Latest news with #WCHA
Forbes
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
New York Sirens Select Casey O'Brien Third Overall In 2025 PWHL Draft
DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE - MARCH 24: Casey O'Brien #26 of the Wisconsin Badgers moves the puck down ice ... More against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Division I Women's Ice Hockey Championship game held at Whittemore Center Arena on March 24, 2024 in Durham, New Hampshire. (Photo by Gil Talbot/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) With the third overall pick in the 2025 PWHL Draft, the New York Sirens selected standout collegiate center forward and 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner, Casey O'Brien. The pick was obtained through a trade that sent veteran defender Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres in exchange for Toronto's first-round selection (third overall) and a fourth-round pick (27th overall). O'Brien was a driving force behind Wisconsin's 2025 national championship run, co-captaining the team while shattering school records with an astounding 88 points, 26 goals, and 62 assists, and dominating the nation with an average of 2.20 points per game. In addition to winning the prestigious Patty Kazmaier Award, she was named WCHA Player and Forward of the Year and earned a place on the AHCA First-Team All-American roster. Internationally, O'Brien demonstrated her skill early on, securing gold at the 2018 U18 World Championships and silver in 2019. Having spent 10 years growing up and playing sports in Manhattan, particularly at Chelsea Piers, O'Brien is now preparing to begin her professional career back in New York. We caught up with Casey to hear about her draft experience, her ambitions for the season, and launching her professional career with the New York Sirens. PWHL Draft Experience And New York Sirens DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE - MARCH 22: Casey O'Brien #26 of the Wisconsin Badgers looks to make a play ... More during the Division I Women's Ice Hockey Championship held at Whittemore Center Arena on March 22, 2024 in Durham, New Hampshire. (Photo by Gil Talbot/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) Q: Casey, congratulations on being selected third overall in the PWHL Draft. Walk us through that moment of being selected and what it means for you to have this opportunity to play professionally in the PWHL. Casey O'Brien: Thank you! At first, I didn't think New York would be an option. They weren't supposed to have another pick until the second round, so I kind of accepted that the dream of being drafted by the Sirens might not happen. I was just waiting to hear who would call my name. Then the trade happened, and I got hopeful. When they called my name, I couldn't believe it. My family was so happy. Being from New York, it's always been a dream of mine to play professionally here. It was truly the best day of my life. I grew up playing at Chelsea Piers and a bit in New Jersey. That's where I fell in love with hockey. To come full circle and return to New York as a professional player, to give back to the community that shaped me, it's a dream come true. Q: Looking ahead to the season, New York is in the middle of a rebuild. What aspects of your skill set, both mentally and physically, do you think you'll bring to the team? Casey O'Brien: I see myself as a 200-foot player. I take pride in being responsible in the D-zone while also contributing offensively. Me and the other forwards drafted this year are a young, dynamic group. We're fast, creative, and a lot of us have played together or against each other before. We share a similar vision and playmaking style, and I think when we combine with the talent already on the roster, we'll bring something really special. We're going to be an offensively gifted team, and we plan to score a lot of goals next season. Inspirations And PWHL Goals With The New York Sirens MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 23: Wisconsin Badgers forward Casey O'Brien (26) celebrates with the trophy ... More after winning the Women's Frozen Four Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers on March 23rd, 2025, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Q: Are there any players you're especially excited to be on the ice with, either as teammates or opponents? Casey O'Brien: Definitely. Anytime I get to share the ice with legends like Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, or Marie-Philip Poulin, it's surreal. I grew up watching them in the Olympics when I was eight, nine, ten years old, dreaming of one day being in their shoes. Now I get the chance to play alongside or against them, and it feels like a full circle moment. It's really special. Q: Who were your hockey idols growing up, on both the women's and men's sides? Casey O'Brien: Kendall Coyne Schofield was a huge inspiration for me. She's undersized but still one of the best in the world. I'm not the biggest player either, so I really tried to model my game after hers. She turned what some see as a disadvantage into a strength, and that was really inspiring. On the men's side, I looked up to Martin St. Louis, especially when he played for the Rangers. I loved how players like him and Kendall never let their size define them. That's also why I wear No. 26. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 18: A general view of the arena prior to the game between the New York ... More Sirens and the Toronto Sceptres at Prudential Center on December 18, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. The game is the first home game in the Sirens' second season in the PWHL. The Sirens defeated the Sceptres 4-2. (Photo by) Q: What are your personal goals heading into this first season with the Sirens and into the PWHL overall? Casey O'Brien: The Sirens roster has gone through a lot of change recently, and I'm one of several new faces. I think we're looking at this as a fresh start. I want to make an immediate impact on the ice, of course, but just as importantly, I want to make an impact off the ice. The PWHL has made huge strides, but there's still a lot of room to grow, especially in markets like New York. Being from here, I want to connect with the community, inspire young girls, and help grow the game.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 PWHL Draft Profile: Nina Jobst-Smith
