Women’s hockey announces addition of AMBER Esterbrooks for 2025-26 season

Lancer women’s hockey head coach Deanna Iwanicka has announced the commitment of Amber Esterbrooks for the 2025-26 season.

Esterbrooks, a forward from Alliston, Ontario, currently plays for the OWHA Central York Panthers U22AA. She began playing hockey at four years old and started her career with the Barrie Sharks before moving to play with North York and the Clearview Ice Cats. Esterbrooks won two LLFHL Championships and two OWHA Provincial bronze medals with those teams. She then played with the Central York Panthers U18AA before moving up to play on the U22AA team.

“Amber is the real deal!,” exclaimed Iwanicka. “We expect her to be a great future Lancer who will bring all the right qualities to building a championship program.”

When asked about why she chose the Lancers, Esterbrooks commented, “While exploring the campus and experiencing firsthand what the hockey program and the university had to offer, I knew that the University of Windsor was the perfect fit for me. I felt welcomed when visiting, making me feel excited and less nervous. When I met the team and some faculty members, it was clear that everyone was very close, like a big family, and they shared the team culture. I am very excited to join the Lancers in September of 2025”.

Amber credits her family and hockey family for her career. Her parents, Vicki and Brian, and her sister Marisa are the reason that she began playing and their support has helped her get to where she is today. Esterbrook said that she is “also thankful to all [her] coaches and teammates who have made [her] hockey career memorable, provided support, and helped enjoy the game on and off the ice.”

Welcome to the Lancer family Amber, and we look forward to seeing you on the ice in 2025!