Griffins add character, leadership in talented St. Mary's Academy captain Mattheos
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – It didn't take long into her recruiting tour for the Griffins women's hockey roster to warm up to Letta Mattheos.
"She came out (for a visit) and when our girls got a chance to meet her, they were singing her praises – they couldn't say enough about how outgoing of a person she was and how genuine she seemed," said Griffins interim head coach Chris Leeming of the Winnipeg product who has committed to MacEwan for the 2023-24 Canada West season.
Serving as captain of St. Mary's Academy Prep in the CSSHL, Mattheos exudes the character and commitment on and off the ice that will lend itself to success as a U SPORTS student-athlete.
"She was on the leadership group as an assistant and then was captain this last year," said Leeming. "She also demonstrated her academic prowess over her time at St. Mary's, which is a very high-standard academic school."
Mattheos made the Honour Roll in all six of years at the academy.
"In speaking with her coach, she's just a phenomenal human being and getting the opportunity to meet her and her parents, I can definitely vouch for that," said Leeming. "I'm excited to add her to the roster.
"Their coach was describing some of her community service initiatives that she implemented on her own – not even team directed – and that's exciting for me," he added. "With the way we're looking at growing our program here, the community engagement piece is going to be big."
Mattheos is also the right kind of player on the ice as a strong 200-foot forward with unrelenting work ethic. She finished eighth in scoring at St. Mary's in 2022-23 with eight goals and 18 points in 30 games, adding two points in three playoff contests.
"On the ice, she just works," said Leeming. "That's a common theme with a lot of players here is we need people with the right work ethic. I think she has that in spades."
