LEBANON, Ill. - McKendree University women's hockey and head coach
Derek Pallardy announced the second half of the Bearcats' 2022-23 signing class with three defenders and two goaltenders skating onto the roster for this upcoming season. Last season, McKendree successfully held its oppoenents to just 42 goals, the sixth fewest in ACHA W1, helping lead the Bearcats to a fifth double-digit win season since the program's inception in 2016-17. Combined in the net, goaltenders
Naomi Leasck and
Brianna Burke collected a goals allowed average of 2.40 with 488 total saves behind a 0.921 save percentage. Both Burke and Leasck ranked in the top 50 in save percentage and top 35 in goals allowed average.
DEFENDERS:
JULIA DEFOSSE | Trenton, ON, Canada | Whitby Wolves PWHL
Defosse joins the Bearcats following her 2021-22 year with the Whitby Wolves where she logged 14 games while dishing-out one assist from the back line. Defosse owns great instincts across the ice, allowing her to play and succeed in a variety of roles.
Pallardy on Defosse: "Julia is a great skater both in terms of speed and mobility. She plays with a ton of passion and competitiveness."
LILIA BROWN | Belleville, ON, Canada | Belleville Bearcats
Brown comes to McKendree following playing the past season with another set of Bearcats in Belleville, Ontario. She plays with a calm and cool demeanor on the ice, making smart decisions to benefit those around her.
Pallardy on Brown: "Lilia is good at finding the right pass and executing it. She can also be very imposing when defending our net."
BROOKE LANNON | Placentia, NL, Canada | King's Edgehill School
Lannon utilized the past year as a gap year from her time with King's Edge (KES), where she performed with agility and effectiveness in power-play situations. She was also a standout ball hockey player (ice hockey variant) with current McKendree sophomore
Ashley Hayley, leading Team Newfoundland to the gold medal in the Canadian Junior Female National Ball Hockey Championship.
Pallardy on Lannon: "Brooke will add another dynamic element to our defensive corps. She makes intelligent and aggressive decisions, showing that she trusts her skills and her hockey sense."\
GOALIES:
RACHEL STARESINIC | Stoney Creek, ON, Canada | Burlington Barracudas
Staresinic joins the Bearcats following an extremely successful 2021-22 season with Burlington, totaling 16 shutouts over 34 starts with less than one goal per game allowed. Two years ago, Burlington held both Staresinic and current sophomore
Lainy Stienstra on their roster.
Pallardy on Staresinic: "Rachel has a great combination of athleticism, technical skill, and poise. Her success this past year is a result of her incredibly hard work on and off the ice."
PAIGE HUNT | Edwardsville, IL | St. Louis Lady Cyclones, Edwardsville High School Tigers
Hunt becomes a Bearcat after playing for both the Lady Cyclones and Edwardsville last season, playing a highly athletic and competitive style. She performed with solid across-the-board skills and strong intangibles for both St. Louis and Edwardsville last year.
Pallardy on Hunt: "Paige's impact extends well beyond stopping pucks. She's a leader who I watched elevate her team's play by constantly pumping her teammates full of positivity and confidence."
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