ST. PAUL, Minn — Camila Foligno held her father’s hand as her eyes glanced around a room full of female hockey players Saturday afternoon.
The 3-year-old wasn’t a stranger to pregame activities at Xcel Energy Center, having watched her dad, Marcus Foligno, play there many times for the Minnesota Wild. But this time, she took in the scene as the Minnesota’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team got ready to take the ice for its home opener. Camila and her older sister, Olivia, 5, just started skating, but Marcus wanted them to experience this historic event. Foligno, wearing one of the team’s purple jerseys, colorfully read the starting lineup for the players, who slapped their knees as a drumroll.
“In the pipes, we’ve got Maddie Rooney.”
“On defense, we’ve got the ‘Big Unit,’ Lee Stecklein.”
She listened as Foligno yelled other nicknames, like “Coyner” for Kendall Coyne Schofield and “The High-zee” for Taylor Heise, the former Gophers star and prized No. 1 pick. When he finished, Camila, Olivia and their dad went around the room to slap hands with each of the women. At the end, Foligno smiled and pointed to Camila.
“That,” he said, “could be the next ‘Big Unit.’”
Very few people read a starting lineup like #mnwild Marcus Foligno….
