(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 28) – The McKendree University women's hockey team is set to open its second season at home with a single contest against Grand Canyon University on Friday at 5 p.m. at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex.
 
In the Bearcats' inaugural season the team finished with an overall record of 10-17, and a final ranking of No. 13. This season McKendree has a different outlook with a new coach and 10 new student-athletes.
 
McKendree University director of athletics Chuck Brueggemann announced this May that Derek Pallardy was named as the head coach for the women's hockey program for the Bearcats in the 2017-18 season. Pallardy is no stranger to McKendree as he has served as a member of the men's hockey coaching staff since 2015. Pallardy originally joined the Bearcats as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before being elevated to the head coaching position for the McKendree American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 3 program last fall.
 
Pallardy and assistant coach Madyson Moore have bolstered the roster with 10 key additions for the 2017-18 season. These players include Dakota Peterson (Battleford, Saskatchewan), Madison Mesec (Menlo Park, CA), Frankie Bonanno (Walpole, MA), Callie Hoadley (Hanover, MA), Charleigh Wagner (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional Senior HS), Paris Suzuki (Covina, California/Covina High School), Sydney Akai-Platt (Victoria, BC, Canada/Spectrum Community School), Laurynn Davey (Owens Cross Roads, Alabama/Huntsville High School), Elia Burbidge (Tottenham, Ontario, Canada/The Hill Academy), and Jayne Sutton (Kansas City, Missouri/Park Hill Senior High School).
 
The Bearcats are also returning many key players including four of the team's top five scorers. Sophomore forward Lara Wentz (Bismark, ND/) led McKendree in scoring last year with 17 points, including 12 goals and five assists. Sophomore defenseman Delayne Ivanowski (Kirkwood, MO/Kirkwood) also returns to the Bearcats after netting five goals and adding 10 assists for 15 points last year. Some other key returners for McKendree include Alyssa Albee (Brookfield, WI/Brookfield Central), Keisha Johnson (Clearwater, BC/), Nadia Studnicka (Chillicothe, IL/Home School), Natalia Taylor (Sooke, BC/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame), and Jazmin Malinowski (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way) among several others.
 
McKendree is set for a 21 game regular season, taking on some of the best teams in American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) women's D1. After taking three victories in the McKendree Metro Rec Plex last season, the Bearcats are slated for 11 home contests this season including games against No. 1 ranked Liberty University, No. 3 ranked Adrian College, and No. 7 ranked Grand Valley State.