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Alumni Spotlight: Kelly Seeler
3/27/2019 4:34:00 PM | Women's Hockey
Gopher alumna Kelly (Seeler) Buchta looks back on her time representing the Maroon & Gold.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The 2018-19 season marked the 22nd season of Gopher women's hockey. Twenty-one years of student-athletes set the foundation for where the program is today, and it's time to reconnect with them. Up next in our alumni spotlight is Kelly (Seeler) Buchta.
Buchta, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn., played for the Gophers from 2008-09 to 2011-12. She appeared in 154 career games for the Maroon & Gold and recorded 62 career points with 15 goals and 47 assists. Find out where life has taken her since her time on the University of Minnesota campus.
Gopher Sports: Where has life taken you since you graduated from the University of Minnesota?
Kelly Buchta: Life after graduating from the University of Minnesota has taken me to so many different places, including continuing my education and hockey career, getting married, spending time with friends and family, traveling, and focusing on enjoying each and everyday.
GS: Where do you currently live/work?
KB: I currently work in an adolescent day treatment program as a mental health professional providing group as well as individual therapy to individuals 6-18 years old struggling with mental health. My husband and I currently live in a home located in the Twin Cities.
GS: What personal or professional accomplishments are you most proud of since you graduated from the University of Minnesota?
KB: Since graduating with my undergrad degree in Child Psychology in 2012, I continued my education, receiving my Masters Degree in Social Work from St. Cloud State University in 2015. I began to work as a group and individual therapist at Therapeutic Services Agency in 2015, while continuing to work towards my independent licensure. In 2018, I achieved my Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker License (LICSW), which allows me to not only practice independently in the field but also shifts my title from a practitioner to a professional.
In addition to my career accomplishments since graduating from the University of Minnesota, my husband and I moved into our first home, got married July 15, 2017, and added to our family by getting a puppy; her name is El. We continue to spend a lot of time up north with our family and friends.
GS: What is your favorite memory about your time as a Gopher on the ice and off the ice?
KB: My favorite memory as a Gopher, on the ice, is winning the national championship in 2012. It was the perfect way to end my playing career at the University of Minnesota, alongside some of my best friends.
I don't know if I can pick just one off ice memory as there are too many to choose from. A couple memories that come to mind include Sarah Erickson (Upton) and I scootering in the rain, taking a wrong turn, and ending up on 35W. As you can imagine, we held up traffic. An abundance of memories are from team travels, spring jam, pranks at our hockey house, and time at the rink.
GS: What are you most proud of from your time as a Gopher?
KB: I am most proud of the group of individuals I met, the education I received, the amount of time spent giving back to the community, and lastly, the success we were able to have as a hockey team.
GS: What advice would you give your college self or the current Gophers?
KB: Advice I would give current players as well as my college self would be to embrace the journey, have fun, and take in each moment. I would encourage players to be mindful each time they step on the ice, each time they look in the stands and see friends and family, and lastly, embrace every opportunity you get to put on the University of Minnesota jersey alongside your teammates. Continue to give back, become involved in the community, and make a difference.
GS: How did your college hockey career help prepare you for life after college?
KB: My hockey career helped me prepare for life after college by teaching me about balance, work ethic, and determination. Like many college athletes, one needs to learn how to balance academics, athletics, and their social life. Although the areas needing balance have shifted, the ability to manage each area of your life is incredibly important in order to have success and happiness. I strive each day to find the right balance for me with my family and friends, career, hobbies, and in all other areas of my life. Additionally, my hockey career continued to reiterate the importance of having a strong work ethic as well as striving for more. It was important to me during my playing career to never be satisfied with my game and always try to improve; not only on the ice but also off the ice. The message remains the same following my playing career, I continue to set goals for myself in my career as well as continue to focus on being the best version of myself in all other areas of my life.
GS: Are you still involved with hockey or sports?
KB: After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2012, I continued to work as a hockey performance coach as well as played on the Minnesota Whitecaps for a number of seasons. I traveled to Belarus, located in Europe, for a week to participate in a tournament, which was an incredible experience. In 2018, I chose to hang up my skates and focus on my career as well as my family. Moving forward, I am hoping to get back on the ice as much as I can as well as continue to give back to the hockey community. But for now, I am enjoying watching my brother play for the Minnesota Wild as well as watching women's hockey grow throughout the state of Minnesota and around the United States.
GS: Who is a Gopher you have enjoyed watching play after you graduated?
