GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – For the first time in East Carolina University’s history, a group of students and faculty are heading to attend the Paralympic Winter Games in Italy.
Fifteen students and two professors enrolled in ECU’s ‘Study Abroad in Disability and Inclusion’ class depart on Wednesday for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. The group will attend multiple Paralympic sports events and visit cities including Venice and Milan.
“We’re going to be learning with the United States Paralympic Committee, meet some of the athletes, so we’re very excited about this trip,” ECU Recreational Therapy Professor Dr. David Loy said.
Before leaving, Dr. Loy brought the class to Carolina Ice Zone to train students on assisting with para hockey transfers and learn about the para ice hockey equipment.
Two members of the Carolina Sled Hockey Team in Raleigh helped students on the ice to learn the sport firsthand.
“It’s really good for them to have this hands-on experience beyond the classroom,” Loy said.
ECU senior Lainie Hancock said the sled hockey session was physically demanding.
“It was a lot of upper body strength, and you really had to have your balance, which I wasn’t used to. I was sliding all over the place,” Hancock said.
Though the sled hockey proved challenging, students like Gabriella Pantaleo said the opportunity helped her appreciate the sport even more.
“This class and experience are helping me to get the opportunity to learn more about some adaptive sports on a worldwide level,” Pantaleo said.
Students also tested the first prototype of the “Rink Ramp,” a device developed at ECU designed to smooth the transition for players getting onto the ice.
“It has synthetic ice on it, and it’s an opportunity for them to have more independence and to hopefully get out and play more para hockey,” Loy said.
Hancock said the trip to the Paralympics connects directly to her career goals.
“I want to be an adaptive ski instructor one day, and so seeing the sled hockey and the way that they’re set up just like an adaptive ski is — it’s just getting ready for the future and me working with adaptive sports,” she said.
The class is scheduled to return on March 12, as they trade their warm spring break for winter.
The Milano Cortina Paralympic Winter Games go from March 6 through March 15. Coverage is available on NBC Sports, NBCU, Peacock, and Paralympic.org.
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