With a team of seasoned veterans and a promising crew of new talent, Wesleyan women’s hockey is on track for its most winning season in years. The Cardinals return an unprecedented 17 letter-winners, marking them as definite contenders for a bid to the NESCAC postseason tournament. It has been eight years since the squad made it to the playoffs, a streak that this talented crew is looking to break. The Cardinals will also be hoping to improve on last season’s disappointing record of 4-20 overall and 3-13 in NESCAC play.
In the net, Wesleyan is lucky to have the talent and experience of Ashleigh Corvi ’13. Corvi has been a starter since she came to Wesleyan and has played a solid 61 games in the Cardinals uniform. She comes off last year with a .903 save percentage and has accumulated 2,203 saves over her career, which amounts to a staggering average of 38 saves a contest. Corvi will be joined in the net by newcomers Corinne Rivard ’16 and Laura Corcoran ’16 who will ride the pine for most of this season and try and pick up a trick or two from Corvi.
Offensively, the Cardinals are sure to rely upon Jordan Schildhaus ’15, who was both the team’s leading scorer and NESCAC Rookie of the Year last season. Schildhaus banked eight goals and five assists in the 2011-12. Also sure to lend a hand is Kelsey Mueller ’13 who also netted eight goals for the Cardinals. Other returning scorers are Glenn Hartman-Mattson ’14 and Cara Jankowski ’15, with five and four goals last season respectively.
On the defensive end of the rink, the team is led by co-captains Becca Koppel ’13 and Jenna Vanderlinden ’14. The duo embodies the talent and leadership needed to lead the Cardinals to victory. Laura Wasnick ’15, Jennelle Herrick ’14, Lilah Fones ’15, and Caitlin Bray ’15 also return to play this season, ensuring a formidable front for Wesleyan.
Guiding the squad this season is the experienced hand of head coach Jodi McKenna, now in her fifth full season at Wesleyan. A much-lauded player during her own collegiate career at Brown University, Coach McKenna brings a knowledgeable background of the game to the Cardinals bench.
Wesleyan will take to the ice for the first time this season on Friday, Nov. 16 at home in the Spurrier-Snyder Rink. There they will face off against the Purple Cows of Williams.