KB: I have enjoyed watching a number of Gophers following my playing career. One player that sticks out to me is Hannah Brandt. She is an incredibly talented and skilled individual who had the ability to change the pace of the game and put the puck in the net. Additionally, it has been great to watch some of the girls I have coached in the past, such as Catie Skaja. Also, I continue to watch and cheer for anybody who wears the Number 2 jersey, like Lee Stecklein and Emily Brown.
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Buchta, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn., played for the Gophers from 2008-09 to 2011-12. She appeared in 154 career games for the Maroon & Gold and recorded 62 career points with 15 goals and 47 assists. Find out where life has taken her since her time on the University of Minnesota campus.
Gopher Sports: Where has life taken you since you graduated from the University of Minnesota?
Kelly Buchta: Life after graduating from the University of Minnesota has taken me to so many different places, including continuing my education and hockey career, getting married, spending time with friends and family, traveling, and focusing on enjoying each and everyday.
GS: Where do you currently live/work?
KB: I currently work in an adolescent day treatment program as a mental health professional providing group as well as individual therapy to individuals 6-18 years old struggling with mental health. My husband and I currently live in a home located in the Twin Cities.
GS: What personal or professional accomplishments are you most proud of since you graduated from the University of Minnesota?
KB: Since graduating with my undergrad degree in Child Psychology in 2012, I continued my education, receiving my Masters Degree in Social Work from St. Cloud State University in 2015. I began to work as a group and individual therapist at Therapeutic Services Agency in 2015, while continuing to work towards my independent licensure. In 2018, I achieved my Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker License (LICSW), which allows me to not only practice independently in the field but also shifts my title from a practitioner to a professional.
In addition to my career accomplishments since graduating from the University of Minnesota, my husband and I moved into our first home, got married July 15, 2017, and added to our family by getting a puppy; her name is El. We continue to spend a lot of time up north with our family and friends.
GS: What is your favorite memory about your time as a Gopher on the ice and off the ice?
KB: My favorite memory as a Gopher, on the ice, is winning the national championship in 2012. It was the perfect way to end my playing career at the University of Minnesota, alongside some of my best friends.
I don't know if I can pick just one off ice memory as there are too many to choose from. A couple memories that come to mind include Sarah Erickson (Upton) and I scootering in the rain, taking a wrong turn, and ending up on 35W. As you can imagine, we held up traffic. An abundance of memories are from team travels, spring jam, pranks at our hockey house, and time at the rink.
GS: What are you most proud of from your time as a Gopher?
KB: I am most proud of the group of individuals I met, the education I received, the amount of time spent giving back to the community, and lastly, the success we were able to have as a hockey team.
GS: What advice would you give your college self or the current Gophers?
KB: Advice I would give current players as well as my college self would be to embrace the journey, have fun, and take in each moment. I would encourage players to be mindful each time they step on the ice, each time they look in the stands and see friends and family, and lastly, embrace every opportunity you get to put on the University of Minnesota jersey alongside your teammates. Continue to give back, become involved in the community, and make a difference.
GS: How did your college hockey career help prepare you for life after college?
KB: My hockey career helped me prepare for life after college by teaching me about balance, work ethic, and determination. Like many college athletes, one needs to learn how to balance academics, athletics, and their social life. Although the areas needing balance have shifted, the ability to manage each area of your life is incredibly important in order to have success and happiness. I strive each day to find the right balance for me with my family and friends, career, hobbies, and in all other areas of my life. Additionally, my hockey career continued to reiterate the importance of having a strong work ethic as well as striving for more. It was important to me during my playing career to never be satisfied with my game and always try to improve; not only on the ice but also off the ice. The message remains the same following my playing career, I continue to set goals for myself in my career as well as continue to focus on being the best version of myself in all other areas of my life.
GS: Are you still involved with hockey or sports?
KB: After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2012, I continued to work as a hockey performance coach as well as played on the Minnesota Whitecaps for a number of seasons. I traveled to Belarus, located in Europe, for a week to participate in a tournament, which was an incredible experience. In 2018, I chose to hang up my skates and focus on my career as well as my family. Moving forward, I am hoping to get back on the ice as much as I can as well as continue to give back to the hockey community. But for now, I am enjoying watching my brother play for the Minnesota Wild as well as watching women's hockey grow throughout the state of Minnesota and around the United States.
GS: Who is a Gopher you have enjoyed watching play after you graduated?
KB: I have enjoyed watching a number of Gophers following my playing career. One player that sticks out to me is Hannah Brandt. She is an incredibly talented and skilled individual who had the ability to change the pace of the game and put the puck in the net. Additionally, it has been great to watch some of the girls I have coached in the past, such as Catie Skaja. Also, I continue to watch and cheer for anybody who wears the Number 2 jersey, like Lee Stecklein and Emily Brown.
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