The K-Wings are no stranger to doing things outside the box, and setting the trend of acceptance. They were the first to paint the ice Rainbow for LGBTQ+ NIghts.

And this week, they became the first team to sign a woman player in ECHL history.

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Mariah Fujimagari has signed a professional tryout contract with Kalamazoo for this upcoming season, which makes her the first female goaltender to sign a contract in the league.

In fact, if she passes the initial tryout, she could be the first ever female goaltender to start for a team.

Fujimagari is from Markham, ON, Canada, and will be entering her rookie season with the K-Wings. She spent last season with the AID in the SDHL (W), and played 14 games. She had a 4.52 GAA, and a .877 SV%.

Two seasons ago, she was between the pipes for the Connecticut Shales for five games, where she went 5-0-0 with two shutouts at 1.40 GAA and .938 SV%.

NOT K-Wings First Female Player

As monumental as this occasion is, it's actually not the first time a woman has played for the K-Wings. In the 2006 season, The K-Wings brought in Molly McMaster to play one game. She actually played for multiple teams that year to raise awareness for Colorectal Cancer.

At the time, the K-Wings were in the UHL, and McMaster played for all 14 teams in the league as part of her awareness plan, with the K-Wings on March 18, 2006.