Minnesota’s Own Eva Erickson: A Trailblazer in Sports, Academia, and Survivor
The Minnesota autism community has a new hometown hero to root for—Eva Erickson, a proud Eagan native, lifelong hockey player, and PhD candidate, who is now making waves on the 48th season of Survivor. But beyond her impressive athletic and academic accomplishments, Eva’s story is one of resilience, determination, and redefining what it means to be autistic.
Born in St. Paul and raised in Eagan, Eva was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. For many families, an autism diagnosis can bring uncertainty, but Eva’s parents embraced learning more. They tried different therapies including brushing, spinning and compression, and focused on helping Eva discover her strengths.
“I never thought of my autism as something bad,” Eva shared. “My parents always emphasized that it was part of me and made me special.”
An early turning point in her life came at six years old when she started playing hockey. The structured nature of practices, the compression of the gear, and the fast-paced environment were therapeutic for her. Hockey quickly became more than just a sport—it became a foundation for her confidence and social growth.
Eva’s passion for hockey continued through high school at Eagan High and into college at Georgia Tech, where she did something groundbreaking—she became the first and only woman to play on the men’s club hockey team. Now, at Brown University, she has taken it even further, captaining the men’s club team and holding position as an NCAA Hockey Linesman in the Hockey East Conference while pursuing a PhD in Fluid and Thermal Science Engineering.
Her love for hockey and science go hand in hand. Eva dreams of working in Research and Development for sports equipment, using her deep knowledge of physics and engineering to improve gear for future athletes. “It would be amazing to work for companies like Bauer, CCM, or Warrior,” she said.
While Eva has dominated in the classroom and on the ice, she’s now taking on an entirely new challenge: Survivor. Competing on one of television’s toughest reality shows, Eva is using her platform to change the way autism is perceived.
“I want to show the world a version of autism they don’t often portray in mainstream media,” she explained. “I hope kids with autism see my story and feel proud.”
She also hopes her experience on the show will resonate with others on the spectrum. “I deal with my own challenges in the game that come from being autistic, and I apply my own methods to navigate them. I hope others can see themselves in me and use similar strategies in their own lives.”
With two years left in her PhD program, Eva is focused on finishing her studies while continuing to break down barriers in sports, academia, and beyond.
Her message to the autism community is simple yet powerful: “Autism is not something that holds you back—it’s something that makes you different and unique.”
For more information or to connect with Eva, find her on Instagram at @eva.erickson.