Nina Jobst-Smith will look to become the second German skater and third player ever from her nation to compete in the PWHL. Jobst-Smith, spending the entirety of her NCAA career with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, was named a Second Team All-WCHA conference star this season. She was the only PWHL Draft eligible defender from the WCHA named to an All-WCHA roster this season. Jobst-Smith is a two-way defender who can contribute on both sides of the puck. As a captain at Minnesota-Duluth, she had 18 points in 37 games, and picked up five points in eight games for Germany this season at the Olympic Game qualifiers and World Championships. For Jobst-Smith, she's been following the PWHL and watching as other Minnesota-Duluth alumni make the step to the league. "The league has been amazing to follow over the past two seasons," Jobst-Smith told The Hockey News. "Watching many of my teammates graduate and represent PWHL teams has been both exciting and motivating for me personally. What was once an idea or a dream for athletes, has become a reality thanks to the many trailblazers, investors, and operations staff of the PWHL." "With the recent expansion announcements, it is obvious that the demand for both players and viewership is and will continue to rise," she added. "I hope to be a part of the PWHL not only to continue living out my passion for hockey, but also to inspire the next generation of future female hockey players." Jobst-Smith is considered one of only a handful of defenders who are PWHL ready and could have been in the league as a contributor this season. She was among NCAA leaders in blocked shots with 61, and was one of the best in the nation winning 63.2% of her puck battles, a mark that was second among PWHL Draft eligible players coming from the NCAA. Jobst-Smith is ready for the PHWL's physical style where her competitive nature and ability to end plays angling attackers to the boards will be valued. With the puck on her stick, Jobst-Smith is evasive in her own zone showing her ability to quickly turn pucks up ice and transport the play out of danger zones. Offensively she sees the ice well from the blueline managing risk and keeping pucks in on the attack. Academically, Jobst-Smith earned a degree in civil engineering from Minnesota-Duluth.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Williamson County Homeless Alliance aims to create permanent shelter
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — In their day shelter off of West Mead Boulevard, the Williamson County Homeless Alliance offers a place where people experiencing homelessness can wash their clothes, take a shower, access a computer, meet with a case manager and take a break from the elements. 'A lot of people don't think that Williamson County has a homeless problem, and we do,' Dr. Kevin Riggs, Executive Director of WCHA told News 2. ON TOUR | CoolSprings Galleria continues to thrive three decades later Riggs estimated that as of publication, about 1,500 people are currently unhoused in Williamson County. 'A lot of times, people come to Williamson County because they hear how successful Williamson County is, and so they think they can come and find a better job,' Riggs said. 'So they move here from other parts of the country wanting to better themselves, but then find themselves in a hardship where they are homeless.' In 2024, WCHA partnered with the Franklin Community Development and provided housing for 115 families, including 178 adults and 42 children. Riggs says while there's a small number of people living in tents, most of the county's unhoused population live in cars or couch surf, making it difficult to keep an official count. He said another concern of his is the growing number of senior citizens who don't have housing. NEWS 2 ON TOUR: Spring Hill preserves its history while forging ahead with new development, infrastructure improvements 'As a whole, we just have to come together and decide that instead of building all these mega-mansions around town, we have to provide housing for our senior citizens, for our veterans, or just for people who are struggling with different mental health issues, we have to be able to provide housing for them,' Riggs added. The WCHA's long-term goal is to establish a permanent shelter that would be open seven days a week for the whole year. As of publication, the nonprofit operates emergency shelters during inclement weather, utilizing churches and other spaces in the community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
White House Correspondents' Dinner 2025: See All the Arrivals (Photos)
The White House Correspondents' Dinner, an annual fundraising event hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association, has been jokingly called "nerd prom" in the past for the way it mixes journalists, political figures and celebrities for one night in Washington, D.C. Past years have had some major names in attendance, but the 2025 event, held on Saturday, April 26, may look a little different. Typically, the event is hosted by a comedian, who will lightly roast those in attendance; this year, the WHCA canceled their scheduled host, Amber Ruffin. A statement from the WCHA president Eugene Daniels read in part, "At this consequential moment for journalism, I want to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists.' With President Donald Trump being a no-show (he skipped the event in his first term as well), it was likely to be a more subdued affair than usual, but stars including The White Lotus' Jason Isaacs, Alex Borstein, Lynda Carter, Michael Chiklis and Dean Norris stepped out in support of the press. See the photos below. Read the original article on People
USA Today
22-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ohio State women's hockey advances to Frozen Four national title game
Ohio State women's hockey advances to Frozen Four national title game The Ohio State women's ice hockey team will be playing in its fourth-straight Frozen Four National Championship Game after disposing of Cornell by a 4-2 margin inside the OSU Hockey Rink on Friday night. If the Buckeyes can pull it off, it'll be their third national title in four years. To get there though, OSU had to rebound from a comeback rally by Cornell. The Buckeyes went up early by a score of 2-0 because of goals by Makenna Webster at the 2:24 mark and Brooke Disher with 13:23 remaining in the first period. Ohio State took that lead into the first intermission, but the second period belonged to the Big Red. Cornell got on the board with a power play goal with 6:46 remaining in the period followed by another mark just over a minute later to tie things up at 2 goals each. Suddenly, it was game on. But champions find a way to get it done and Ohio State picked itself back up off the ice and scored the final two tallies of the game. Joy Dunne scored the go-ahead goal, the one that would eventually go down as the game-winner with 16:23 left in the game. For good measure, Dunne added another with 12:38 left, and the Buckeyes' defense and goaltending held on from there to polish off the win and head into the Women's Frozen Four title game in Minneapolis at 4 p.m. ET Sunday. OSU will play the winner of Wisconsin and Minnesota. If the Badgers win, it will be an all WCHA final. Go get some more hardware! Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
