Stefanie Marty expected her Syracuse teammates to swarm her when she returned from the Olympics. Authentic Swiss chocolate has a way of attracting a crowd, and Marty brought enough back to feed an entire busload of college hockey players.

Considering how fast the chocolate disappeared, it seemed like a reasonable thought. But the candy turned out to be just an added perk.

The first Winter Olympian in SU history, fresh off a sterling performance on the world’s greatest stage, was back in town. Marty was the main attraction. Between bites of chocolate, of course.

‘I got back and everyone says they are so proud of you,’ said Marty, a junior from Nussbaumen, Switzerland. ‘Sports in Europe don’t play a big role like here. You come here and there is hockey everywhere, sports everywhere. At home, people say, ‘Really, women’s hockey? That exists?’ No one really takes notice.”

No one really takes notice of women’s ice hockey in Syracuse, either. At least at this point. The Orange completed its second season in existence Saturday by losing to No. 1 Mercyhurst in the CHA championship game. It finished the year at 18-17-1, doubling its win total from its inaugural campaign.

Understandably, the newest team on campus demonstrated its improvement to little fanfare. But Marty’s departure may turn out to be the turning point for a program still searching for an identity.

Marty tallied nine goals during the tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia. She became just the third woman to notch eight or more scores in a single Olympics.

As her points total continued to climb, so did her celebrity. Television commentators began talking about Marty’s other life, as an assistant captain for Syracuse. Suddenly, SU became relevant worldwide in the realm of women’s hockey.

For an infant program, Marty’s play in Vancouver, along with a few well-placed remarks by NBC announcers, could accelerate the Orange’s ascension to national prominence.

‘It’s the best PR you can ask for — to have your school’s name broadcast during the Olympics,’ SU head coach Paul Flanagan said. ‘It’s NBC and MSNBC! Everybody is watching.’

Flanagan spent all season preparing for the loss of his best player to the Winter Olympics. He came to dread the moment as it grew near.

It was the timing of it. And the inevitability.

Marty was leaving for Vancouver during a crucial stretch of games at the end of the Orange’s schedule, with postseason seeding on the line. Her allegiances remained with the Swiss national team, for whom she has played since 2003. The prospect of playing in her second Olympics was too alluring to sacrifice. Syracuse would have to trek on without her.

Not an easy feat, considering her talent. Marty tied for the SU team lead in goals (16) despite playing in just 30 games.

Marty’s absence felt interminable at the time. The season does not take a break during the Olympics. This is not the NHL. She said most American and Canadian players in her position leave school for an entire year to practice with their national teams. Things in Switzerland don’t quite work that way.

She left Syracuse for a month. The Orange lost a pair of games to CHA foes Niagara and Robert Morris by a single goal during that stretch. One more win would have propelled SU to a second-place finish in the conference.

Flanagan couldn’t help but wonder what could have been.

‘For us, a younger program, it’s harder when a key player leaves for a few weeks,’ Flanagan said. ‘There’s a pretty big gap there. We knew she was going to be leaving, but it’s tough to prepare.’

Marty tried her best to stay connected with Syracuse from Vancouver. She e-mailed back and forth with friends and teammates whenever she could between games and practices.

Even if she couldn’t follow each game, she didn’t forget about her Orange teammates. The day after the Swiss team was eliminated from medal contention, ultimately finishing fifth overall, Marty went out shopping in Vancouver, searching for gifts to bring home.

Despite her best intentions, it was hard not to be swept into an Olympic fervor. Even though she played in Torino, Italy, in 2006, the Vancouver experience was more exciting.

‘Hockey is bigger in Canada than in Europe,’ Marty said. ‘The fans were just crazy the whole time. Personally, I was able to enjoy it more.’

To Marty’s teammates, not having their best player for a month almost didn’t matter. Seeing Marty play on the world’s grandest stage made it worthwhile. A team comprised of players almost exclusively from the U.S. and Canada all cheered together for Switzerland when Marty walked with her country in the opening ceremonies.

And in the back of their minds, they recognized what Marty’s performance could mean for the future of the program. If SU can do this well this quickly without an established track record to attract recruits, imagine the possibilities in the future. Marty’s Olympic experience can lead to a batch of standout prospects.

‘Every time she scored everyone got more excited. She’s like famous now,’ senior defender Gabby Beaudry said. ‘… Obviously it’s epic, and she’s getting our name out there, and with class. It’s awesome.’

Suddenly, national contention doesn’t seem as far away. Marty may be just the beginning.

Jared Diamond is the sports columnist for The Daily Orange, where his column appears weekly. He can be reached at jediamon@syr.edu.

Published on March 8, 2010 at 12:00 pm