Story and File Images by Janet Schultz©, NY Hockey
(Editors Be aware: This season NY Hockey On-line Journal shall be specializing in Western New York girls’s ice hockey. Nevertheless, any connection gamers in different areas of New York and past have with WNY will even be coated. We make this variation as masking the complete state in-depth has grow to be a problem with solely three reporters and one photographer. Press releases are nonetheless very welcome from all hockey venues.)
PWHL
The Skilled Girls’s Hockey League dropped their first puck on January 1, 2024. They performed a half season after which held their 2025 draft this previous June. The PWHL is preceded by the Nationwide Girls’s Hockey League (NWHL) and the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).
The league, now owned by the Mark Walter Group and Billie Jean King Enterprises, started with six workforce after which expanded the league by two extra this 12 months. The unique six groups, Boston Fleet, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Cost, Minnesota Frost and Toronto Sceptre, have been joined by the PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver.
New York performed within the first recreation of the PWHL on January 1 towards Toronto. Ella Shelton of New York had the primary PWHL objective and the Sirens gained the primary recreation of the brand new league. Toronto completed first general after the quick season. Nevertheless it was Minnesota defeating Boson and profitable the first-ever Walter Cup Championship. Natalie Spooner gained the League’s first-ever MVP because the league’s main scorer. Taylor Heise led the playoffs in scoring and took the submit season MVP.
Then got here the 2025 PWHL Draft. Held at Onerous Rock Resort and On line casino in Ottawa, Kristyne Kaltounkova was the primary general draftee taken by New York. She is from Czechia and performed at Colgate College the place she was tapped the NCAA All Time Main Scorer with 111 factors.
Rochester’s Hayley Winn went second general to Boston, coming from Clarkson College. Winn performed for the Bishop Kearney Selects.
New York made the primary commerce by sending Ella Shelton to Toronto for Toronto’s first alternative and third general. They took Casey O’Brien the Patty Kazmaier Awardee from the College of Wisconsin.
Different New York Sirens choices included Ahead Anne Cherkowski (Clarkson College), Ahead MacKenna Webster (Ohio State), Defender Dayla Ross (St. Cloud College), Ahead Maddie Wheeler (Ohio State), Goaltender Callie Shanahan (Boston College), Ahead Anna Bargman (Yale) and Goaltender Kaley Doyle (Quinnipiac).
There have been a number of draftees with New York State connections together with from Clarkson College Nicole Gosling; Colgate College: Katoun Kova and Hannah Murphy; Cornell College: Rory Guilday and Lily Delianedas; St. Lawrence: Abby Hustler and Anna Segedi each to Minnesota;
WNY’s Brooke Becker was drafted by Minnesota. Becker performed for the WNYGVIH Frontier/LakeShore/Orchard Park workforce after which went to Windfall School to play for the Frairs.
Fairport’s Kiara Zanon went to Toronto within the second spherical.
Already rostered by the PWHL from WNY are Katy Knoll of Rochester and Natalie Buchbinder of Fairport with the Minnesota Frost and Hayley Scamurra and Maureen Murphy each from Buffalo and taking part in for Montreal.
New Hartford’s Sydney Bard is with Vancouver and Conger’s Abigail Levy is in Boston.
Boston’s Aerin Frankel is from Chappaqua and skated on the Westchester Ice Area earlier than taking part in for Shattuck St. Mary’s. She performed for the New York workforce earlier than being signed by Boston.
NY has signed Sara Fillier and Allyson Simpson to 2 12 months contract extensions and signed Savanna Norcross, Lauren Bernarce, Kayla Vespa, Jiney Roese and Taylor Girard to one-year contracts.
One other WNY connection is Goaltender Carly Jackson who spent performed for the NWHL/PHF Buffalo Beauts and is presently with Minnesota.
The PWHL acknowledged a number of gamers with their 2025 awards. Named BJK MVP in addition to Ahead of the 12 months was Montreal’s Marie-Philip Poulin. Defender of the 12 months honors went to Toronto’s Renata Quick. Ann-Renee Desbiens was named Goaltender of the 12 months for her play with Montreal and Rookie of the 12 months went to New York’s Sarah Fillier. Montreal’s Head Coach, Kari Cheverie, was named Coach of the 12 months. Montreal’s Laura Stacey was named the PWHL Hockey For All honoree.
The League’s first All Star groups have been introduced:
First Staff All Stars: Forwards Sarah Fillier (NY), Hilary Knight (BOS), Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL); Defenders Renata Quick (Tor), Sophie Jaques (Min) and Goaltender Ann-Renee Desbien (MTL).
Second All Star Staff: Forwards Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN), Tereza Vanisova (OTT) and Daryl Watts (TOR); Defenders Ella Shelton (NY) and Claire Thompson (MIN) and Goaltender Aerin Frankel (BOS).
All Rookie Staff: Forwards Britta Curl-Salemme (MIN), Sarah Fillier (NY), Jenn Gardiner (MTL); Defenders Cayla Barnes (MTL) and Anna Wilgren (MTL) and Goaltender Gwyneth Philips (OTT).
