Lancer women's hockey head coach Deanna Iwanicka is thrilled to confirm the commitment of local recruit Payne Oltrop to the blue and gold for the 2025-26 season.
 
A native of McGregor, Ontario, Oltrop plays for the Lakeshore Lightning, U18AA travel team. "We are thrilled to have Payne's commitment to the Lancers.  She is a local student- athlete with a high ceiling of potential; she believes in our program, and we believe in her," said Iwanicka. "Payne and her family have already shown great support for the Lancer program, and I am sure this will only grow over time."
 
Oltrop began playing hockey at the age of nine for the Amherstburg Stars and knew immediately that she wanted to be a goaltender. She began her goaltender training under Brian Spearings who taught her the fundamentals of goaltending. She transferred to the Lightning at the age of eleven and trained under coach Andrew Corchis (Prospects Athletics), who has been fine tuning her skills and developed her into the athlete she is today.
 
This past summer, Oltrop was named to Team White at the Ontario Summer Games held in Mississauga, ON. The event showcased the best female U16 hockey players in the province. "Preparing for those games and the intense training I went through made me realize that I love playing hockey at this level," said Oltrop. "I love the training, learning new things, meeting new people, the interaction with players, trainers and coaches, and being part of that environment."
 
Oltrop's main goal is to play hockey at the university level, and through the Lancers' partnership with the Lightning, her dreams are coming true. "I am so pleased to have the opportunity to attend the University of Windsor, get a great education and play for a great hockey program so close to home," Oltrop commented. "Coach Iwanicka and the team have been very welcoming, and I already feel at home. The coaching staff is focused on building a great team, and I know that they will teach me so much on and off the ice."