Whitney Basso has officially made the leap.

One of the countless northern Ontario hockey products who have made their way to the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) chasing their on-ice dreams, Basso would see her efforts rewarded in spades this summer.

A 16 year-old defenceman entering grade 11 at Holy Trinity CSS in Courtice, Basso is beginning her fourth season away from home this fall, suiting up with the two-time defending Ontario Women’s Hockey League U22 Elite (OWHL) champion Etobicoke Dolphins.

Leaving behind teammates from the Sudbury Novice Lady Wolves (2017-2018), Nickel City Coyotes and Jr Sons (2018-2020) and Nickel City AAA Sons (2022-2023), Basso has spent the past three years split between the Durham West U15 Lightning girls (2023-2025) and the Whitby U22 Wolves last year.

To suggest it has all been worthwhile would be an incredible understatement.

After committing to the Northeastern University Howlin Huskies in early July, the smooth-skating blueliner more than justified the faith shown in her by the Boston-based NCAA program that enters 2026-2027 ranked fourth in the country by cracking the National Women’s U18 team that also featured the Sault Ste Marie tandem of Maija St Pierre (goalie) and Skylar Ruschpler (forward).

Suiting up for all three games of a showdown series in Vancouver with the United States, Basso returns to Ontario on an unequivocal high. “I walked away really happy,” she said. “I was happy just to make the roster. I was really happy with how much I played; I got a lot more ice time than I was anticipating.”

“I liked how they let me play my game,” Basso continued. “Honestly, I liked everything about the whole experience.”

Currently 5’6” and not likely to add more than an inch or two to that frame, at best, the Sudbury-born daughter of OCAA Hall of Fame volleyball talent Dolly (Beausoleil) Basso (Cambrian volleyball) is best known for her offensive prowess – though she has teetered somewhat in terms of her particular area of emphasis over the years.

Notwithstanding her initial foray with the girls, boys AA/AAA hockey had pegged her into a given slot among the backend brigade. “When I was playing with the boys, I was more of a “stay at home” D,” said Basso. That would change as she ventured south to join the U15 Durham West girls team.

“I really liked playing with my Durham West team a lot,” said the talented rearguard who helped lead the squad to back to back provincial titles. “That’s where I learned to be more offensive. They pushed me out of my comfort zone to be more offensive.”

With hours upon hours spent on fine-tuning her skating and stickhandling and shooting, Basso realized that when it came to being inserted directly in the midst of a best on best Team Canada setting, it was an all-around game that she most needed to showcase.

“I really focused on my defensive game,” said Basso, looking back on the early August selection camp that would see a bracket of an even dozen defenceman, all born in 2009 or 2010 (Basso is among the younger of the two) whittled down to a group of eight chosen to face their arch rivals to the south.

“I wanted them to trust me, to be somebody they could rely on. I wasn’t trying to be flashy; I was just trying to gain trust.”

Playing into her hand, to some extent, was the noticeable trend at the high-end of women’s hockey to loosen the guidelines as it involves the notions of body contact and body checking.

“Whenever I play quality defense, I am more of a physical player,” said Basso. “I noticed that they were letting a lot more body contact go. There were not a lot of body checking penalties being called, so I could use my body to get between them and the puck.”

While open ice checks remain a no-no and there is caution to be used when deciding just how forcefully to squeeze an opponent into the boards – much like the boys game – the freedom to now play a one v one or to deal with the challenge of defensive containment has tilted to give defenders more of a fighting chance.

“I didn’t really adjust my game,” said Basso. “I just hope that I won’t be called.”

That said, the calls that Whitney Basso did receive this summer, whether from Hockey Canada officials or the coaching staff at Northeastern University, were calls that she was more than happy to take.