Influence Awards went to Jaime Lee Rattry (BOS), Nicole Hensley (MIN), Amanda Boulier (MTL), Emmy Fecteau (NY) Rebecca Leslie (OTT) and Allie Munroe (TOR).
This coming season the PWHL will schedule 30 video games for every workforce with two video games being performed in Sweden. They’ll take a 19 day break for he 2026 Winter Olympics. Playoffs will start Might 7 with the Finals scheduled for Might 26. Minnesota shall be seeking to defend their championship.
School
Buffalo State College
Head Coach Rachel Grampp begins her fifth season with the Bengals coming off probably the most convention wins since 2019-20. Williamsville’s Vanessa Willis logged 6 targets and 18 assists to guide the Bengals in scoring. Willis performed for the WNYGVIH Williamsville workforce.
The Bengals shall be internet hosting their Buffalo State Golf Traditional on August 4 at Pendleton Creek Golf Membership.
Hilbert School
Brian Becker was named Head Coach in February, changing interim Head Coach Emma Knoll. Becker comes from St. Francis Excessive Faculty Prep the place he served as head coach from 2021-2024. He additionally served as head coach of the Lockport Categorical NA3HL workforce.
Hilbert continues to develop its program, now in its 4th 12 months as a NCAA workforce. With that mentioned there are some data to acknowledge with Goaltender Jewely Monford making over 500 saves, Tia Card with 1,200 profession saves and Brooke Thompson making 74 saves in a single recreation towards Buffalo State.
This 12 months’s Coach’s Award went to Perry’s Brooke Kwiecien, MVP honors went to Izabelle Wagner and Card.
NY’ers on the roster embody Alexandra Heyden of Henrietta and Kelsey Fuller of Rome. The freshmen recruits haven’t but been introduced.
St. John Fisher
It’s the Inaugural Season for St. John Fisher with a well-known title on the helm. Head Coach Scott McDonald (at RIT) comes from Niagara College, the place he performed protection for 4 years. then he coached the ladies’s ice hockey program at Rochester Institute of Know-how and served because the Rochester Jr. Amerks Women Hockey Director and School Hockey Advisor. McDonald joins Fisher after three years because the participant improvement coach of the Bishop Kearney Selects Women Hockey Program. As well as, he’s proprietor/chief of Maverick Hockey Growth, the place he designs customized hockey improvement packages for all Rochester Space youth hockey organizations.
Assistant coach is Georgiana Santullo who performed 5 seasons with Utica School after which performed in Italy.
The workforce opens on the street at Neumann School on October 31. Their first-ever house recreation shall be held towards William Smith on November 8. They’ll play on the Rochester Ice Heart in Fairport.
St. John Fisher shall be a part of the United School Hockey Convention (UCHC) league.
Nazareth
Twenty-two Nazareth girls’s ice hockey gamers have been named to the UCHC All Tutorial workforce together with three who’ve been acknowledged 5 occasions. These honors went to McKinely Huff, Julia Holmes and Kate Cascio.
NY natives named have been: Cascio (Oceanside/Bishop Kearney Selects), Brooke Terry (Massena/Ottawa Jr. 67s), Brooke Judkiewicz (East Harmony/Barrie Jr Sharks), MacKenzie Garrow (Akwesasne/Malone Adk 46ers),
Julia Holmes acquired Tutorial All District honors from the School Sports activities Communicators.
Nazareth School awards went to Amy Laskowski, Rookie of the 12 months.
The workforce was additionally acknowledged for the Finest Social Media Submit of the 12 months with their submit on girls’s hockey street journey and objective hassle.
Holmes was additionally cited for Finest Profession Accomplishments. Her and Laskowski have been named to the East Third Staff All American by CCM Hockey/American Hockey Coaches Affiliation.
The workforce took the UCHC Championship after a 3-2 win over Utica School after which ended their season within the NCAA Quarterfinals with a 1-0 loss to Middlebury. They posted a 21-7-1 general report beneath seventh season Head Coach Chris Baudo.
Rochester Institute of Know-how (RIT)
Head Coach Celeste Brown enters her sixth season as coach of the Tigers. After a 16-17-4 general report the Tigers open September 26 towards Submit College at house.
The workforce has chosen Emma Pickering and Jordan Fahrny as workforce captains for the upcoming season with Lexi Sung. Addie Alvarez (Rochester/Syracuse Valley Eagles) and Linda Rulle serving as alternate captains. Alvarez was the highest scorer in 2024-25 with 6 targets and 26 assists for 32 factors.
WNY native Cam Brownschildle shall be coming into her senior 12 months this fall.
NY Hockey sends condolences to RIT on the passing of Stu Hughes a 47-year member of the world employees. Hughes served as Ice Operations Supervisor at each the Frank Ritter Area and the Gene Polisseni Heart. He handed of most cancers at 64 years of age on July 15.
Be aware that ticket gross sales are on proper now for RIT males’s and ladies’s ice hockey. Name 585-475-4121.
RIT had quite a few D1 Krampade All American Students this previous season together with Kylie Aquaro, Sarah Coe, Jordan Fahrny, Kailey Favro, Bronwyn Khangsar, Emma Pickering, Linda Rulle and Misa Tsilernas. Seventeen have been named to the Atlantic Hockey All Tutorial Staff.
