Meet the Newcomers: Tella Jungels
6/25/2020 8:30:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Tella Jungels joins the Golden Gophers as a freshman forward from Edina, Minn.
MINNEAPOLIS – The Golden Gopher women's hockey team welcomes eight newcomers to the team for the 2020-21 season, including Tella Jungels, a left-handed freshman forward from Edina, Minn. Jungels shares how she got into hockey, how she chose the University of Minnesota, and more.
Gopher Sports: How did you first get into hockey?
Tella Jungels: My dad played hockey, and my brothers started playing when they were little. I was a figure skater. I was kind of mad at my mom because she wouldn't let me play hockey until I kept begging. I got into it because of my brothers. I wanted to be like them.
GS: What's your earliest hockey memory?
TJ: I remember rollerblading around in my backyard. That's one of my earliest memories related to hockey. Then I remember when I first started playing mites with a group of girls. I played with girls when I was in mites, then I played in a boys' league, and then I went back to girls hockey. I kind-of flip-flopped.
GS: When did you realize that playing at the Division I level was a realistic possibility for you?
TJ: Probably when I hit U-15s or when I started HP because that's when everybody starts talking about it. I thought, 'I could do this. I want to do this!' I decided it was what I wanted to do. Hockey really became my number one at that point, even though I think it already was. That was probably a couple years before high school, around seventh or eighth grade when I really decided I was going to try to do it.
GS: What other sports did you play growing up?
TJ: I played tennis and lacrosse, and I ran cross country. I took lessons in golf, but I don't really count that because I wasn't very good. Those were my main sports other than hockey.
GS: What was it about hockey that made you choose to focus on it and pursue it at the next level?
TJ: I definitely liked the team aspect and getting to be with other people all of the time and just knowing that my brothers played and my sister played too, so I always got to play with her. The team was a big thing for me.
GS: Would you describe yourself as a naturally competitive person or does it come out when you play?
TJ: I'm not generally a competitive person. It definitely comes out more when I'm playing hockey. In general, I'm pretty laid back. Definitely in games, and even in practices, it'll come out. Some people are competitive about everything, and I'm not that way at all.
GS: What was your high school hockey experience like at Edina? What stands out the most about winning back-to-back state titles?
TJ: It was really fun. My 10th grade year was my first year because we were stacked my freshman year and there weren't any sports open. It was super fun though. It was nice having a coach who knew what she was doing (in Sami Reber). She was super positive. She was a really good coach. Being able to play with the best people and against the best people was really helpful in making me better and our team better, obviously. We got to win a couple state championships along the way, so that was good, too!
Probably the biggest standout is winning state the second time because we won it in overtime, and I was on the ice. I was able to help out with that goal and be on the ice in the celebration instead of having to hop the bench. That's probably the memory that stands out the most specifically.
GS: What was it like being a senior this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic?
TJ: We were really lucky just to finish our season. We were cutting it close there, but that was nice to be able to finish. Obviously not being able to go to school or see my friends or do things like go on spring break, or have our elite league games or graduation ceremony, or even just getting to be on campus, was kind of a bummer. You have to expect the unexpected though – it was kind-of good preparation for life I guess!
GS: What are some things you did with your time this spring that you wouldn't normally do?
TJ: I like to read, so I got some time to do that. I was still in school obviously, so I had that going on. I didn't do that much. It was a lot of family bonding. We did a paint by numbers thing for Mother's Day, so that was kind of nice and something I had never done before.
GS: How did you choose the University of Minnesota?
TJ: I grew up going to the games with all of my teams, so that was where I wanted to go. Everyone wants to go there – why wouldn't you?! Since I was little, I've wanted to be a Gopher. It's close to home. It's a great school obviously, and the team has been so successful. Vivian, my sister, was a big factor too because I knew she would end up at the U. I wanted to play with my sister instead of going somewhere far away. If I didn't end up at the U, I probably would have gone out east and I didn't know if I wanted to do that.
GS: What's your relationship like with your three siblings?
TJ: We're all very different. Everyone thinks me and Vivian are really similar, but we are complete opposites. She's quiet and more reserved, and I'm more outgoing. She definitely has the competitive edge, but that's fine because I'm more laid back. Jett plays hockey too. He's at Northern Michigan. He's kind of goofy. He's competitive too; I'm probably the least competitive. And Chase doesn't play hockey anymore, but he's at the U going to school. We're all pretty close.
GS: Who is your hockey role model?
TJ: Definitely as a pro, I would say Dani Cameranesi. She is kind-of a smaller player like me, so I've wanted to model my play after her. She's what I strive to play like. In high school, when I was younger on the team I really looked up to the seniors, including Emily Oden and Aliyah Lance – she doesn't play anymore – but just trying to be like them when I was a senior.
GS: Do you know what you want to major in or what career path you hope to pursue?
TJ: I'm thinking something in the sciences to ultimately go pre-med. I just need to see if it's realistic. I don't like business, so I knew I wouldn't want to do that. I've always liked science and being able to do stuff with that, along with helping people – that's kind of what medicine is all about.
GS: What's one part of your game that you're confident in and one part you want to work on more?
