Remembering Julia Hockey Mazur ’24
When men’s ice hockey faced off against crosstown rival King’s College on Feb. 14, the team played to win. But they also played to honor the memory of their friend, Julia Hockey Mazur ’24.
“They mean everything to me,” says Julia’s mother, Carey Mazur, of Colonels men’s ice hockey. “They were so good to my daughter. She absolutely loved the team, and for them to still be remembering her and doing things to honor her, it’s just heartwarming.”
The event featured a ceremonial puck drop and basket raffle. The Colonels skated away with two wins, outscoring their opponents 5-3 and raising more than $1,300 for the Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation.
Julia Mazur died in November 2023, just months after a diagnosis of stage four metastatic melanoma. She was a double major in marketing and sports management at Wilkes, and Carey Mazur accepted her degree posthumously at commencement. Julia Mazur served as the equipment manager for the Wilkes men’s ice hockey team and worked on the ice crew for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. A vital member of the local hockey community, she demonstrated her passion for the sport by legally changing her name to Julia Hockey Mazur.
That passion was apparent to all who knew her. “Julia was an above and beyonder,” says Tyler Hynes, head coach of the men’s ice hockey team. “She didn’t just do things, she did them at a really high level. She was fighting her own fight and still wanted to do more.”
The Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation honors that tenacious spirit with a goal to embrace and embody her positivity, compassion and joy. Julia’s Kindness Crew lends a helping hand to those dealing with illness and other unexpected situations. Proceeds raised go to fund gift bags for cancer patients, as well as books and other items for local college students dealing with cancer.
“We do a little bit of everything,” says Carey Mazur. “It’s just crazy the amount of people who have supported us and who we now try to support.”
According to Coach Hynes, the Colonels plan to keep up their support, taking the ice each year for the Julia Hockey Mazur Memorial Game. “We’ll continue to make sure her mom and family know that Julia will never be forgotten.”
For more information about the foundation, visit juliahockeymazurfoundation.com or follow the organization on Facebook.