Claudia Castellanos playing for Spains against Netherlands at the 2025 Women's Ice Hockey Qualification, in Sheffield (Great Britain).
photo: International Ice Hockey Federation
Claudia Castellanos is making history. The Spanish forward is poised to become her country’s first ever player in NCAA Division I hockey. She’s committed to Lindenwood University in Missouri for the 2025/26 season, following impressive performances with Newark Ironbound in AAA juniors, where she plundered 80 (28+52) points in 58 games last season.
The 18-year-old is also a prolific scorer in international play. She had a tournament leading 11 goals and 14 points in last year’s Women’s U18 Division IB, helping Spain to a silver medal.
That kind of form offers a handy boost to Spain’s hopes in its upcoming Women’s World Championship Division IIA campaign, which starts in Poland on April 7.
More than that, it’s proof that Spanish talent can reach a high level on the ice despite the country’s reputation as a sunseekers’ paradise rather than a hotbed of winter sports.
“Everyone was like ‘wait, Spain has ice?’,” Castellanos said during Spain’s recent Olympic Qualification tournament in Sheffield. “People just didn’t believe that someone from Spain could get to NCAA I. It was just crazy to even think about it.”
But with hard work, skill and dedication, even the craziest dreams can come true. Now Claudia is hoping she can be the first of many Spanish prospects to get to the pinnacle of the college game.
“I feel like a bit of a leader for other Spanish players,” she said. “When the news came out, I got so many texts from other people who are hoping to do this. They were talking about how they’ve followed my career because they want to go to the NCAA too.
“Every girl here is dreaming of that, or of playing in a pro league.”
None of that happens without hard work behind the scenes to develop Spanish hockey at all levels. Over the past decade or so, the country has worked tirelessly to upgrade its arenas and host international tournaments. That process touched Castellanos’ hometown of Valdemoro, near Madrid, where the local rink got an upgrade back in 2015 as Spain’s men hosted an Olympic qualification tournament. That’s the kind of backstage work that helps encourage more youngsters into the game and now, a decade later, Castellanos represents a return on that investment.
“I think there are more opportunities in Spain now,” she said. “People have worked hard to make that happen. We are seeing more girls coming to try and play the game, more chances for people to get into the sport. That’s really good for us.”
As the game gets bigger at home, more players are spreading the word beyond the Iberian Peninsula. Defender Valeria Ansoleaga is already playing in the NCAA with Lawrence University in Division III. And the Olympic qualification roster also included Indira Bosch and Vega Munoz, both of whom are based in Sweden, plus Nerea Gimenez of Switzerland’s Lausanne Feminin and Leyre Villar of the Salzburg Eagles in the EWHL.
Each of them serves as a trailblazer, showing that Spanish girls can play and encouraging more take-up back home.
There’s still more to do, though. The Olympic qualification event in December was a struggle for Spain. Up against opposition from Division I, Juan Bravo’s team lost all three games.
But Castellanos is hopeful that the experience will help in Poland, when Spain looks to win promotion to Division IB. She’s seen first-hand how playing higher quality opposition has enhanced her game, improving her skating and stick-handling since crossing the Atlantic. And she believes that December’s difficulties will bring a reward in April.
“We’re hoping that we go through the worst to get better,” she said. “The teams [in Olympic qualification] were harder. When we play against better teams, we have to go harder and learn to play smarter.”
Apply those lessons in Poland, and Castellanos could help Spain improve on back-to-back silver medals to secure promotion to World Championship Division IB for the first time ever. With one dream coming true in the NCAA, could she be part of another historic first?
The 18-year-old is also a prolific scorer in international play. She had a tournament leading 11 goals and 14 points in last year’s Women’s U18 Division IB, helping Spain to a silver medal.
That kind of form offers a handy boost to Spain’s hopes in its upcoming Women’s World Championship Division IIA campaign, which starts in Poland on April 7.
More than that, it’s proof that Spanish talent can reach a high level on the ice despite the country’s reputation as a sunseekers’ paradise rather than a hotbed of winter sports.
“Everyone was like ‘wait, Spain has ice?’,” Castellanos said during Spain’s recent Olympic Qualification tournament in Sheffield. “People just didn’t believe that someone from Spain could get to NCAA I. It was just crazy to even think about it.”
But with hard work, skill and dedication, even the craziest dreams can come true. Now Claudia is hoping she can be the first of many Spanish prospects to get to the pinnacle of the college game.
“I feel like a bit of a leader for other Spanish players,” she said. “When the news came out, I got so many texts from other people who are hoping to do this. They were talking about how they’ve followed my career because they want to go to the NCAA too.
“Every girl here is dreaming of that, or of playing in a pro league.”
None of that happens without hard work behind the scenes to develop Spanish hockey at all levels. Over the past decade or so, the country has worked tirelessly to upgrade its arenas and host international tournaments. That process touched Castellanos’ hometown of Valdemoro, near Madrid, where the local rink got an upgrade back in 2015 as Spain’s men hosted an Olympic qualification tournament. That’s the kind of backstage work that helps encourage more youngsters into the game and now, a decade later, Castellanos represents a return on that investment.
“I think there are more opportunities in Spain now,” she said. “People have worked hard to make that happen. We are seeing more girls coming to try and play the game, more chances for people to get into the sport. That’s really good for us.”
As the game gets bigger at home, more players are spreading the word beyond the Iberian Peninsula. Defender Valeria Ansoleaga is already playing in the NCAA with Lawrence University in Division III. And the Olympic qualification roster also included Indira Bosch and Vega Munoz, both of whom are based in Sweden, plus Nerea Gimenez of Switzerland’s Lausanne Feminin and Leyre Villar of the Salzburg Eagles in the EWHL.
Each of them serves as a trailblazer, showing that Spanish girls can play and encouraging more take-up back home.
There’s still more to do, though. The Olympic qualification event in December was a struggle for Spain. Up against opposition from Division I, Juan Bravo’s team lost all three games.
But Castellanos is hopeful that the experience will help in Poland, when Spain looks to win promotion to Division IB. She’s seen first-hand how playing higher quality opposition has enhanced her game, improving her skating and stick-handling since crossing the Atlantic. And she believes that December’s difficulties will bring a reward in April.
“We’re hoping that we go through the worst to get better,” she said. “The teams [in Olympic qualification] were harder. When we play against better teams, we have to go harder and learn to play smarter.”
Apply those lessons in Poland, and Castellanos could help Spain improve on back-to-back silver medals to secure promotion to World Championship Division IB for the first time ever. With one dream coming true in the NCAA, could she be part of another historic first?