Jordyn Bear was named AHA Finest Defensive Ahead.
The Tiger’s season ended with a 4-0 loss to #1 Penn State within the AHA semi-finals.
Different
Wanting on the ACHA groups from WNY for 2025-26 it appears to be like as if Niagara College will as soon as once more have groups within the D1 and D2 divisions with Oswego, RIT and Brockport icing D2 squads.
Final season NU’s D2 groups posted a 13-8-1 report and their D1 workforce was ranked eighth with a 11-10-2 report.
Brockport posted a 4-7-0 report final season and RIT a 3-5-2 report.
The College of Buffalo’s workforce didn’t play final season.
On rosters from the WNYGVIH league within the ACHA are Reece Honadle from Monsignor Martin for RIT and Skylar Berube from Niagara County for NU.
…Cortland Purple Dragon’s Head Coach Rick Filighera shall be coming into his tenth season in 2025-26. Cortland opens with an exhibition recreation towards Nazareth on October 18 at 1 p.m. at house.
…Niagara County’s Kayla Persinger of Youngstown is taking part in for Cortland, as is Fairport’s Katie Diem.
…Buffalo’s Sarah Waskielewicz is on the Elmira Girls’s Ice Hockey Staff.
…Lauryn Brown (Eden/WNYGVIH HEWS) was named an ACHA All American Scholar, as was Rochester’s Emma Corbett.
…Kendal Kalinowski (Buffalo/Buffalo Bisons) was acquired SUNYAC Commissioner’s Tutorial honors. She performs for SUNY Morrisville.
…Congratulations to Sara and Hannah Barrett on their commencement from Potsdam, the place in addition they performed ice hockey. The Barretts performed for the HEWS workforce within the WNYGVIH Federation. They each acquired SUNYAC tutorial honors this previous season.
…Additionally taking part in for Potsdam is Olivia Visco of West Seneca who performed for Nichols Excessive Faculty. She additionally was the recipient of SUNYAC tutorial honors.
…Plattsburgh’s Tessa Morris (Grand Island/Nichols) was named to the D1 Krampade/American AHCA Hockey Coaches Affiliation All American Scholar honor record.
…Lara Beecher, Buffalo, has transferred from the College of Vermont to Clarkson College the place she’s going to play ice hockey this coming season. She is a senior.
…Haley Winn graduated from Clarkson and was named to the Tutorial All Tutorial At Giant Staff.
…Riley Andzel (West Seneca) will enter her junior 12 months at SUNY Canton. Andzel performed 5 years for the WNYGVIH Federation HEWS workforce. She served as workforce captain with HEWS and was named to First Staff All Fed.
…Madison Mallone (Lockport) performed for WNYGVIH Niagara County and will play her sophomore 12 months at Canton. In her highschool profession she was named to First Staff All Fed, Participant of the 12 months for her workforce and took the Coaches Award.
WNYGVIH
Together with a number of gamers named within the collegiate tales above, a number of have made faculty commitments for the upcoming 12 months. (They will not be taking part in hockey.)
Cady Kowalow will play for Northeastern College after a profitable profession with Lancaster/Iroquois/Depew after which the Bishop Kearney Selects.
Bella Jayme, a well-known title with Kenmore/Grand Island/Lockport has dedicated to Cortland for the upcoming season.
Danielle Cottrell shall be attending Ithaca School. Cottrell performed for St. Mary’s of Lancaster.
Georgia Mango shall be taking part in Lacrosse at SUNY Oswego. Mango performed for Clarence/Amherst Sweethome (CASH)
Frontier/Lakeshore/Orchard Park’s Maya Griffin shall be taking part in lacrosse and soccer at Youngstown State.
FLOP’s Lila Cudney shall be attending SUNY Canton the place she’s going to play ice hockey for the Roos.
Hamburg/Eden/West Seneca’s (HEWS) Samantha Miller shall be attending Buffalo State College. Katlynn Wittschack and Kayla Pelc shall be attending SUNY Cortland.
KGi’s Natalie Kopf shall be attending RPI; Isabelle Bourgeault, Cortland; and Jullian Hager, Oswego.
Avery Corridor, goaltender for St. Mary’s of Lancaster shall be taking part in ice hockey at Johnson and Wales; Riley Kumrow shall be taking part in ice hockey at Kings School; Alana Pagano shall be attending the College of South Carolina; Samantha Hatt, Niagara College; Emma Babcock, Niagara College.
Williamsville’s Sophia DePrima shall be attending Sacred Coronary heart School.
Williamsville’s Mia Wendel performed 4 seasons at Yale College and can now transfer on to Sacred Coronary heart to play her graduate scholar 12 months. The goalie is engaged on her MBA.
(Please be aware, a few of this will likely have modified since I acquired info on the finish of the hockey season and rosters for many faculties haven’t been posted. If participant is taking part in a sport aside from hockey, I didn’t have that info. Wanting ahead to any assist so e mail me at Janet@nyhockeyonline.com You recognize I welcome your help.)
