Still in the Game: Rivers Hockey’s Lasting Impact on Eve Stone ’22
Eve Stone ’22 embodies the full-circle journey of a student-athlete returning to give back to the community that shaped her. While excelling in her senior season at Stonehill College this year as one of the top goalies in Division I, Stone also made the time to coach at Rivers.
Coming from a larger public school, she was first drawn to Rivers for its small class sizes and close teacher-student relationships. “I had never had that before,” she recalls, explaining that the tight-knit environment gave her both academic and athletic confidence.
Hockey quickly became central to Stone’s Rivers experience. Having always played goalie, she experienced a level of support from her teammates and coaches at Rivers that she hadn’t received at her previous school. “Being on this hockey team was probably the biggest part of my experience here,” she says. “I really felt comfortable with everyone and the coaches.”
Her dedication on the ice led to multiple NEPSAC tournament victories and MVP honors—achievements she believes reflect more than just athletic skill. “If anything, from my perspective, [the achievements] show that you have leadership,” she says, adding that her coaches and teammates “really prepared me for college and pumped up my confidence.”
After sustaining an injury last year, Stone returned to Rivers from college not as a player but as a coach. “Even though I wasn’t able to play hockey, I was able to coach, and it really kept me engaged and going,” she says. After recovering from her injury, Stone continued coaching at Rivers. In that role, she focused on mentoring goalies and teaching resilience.
“Goalies are such a specific position that not many coaches truly understand,” she says. “I always say to the girls that resilience is the most important part of hockey. It’s really just about how you respond to adversity, not the adversity itself.”
Stone’s story highlights the lasting impact of Rivers’ supportive environment. By mentoring current players, she bridges the gap between student and coach. “I was in their shoes only four years ago,” she notes. Today, she strives to provide current athletes with the same confidence, guidance, and sense of community that made her own Rivers experience unforgettable.
This story originally appeared in the spring 2026 edition of the Riparian, Rivers’ alumni magazine.
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