Biederman’s Storied Colgate Career

It was the summer of 2022, and Elyssa Biederman ’26 was approaching the start of her first year at Colgate, when she told her coaches about her goals as a Raider.

There was one goal in particular that stood out to her coaches. Biederman, a promising recruit out of Franklin, Mich., wanted to become more than a great Raider; she wanted to be a program-changing player.

Her coaches were impressed with her ambition, and didn’t have to wait too long to watch it unfold. She quickly emerged as a standout, holding her own on a team filled with exceptional talent, and finished her rookie season with 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points — a program record for points for a first-year.

It was the start of a storied career for Biederman, a career that includes winning two conference titles, booking three trips to the NCAA Tournament, notching victories over some of the best programs in the country, and adding her name to the maroon-and-white history books on more than one occasion. 

“Looking back, I’ve been really proud of the player I have been throughout my four years and the things that I’ve accomplished, as well as each team accomplishment, too,” Biederman said.

Her achievements on the ice, however, cover only part of Biederman’s success at Colgate. While the reputation of Colgate Women’s Hockey was one reason she signed with the Raiders, another was the opportunity to study at a top liberal arts institution.

Hockey has always been an integral part of Biederman’s life, but so has education. At Colgate, she became a biology and sociology double major. And in the process, she made the best of every opportunity to better herself and enrich her college experience.

Looking back at her college experience, Biederman said she’s achieved everything on her list. 

“I think as the years continued, I had new goals every year,” she said. “But my freshman year goals were to become a program-changing player, get a degree in STEM, and figure out what I want to do with my life. I feel like I have accomplished all three things and surprised myself with even more.”

It was one of the toughest courses she had ever taken. But it played a huge role in shaping Biederman’s future.

Biederman was a junior when she signed up for Vertebrate Physiology Lab (BIOL 318L), a course where students learn about bodily systems and how they are connected. 

While the subject was fascinating, it proved to be more complicated and demanding than Biederman expected, forcing her to devote long hours to studying and working one-on-one with her instructor, associate professor of biology Ana Jimenez.

When Biederman was a first-year, her plan was to become a doctor, following in the steps of her parents, who are both physicians. But she also wanted to play professional hockey after Colgate.

She wasn’t sure if it was possible to do both, especially if she played hockey into her 30s. Doing so meant she’d have to start medical school much later in life.

As a result, she scrapped her plans of becoming a doctor, and continued with her biology major while she considered other careers. 

Her experience in Vertebrate Physiology Lab rekindled her interest in medicine, although now she started looking at other jobs in the medical profession. Her parents suggested she consider becoming a physician’s assistant. Biederman was quickly sold on the idea.

“That was one of the hardest but most impactful classes I’ve ever taken,” Biederman said. “It made me realize I wanted a career in a hospital setting.”

Along with tackling two majors and finding the right career path, Biederman has been immersed in research. As a junior, she and a few teammates joined a study that examined the head impacts of female college hockey players and its correlation with the gut microbiome.

Her work in that project has now become the focus of her senior seminar, a course that is necessary to meet the requirements of her degree in biology.

“That has been a really awesome project to be a part of,” she said. “Being in the lab and doing different things. I’ve extracted DNA. I’ve learned my way around the lab.”

In addition, she’s completing a second senior seminar for sociology. This project focuses on the coach-athlete relationship and the effects on the mental health of female student-athletes.

Along with taking courses across different subjects, Biederman expanded her knowledge of medicine last summer when she completed an internship at Michigan State’s medical school. Her work involved studying chronic cardiovascular diseases.

Biederman has been busy off the ice. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“I’ve had a really balanced experience at Colgate,” she said. “I tried to take advantage of all the resources here. After four years, I’ve become a better person. I have found things I love and I’m passionate for.”

Biederman had a weekend for the ages.

After recording a hat trick and two assists against St. Lawrence in January, she followed up the performance the next day with a four-point (two goals, two assists) game, helping the Raiders to a win over Clarkson.

Somewhere in the middle of her nine-point weekend, Biederman made history by becoming the third Raider to record 100 career assists.

But that’s not all. Biederman began the 2025-26 season ranked No. 6 all-time in program scoring. Now she’s climbed to third with 71 goals and 109 assists for 180 points.

The only Raiders ahead of her are two former teammates in Danielle Serdachny and Kristyna Kaltounkova, who are ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively. Both of them are playing in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). 

Biederman credits her success to playing alongside great scorers.

“Every individual accomplishment is really a team accomplishment,” she said. “I’ve played with so many great players who made scoring and assisting an easy task. The milestones go to them as well.”

Other highlights from her career include scoring two goals and an assist in the ECAC Championship game against Clarkson as a first-year, making one trip to the Frozen Four, and representing the U.S. in the Collegiate Select Series.

While she’s gearing up for another postseason as a Raider, she’s also thinking of a career in the PWHL.

“I want to finish this season as best as we can and enjoy my last games with this team and this coaching staff,” she said. “But the PWHL is where my future is headed.

“I love our team and I love our staff,” she said. “I’m proud to be a Raider.”

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