As the class of 2024 is reaching their final seasons of high school sports, college coaches are looking for players who are going to add value to their teams. Drew Stewart, a junior at Benilde-St.Margrets, recently decided to further his education and play D1 hockey at the University of Notre Dame.

Stewart has had a passion for hockey from a young age. “I started playing in Florida with the Florida Junior Panthers… My family has always been pretty involved in hockey, so they got me into it and I’ve just loved it ever since,” Stewart said.

He has been playing on the Varsity Boys Hockey team for the past three years, which has helped him advance in his hockey career. “We have a great coaching staff, and our team has always been good…They’ve helped push me, like in practice and in games. Playing with good players definitely helps me to be better,” Stewart said.

Playing hockey in college has always been a goal of Stweart’s and Notre Dame’s campus made him realize that this positive environment would be good for him. “From the moment I went on my visit, I felt a really good connection with the community and the coaches and I found that it would be a really good fit for me to someday go to school and play hockey there,” Stewart said.

There has been many things that have influenced Stewart’s career but family has been one of the biggest. “I think my parents for sure have had the most impact on my hockey career and just the amount of time and money they’ve invested into me being the best that I can has gone a long way. [They are] Always willing and looking for ways to help me out,” Stewart said.

Stewart plans to go on and play junior hockey before officially starting at Notre Dame. “I’m planning on at least a year or two of juniors and just trying to get bigger, stronger, more prepared for the college level so that when I go in, I can make an impact right away,” Stewart said.

In the future, Stewart hopes to continue playing hockey throughout his adult years. “I want to play for as long as I can and at the highest level that I can, so I can reach my full potential. I feel [like I] could be pro one day, and that’s my goal. I don’t just want to play but also be a high impact player in the pro league,” Stewart said.