HAMILTON—The Colgate Women's Hockey team is set to welcome seven student-athletes for the 2019-2020 campaign, as announced by head coach
Greg Fargo.
The class, which includes players from Ontario, New York, California, Texas, Alberta and Pennsylvania, has been hailed as the top incoming freshmen class in the country by neutralzone.net.
"I am very excited to welcome this class of recruits to the CWIH family," said Fargo. "It truly is an exceptional class coming on the heels of several years of hard work by our coaches,
Sophie Leclerc and
Stefan Decosse. Our staff has done a tremendous job to identify and recruit these seven players that fit our vision of how we want to play moving forward. Undoubtedly, they will make great contributions to Colgate on the ice, in the classroom and as members of the greater Colgate community throughout their careers."
"Within this group, there is a great deal of high level experience. They've played and won on the national stage and we welcome each of them to fulfil important roles within our environment as we seek to push ourselves and this program to the next level."
Allyson Simpson
Frisco, Texas | Defenseman | 5-8
A student at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Minnesota, Simpson will become the second player from the Lone Star State on the active roster, joining rising junior
Peri Donaldson. With the Sabres this season, she has racked up 37 points by way of 8 goals and 29 assists and also has 18 penalty minutes. She has also won a trio of USA Hockey National Championships while in Minnesota and has international experience as a member of the U18 Women's World Championship team that won back-to-back gold medals in 2017 and 2018. She also played ultimate Frisbee, golf and lacrosse at SSM.
Coach Fargo on Simpson: "Ally has contributed to two U18 gold medal winning teams at the international level. Her experience at this level will further contribute to the culture we are continuing to develop. On the ice, she is a strong two-way defenseman who will have an impact at both ends of the rink. Ally is great in transition. She is poised with the puck and makes a great first pass, which will allow us to play with speed."
Sydney Bard
New Hartford, N.Y. | Defenseman | 5-3
The local pipeline continues to run strong, as Bard will become the first New Hartford native to play for the Raiders since three-year captain
Annika Zalewski '18. She compiled 24 points on 12 goals and 12 assists this season with the Toronto Jr. Aeros of the PWHL and also played Field Hockey, Lacrosse and Golf during her high school days. She also has international experience as a member of the Team USA U18 Women's World Championship team this winter.
Coach Fargo on Bard: "It's exciting to be able to add another Raider with local ties to the area. Syd is a dynamic skater that can play both forward and defense. Syd possesses a tremendous ability to find open ice, this coupled with her shot will make her a threat to score. She fits the way we want to play as a team and so we expect her to be able to contribute immediately."
Danielle Serdachny
Edmonton, Alberta | Forward | 5-9
After a standout final season with Pursuit of Excellence, Serdachny is set to join the Raiders. In her final campaign, she totaled 62 points on 28 goals and 34 assists in just 28 games. She also captained Team Alberta to gold at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. She also won gold at the U18 World Championships with the Canadians. She also played basketball in high school and joins rising junior
Malia Schneider, who also played at POE.
Coach Fargo on Serdachny: "Having captained Team Alberta to a Canada Games gold as well as having contributed to Team Canada's U18 gold this past winter, Dani is another player that comes with big game experience and a firm understanding of excellence. On the ice, Dani is a strong skater with exceptional offensive ability. A creative player, she possesses a high IQ, and makes those around her better. We are thrilled to welcome Dani to the CWIH family."
Darcie Lappan
Hartington, Ontario | Forward | 5-7
One of two Ontario natives in the class, Lappan just wrapped up a successful career with the Kingston Jr. Ice Wolves of the PWHL. She tallied 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 30 games this season to bring her career totals to 88 points (33 goals, 55 assists) in 101 games. She was twice selected to represent Ontario at the U18 Canada Games. She also played Badminton, Track & Field and Lacrosse during her high school days.
Coach Fargo on Lappan: "Darcie will add to the offensive depth of this team. She is equally effective in all three zones of the ice with and without the puck. She's had success putting up good numbers throughout her career and has helped her club team to a first-place finish in the PWHL this past season. Darcie's possession first mindset will fit nicely into how we want to play."
Maggie MacEachern
Brooklin, Ontario | Defenseman | 5-6
The other native of Ontario in the class, MacEachern captained the Durham West Junior Lightning of the PWHL this past season and tallied 19 points on 9 goals and 10 assists in 30 games. She finished her career with 26 goals and 38 assists for 64 points in 102 games. She also captained the Canadian U18 Women's World Championship team and Team Ontario squads this past season. She also played lacrosse and ran cross country in high school.
Coach Fargo on MacEachern: "A former captain of the U18 Team Canada as well as Team Ontario, Maggie comes in with a wealth of big game experience. She is a strong multi-dimensional defenseman that competes hard and makes those around her better on and off the ice. Maggie is a gamer and we are tremendously excited to be welcoming her CWIH family."
Kaitlyn O'Donohoe
Downington, Pa. | Forward | 5-8
O'Donohoe had a busy final season in her high school days. She tallied 34 points (22 goals, 12 assists) in 22 games with Choate Rosemary Hall and had 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists) while playing with the Mid-Fairfield Stars U19 AAA team. She was named an All-NEPSAC player and led Choate in scoring for three straight seasons and also led Mid-Fairfield in scoring this past season. She also played field hockey and softball during her high school years.
Coach Fargo on O'Donohoe: "We are very excited to be welcoming Kaitlyn to the CWIH family. She is a real competitor that loves to score. Kaitlyn does not waste a puck – she has a puck possession mindset, always looking to make plays. She also has an uncanny ability to find open ice and holes in the opponents' coverage. She will nicely complement our returning and incoming players and contribute to how we want to play."
Sammy Smigliani
La Jolla, Calif. | Forward | 5-8
A former junior hockey teammate of rising sophomore
Tanner Gates, Smigliani continues the pipeline of California players to Colgate. She played her final high school season in Michigan with Belle Tire U19 AAA and won a state title to cap off her career. She was also chosen to four USA Hockey National Development camps and is a 2017 USA Hockey National Championship bronze medalist. She also played soccer and golf in high school.
Coach Fargo on Smigliani: "Sammy is a smart, crafty forward who has really good touch around the net. A dynamic skater with multiple gears, Sammy draws in a lot of pressure and creates space for her teammates. She loves having the puck on her stick and making plays. Sammy has an infectious love for the game and will fit in very nicely into the CWIH family."
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