.

“He’s a pretty hard-nosed player,” Butkevich said. “I think he’ll help us in the physicality department, for sure. He’s really good at clearing the net and he doesn’t take anything from anybody. I think he plays bigger than his actual size. That, and I think he’ll contribute offensively.”

“We lost three games last year. One was against Bluewater and he scored the game-winning goal in overtime against us, so we know he can contribute offensively. He’s a versatile player. He can play on both sides of the puck, he’s a 200-foot player. I think he’ll fit in well.

“I think we have the strongest D unit we’ve ever had. He’s the final piece of the puzzle.”

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Waddick skated at the OWHA U18 high performance camp in Alliston last weekend. Players at the event were competing for spots on two teams that will represent Ontario at the Canadian U18 championships in November.

“Considering I made the development team last year, I’m hoping to make one of the top two teams,” he said. “I think I’m getting better. I think I have a good chance of making Team Ontario, but there are a lot of good defenses at my age. I’m hoping for the best.”

After completing grade 12, Waddick will take a gap year before heading to Stonehill.

He hopes playing for the Dolphins will prepare him for college.

Getting on the Etobicoke team was a tall order. This season, about 500 players from North America and Europe applied.

When Waddick made the interception, there was only one gap left in the Dolphins’ defense.

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“We’re pretty happy with the way things are going,” Butkevich said.

Butkevich said players contacted the Dolphins because they were impressed with the team’s culture.

“People see what we do, not just in terms of results, but how we prepare our players for college,” he said. “Every one of our players has been on scholarship seven years in a row, whether it’s the NCAA or U Sports. I think people see our kids going to the next level and being successful because we kind of emphasize getting them ready for the next level.”

The Dolphins had four players on the Canadian U18 national team last season.

“We’re the team where everybody hits the nail on the head,” Butkevich said. “We get the best out of everybody. … We’re like the New York Yankees, Manchester United, Toronto Maple Leafs of our league. We don’t surprise anybody.

“A lot of times I tell our players, because of the talent we have, the best competition is in our training.”

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