Charlotte Sonntag Is Leaving Holy Cross As A Record-Setter — The PWHL Could Be Next

Charlotte Sonntag had a childhood that saw her move among several ski towns, but one constant in her life was her love of hockey. Now, with the PWHL Draft on the horizon, Sonntag is on the verge of joining a league that continues to draw remarkable crowds of die-hard, passionate fans.

"Honestly, I don't think it's quite hit me yet," Sonntag said. "I know I'm super excited for the opportunity, but I'm also very nervous because it's all the best players in the world. I mean, you look on social media ,and you see all these posts of them selling out stadiums, and the impact that they've made on the hockey world, and the growth that they've had. Even just having that opportunity to potentially be a part of that is beyond incredible for me."

Sonntag, who calls Sun Valley, Idaho, home, is wrapping up her career at Holy Cross, where she double-majored in chemistry and economics, and will leave a legacy in the program's record books. Sonntag is the first Holy Cross player to record a hat trick, holds the most single-game goals in Crusader Hockey East Era history (3), and has balanced that out with strong performances in the classroom, being named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team three consecutive seasons.

Leaving that lasting impact behind at Holy Cross is something she reflects on fondly. Still, for Sonntag, there is one person she owes it all to: her older sister Katie, who spent her collegiate career at Union College before also playing professionally in Switzerland. With her, Sonntag says, she has become the player she is today.

"Having her kind of be that sole mentor for me my entire life has been one of the most incredible experiences that I've had," said Sonntag. "She's four years older than me, so she went through everything. It's honestly just so nice to have that person that you can turn to for everything."

Having someone she can turn to for advice about anything has impacted her life in a meaningful way and has helped lead Sonntag to this moment, where she is on the verge of hearing her name called at the 2026 PWHL Draft. While there is understandable excitement for this next chapter, Sonntag also recognizes that this is a moment so many women have looked forward to throughout their careers.

"The dream is to play at a sold-out stadium like that," she said. "Just being able to skate out there and see the crowd full like that, I think that's what almost any hockey player wants to do. So it absolutely has added some fuel to the fire just to even think about that opportunity. That's what I want, and that's what I'm working towards and driving towards."