Pomfret -- If she wasn't a bulldog before, Emily DesMeules certainly is now. She has the Internet address to prove it.

About two weeks ago, DesMeules logged onto Yale University's Web site and signed onto her account. She'd applied early action to the Ivy League school some time ago, but wouldn't be able to learn her answer until the night of Dec. 15, and it wouldn’t happen until she got her fingers to the keyboard.

“There's a link and on the 15th you could click on the link,” DesMeules said recently. “You clicked on it and a little blue screen came up. It had a picture of the Yale bulldog and said, ‘Welcome to the Class of 2013.' ”

That's how DesMeules learned her decision of three years ago had turned into a wonderful success.

After completing her freshman year at Woodstock Union High School, DesMeules chose to boost her hockey prospects by enrolling in the North American Hockey Academy, the Stowe, Vt.-based private school for hockey-centered girls formed by Bill Driscoll almost 10 years ago.

DesMeules was the first Upper Valley native accepted to the academy, which -- at the time she applied -- was admitting approximately 15 percent of the student-athletes who sought a spot with an incoming class. Working on the ski school model, NAHA mixes academics with hockey-specific training and an August-to-March playing and workout schedule.

That Yale decided to give her a shot verified the faith of DesMeules' decision to leave town for the sake of hockey.

“At this point, I'm not too sure what my role will be,” the 17-year-old senior said. “As a freshman, I'm not expecting to get much playing time, but I think if I work really hard all summer and get to the season in good shape, I have a good chance to participate a lot.

“I definitely want to dress for most games and play in most games. I would definitely like to get my first goal before the very end of the season.”

DesMeules will be the second area resident on a Yale hockey team. Norwich's Denny Kearney is a sophomore wing with the Bulldog men.

A 20-goal scorer in her one season of Vermont high school girls hockey, DesMeules has focused her attention on the defensive side of being a defenseman while at NAHA. Skating for NAHA White, the school's team of older athletes, DesMeules and her teammates have rung up a 37-7-3 record to date; the Nighthawks finished second earlier this week at the Connecticut Polar Bears tournament and have four games this weekend at the Northwood School tourney in Lake Placid, N.Y.

“I'm more of defensive than offensive type of defenseman, but I'm trying to work on that and jump into the play as the season goes,” she said. “I'm a little conservative, but I’m definitely dependable out there. I’m pretty consistent; I know my role on the team and where I need to go.”

Beyond that, NAHA White still has weekends in the two-year-old Junior Women's Hockey League that will take DesMeules and company to RPI, Union, Colgate, North Dakota, a tournament in Ottawa and the JWHL Challenge Cup in early February, to be held at the Washington Capitals' Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, Va.

It was at such events that DesMeules first caught Yale coach Hilary Witt's eye. Both sides were pleasantly surprised when DesMeules contacted Witt to let her know she was interested in an Ivy League education.

“I made contact with them first, last year,” DesMeules described. “My sister (Hadley) played at the Yale rink in the Polar Bear tournament, and I watched a game. It's a neat rink with a neat design; they're renovating it completely and it’ll be nice.

“I contacted the coaches and they sent back a letter that said, ‘We were thinking of contacting you, and we liked the way you play.' That made me really excited.”

DesMeules also got to know Witt over time by working with her in USA Hockey New England regional camp scenarios. It wasn't the primary reason why she eventually chose Yale, but it didn't hurt.

“She's a fun, positive person; she clearly knows what she's talking about and makes it really enjoyable,” DesMeules said. “You can talk to her and be helped out.

“I didn't want to base the school that I chose on the coach, because that can change so quickly. I wanted to go to an academically strong school first and foremost. I'm happy with the school; Yale is one of the best in the country and they have a good hockey program and have a coach I enjoy working with, too.”

The Yale women have been a consistently middle-of-the-pack program in the ECAC, usually making the league playoffs with one trip to the league semifinals under Witt's watch. Eight players graduate this spring, including two senior defensemen. One, Helen Resor, played for the United States at the 2006 Olympics in Italy.

The opportunity for DesMeules to possibly be Resor's replacement next year probably wouldn't have come about without leaving town for a higher level of play and a more intensive way of learning the game of hockey.

“I couldn't ask for anything better; it's an amazing school with a great hockey team,” DesMeules said of Yale. “I always wanted to go to an Ivy League school. I never thought I'd end up at Yale. I’m so happy.”

NAHA Notes: Two of DesMeules' teammates, forward Brittany Ammerman and defenseman Meagan Mangene, are scheduled to represent the United States next week at the inaugural IIHF World Women's Under-18 Championships in Germany. … Hanover's Miriam Drubel continues to skate at NAHA as a sophomore on the school’s Red team, which is 20-14-4 this season. … NAHA White is currently 10-0-2 in the JWHL’s White Division East, which includes teams from Lake Placid's National Sports Academy, the Washington Pride and the Boston Shamrocks. The Shamrocks’ roster includes former Hartford High forward Madison Hayes as well as former Kimball Union Academy goaltender Brittney Testa of Woodstock.

Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or (603) 727-3226.