Syracuse's Rayla Clemons Finds Escape on the Ice

Hockey is all about relationships for the Orange star.

The buildup before making your collegiate debut can leave even the most confident athlete nervous. It is the first time you represent an entire university for what is a long 4 years of hard work and dedication. For Rayla Clemons, who is known for being a bit shy by her teammates and coaches, her debut was filled with excitement.

“It was when I scored two goals and one of them was on my first shot,” Clemons said. “It wasn’t until I got off the ice and realized what had just happened. It was probably the best way to start my college career.”

A career that is still in progress, as the sophomore forward says it was one of her biggest goals to make it to the collegiate level. In her time at Syracuse so far, she has scored 15 points (6 goals and 9 assists). Her first year was impacted by COVID, but that did not prevent her from winning rookie of the month in November 2020.

Rayla Clemons for Syracuse University (Syracuse Athletics)

Recognized for her blistering speed and strong decision-making, Clemons has proven to be a vital part of head coach Paul Flanagan’s plans.

“[It] doesn’t matter what line she’s playing on, her speed puts other defenseman back on their heels, so she generates a lot,” he said. “She’s not leading the team so much in goals and assists, but what she does is create a lot for her teammates and it’s very noticeable.”

It’s not only on the ice that Clemons has this bond with her teammates; off the ice, they have had the opportunity to form lifelong friendships.

Because of the COVID pandemic, the isolation meant developing her bond with those (physically) closest to her… her teammates. Clemons says those eight months of close bonding created “insane” chemistry in the locker room, which has translated into huge success for the Orange.

Aside from her hard work on the ice, however, Clemons has stood out on every team she has played on since the beginning of her career.

In what has been 15 hockey-filled years, Clemons started playing when she was 5 years old. At Syracuse University, she is the only black athlete on the team, and that is something that she has dealt with her entire life. But Clemons has not let that affect her at all.

“For the most part, on most of my teams, no one really looked at me differently. Even when I was the only girl on an all-boys team they treated me the same,” she said. “If anything [they] just defended me more. Race never came into play. I was always on a team of all white boys or girls.”

In addition to her strong mentality, part of her resilience and dedication comes from her relationship with her father.

Clemons and her dad would embark on what was nearly a 600-mile round-trip drive from their home in Detroit to Pittsburgh each weekend so she could practice with her girls' team. Not only did this intensify her love for the sport, but she was able to bond with her father over hockey.

“I wouldn’t say he’s a huge hockey fan but he’s a huge fan of his kids and all three of us play hockey. If there's a game he will be there cheering us on,” Clemons said.

Rayla Clemons for Syracuse University (Syracuse Athletics)

What remains next is up to Clemons and her team, as they will compete in the CHA Tournament this weekend. After last week’s CHA conference triumph, they’ll be looking to cap off the season in style in Syracuse.

In what will cap off a strong Sophomore season, Clemons wants to become a leader in this team in the next two years.

“I just wanna be that person where younger girls can come to me and feel free to ask me anything,” she said. “So they look up to me and my work ethic both on and off the ice, and just be that genuine person.”

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