United Community Bank Athlete of the Week: DCB’s Jess Wither

BOTTINEAU, N.D. – Making any move can be a major challenge.

In pursuit of her dreams, Jess Wither moved across international borders to play hockey at Dakota College at Bottineau.

Jess moved from Neepawa, Manitoba, leaving behind her parents and two younger sisters.

“This was the first time I’d been away from home for a long period of time without my family, so it was definitely hard to get used to... It was a very welcoming community and welcoming teammates and coaches,” said Jess.

Jess, a sophomore at DCB, was named an assistant captain because of the model she serves as for her teammates.

“Leading by example’s exactly why we put her in that situation.. she’s just a great girl to be around, has a big heart, she’s very constructive,” said coach Reed Loucks.

Jess said she is a “quiet leader,” and prefers to let her actions speak louder than her words.

“She always wants to get better, that girl gets better every day... I hope to stay in touch with her forever, she’s going to do great things,” said Loucks.

Now that her time at DCB is finished, Jess will continue her hockey career at Lindenwood University while working toward a bachelor’s degree in education.

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