A former professional (NWHL) and Division I ice hockey player (St. Lawrence), Sonjia has been coaching since 2015. At St. Lawrence, she held a 21-18-3 career record, and posted four shutouts her senior year, tying her for fifth on the program’s single-season shutout list. Shelly went on to play one season with the Connecticut Whale and two with the Metropolitan Riveters of the NWHL.