TJ: Something I'm looking forward to working on more is definitely strength because I'm pretty weak. I try really hard, but it's hard to build muscle! That's definitely one thing I'll need to work on. Then, this isn't really an ability, it's more like a mindset, but I have a good work ethic. I'm not one to whine or complain about working hard or doing extra skating. I'm pretty confident in getting in the dirty areas and go the extra step.
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Gopher Sports: How did you first get into hockey?
Tella Jungels: My dad played hockey, and my brothers started playing when they were little. I was a figure skater. I was kind of mad at my mom because she wouldn't let me play hockey until I kept begging. I got into it because of my brothers. I wanted to be like them.
GS: What's your earliest hockey memory?
TJ: I remember rollerblading around in my backyard. That's one of my earliest memories related to hockey. Then I remember when I first started playing mites with a group of girls. I played with girls when I was in mites, then I played in a boys' league, and then I went back to girls hockey. I kind-of flip-flopped.
GS: When did you realize that playing at the Division I level was a realistic possibility for you?
TJ: Probably when I hit U-15s or when I started HP because that's when everybody starts talking about it. I thought, 'I could do this. I want to do this!' I decided it was what I wanted to do. Hockey really became my number one at that point, even though I think it already was. That was probably a couple years before high school, around seventh or eighth grade when I really decided I was going to try to do it.
GS: What other sports did you play growing up?
TJ: I played tennis and lacrosse, and I ran cross country. I took lessons in golf, but I don't really count that because I wasn't very good. Those were my main sports other than hockey.
GS: What was it about hockey that made you choose to focus on it and pursue it at the next level?
TJ: I definitely liked the team aspect and getting to be with other people all of the time and just knowing that my brothers played and my sister played too, so I always got to play with her. The team was a big thing for me.
GS: Would you describe yourself as a naturally competitive person or does it come out when you play?
TJ: I'm not generally a competitive person. It definitely comes out more when I'm playing hockey. In general, I'm pretty laid back. Definitely in games, and even in practices, it'll come out. Some people are competitive about everything, and I'm not that way at all.
GS: What was your high school hockey experience like at Edina? What stands out the most about winning back-to-back state titles?
TJ: It was really fun. My 10th grade year was my first year because we were stacked my freshman year and there weren't any sports open. It was super fun though. It was nice having a coach who knew what she was doing (in Sami Reber). She was super positive. She was a really good coach. Being able to play with the best people and against the best people was really helpful in making me better and our team better, obviously. We got to win a couple state championships along the way, so that was good, too!
Probably the biggest standout is winning state the second time because we won it in overtime, and I was on the ice. I was able to help out with that goal and be on the ice in the celebration instead of having to hop the bench. That's probably the memory that stands out the most specifically.
GS: What was it like being a senior this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic?
TJ: We were really lucky just to finish our season. We were cutting it close there, but that was nice to be able to finish. Obviously not being able to go to school or see my friends or do things like go on spring break, or have our elite league games or graduation ceremony, or even just getting to be on campus, was kind of a bummer. You have to expect the unexpected though – it was kind-of good preparation for life I guess!
GS: What are some things you did with your time this spring that you wouldn't normally do?
TJ: I like to read, so I got some time to do that. I was still in school obviously, so I had that going on. I didn't do that much. It was a lot of family bonding. We did a paint by numbers thing for Mother's Day, so that was kind of nice and something I had never done before.
GS: How did you choose the University of Minnesota?
TJ: I grew up going to the games with all of my teams, so that was where I wanted to go. Everyone wants to go there – why wouldn't you?! Since I was little, I've wanted to be a Gopher. It's close to home. It's a great school obviously, and the team has been so successful. Vivian, my sister, was a big factor too because I knew she would end up at the U. I wanted to play with my sister instead of going somewhere far away. If I didn't end up at the U, I probably would have gone out east and I didn't know if I wanted to do that.
GS: What's your relationship like with your three siblings?
TJ: We're all very different. Everyone thinks me and Vivian are really similar, but we are complete opposites. She's quiet and more reserved, and I'm more outgoing. She definitely has the competitive edge, but that's fine because I'm more laid back. Jett plays hockey too. He's at Northern Michigan. He's kind of goofy. He's competitive too; I'm probably the least competitive. And Chase doesn't play hockey anymore, but he's at the U going to school. We're all pretty close.
GS: Who is your hockey role model?
TJ: Definitely as a pro, I would say Dani Cameranesi. She is kind-of a smaller player like me, so I've wanted to model my play after her. She's what I strive to play like. In high school, when I was younger on the team I really looked up to the seniors, including Emily Oden and Aliyah Lance – she doesn't play anymore – but just trying to be like them when I was a senior.
GS: Do you know what you want to major in or what career path you hope to pursue?
TJ: I'm thinking something in the sciences to ultimately go pre-med. I just need to see if it's realistic. I don't like business, so I knew I wouldn't want to do that. I've always liked science and being able to do stuff with that, along with helping people – that's kind of what medicine is all about.
GS: What's one part of your game that you're confident in and one part you want to work on more?
TJ: Something I'm looking forward to working on more is definitely strength because I'm pretty weak. I try really hard, but it's hard to build muscle! That's definitely one thing I'll need to work on. Then, this isn't really an ability, it's more like a mindset, but I have a good work ethic. I'm not one to whine or complain about working hard or doing extra skating. I'm pretty confident in getting in the dirty areas and go the extra step.
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