Almost 60 former Western Collegiate Hockey Association women's hockey players are among the 268 eligible players from around the world who have declared eligibility for the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft (PWHL), which will take place on Sept. 18 in Toronto.
 
The PWHL is set to begin play in January 2024 and it announced the eligibility list this week in advance of the upcoming draft.

The eligibility list includes 31 forwards with WCHA connections along with 17 defender and 12 goalies.  The complete list of WCHA affiliated players on the eligibility list can be found below.  The complete list of all players can also be found at the PWHL website.
 
The six PWHL franchises – Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa and Toronto – will select a total of 90 players during the 15-round draft with the Minnesota franchise making the first overall pick.  The draft will begin 2 p.m. CT on Sept. 18 and can be watched on the YouTube channels for CBC Sports and Radio-Canada.  Live draft results will also be available at thepwhl.com.
 
The women's league of the WCHA will celebrate its 25th season of competition in 2023-24. The eight-teams in the NCAA Division I conference are Bemidji State, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, Ohio State, St. Cloud State, St. Thomas and Wisconsin.  The WCHA has won an unprecedented 20 national championships while finishing as the national runner-up nine times since 1999.  The league has produced nine Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winners as well as an additional 24 student-athletes who were among the Top-3 finalists for the award.  In addition, WCHA student-athletes have been recognized as All-Americans 121 times in league history.

WCHA play will open on Sept. 23.
 

---

ELIGIBILITY LIST PLAYERS WITH WCHA CONNECTIONS

FORWARDS:
Boren, Abigail, University of Minnesota
Brandt, Hannah, University of Minnesota
Brodt, Sydney, University of Minnesota Duluth 
Bryant, Brooke, Minnesota State University
Butorac, Claire, Minnesota State University
Cava, Michela , University of Minnesota Duluth
Cogan, Sam, University of Wisconsin
Compher, Jesse, University of Wisconsin
Crossman, Demi, University of Minnesota Duluth
DeGeorge, Clair, Ohio State University
Fleming, Brittyn , Minnesota State University
Giguère, Elizabeth, University of Minnesota Duluth
Heise, Taylor, University of Minnesota
Hughes, Gabbie, University of Minnesota Duluth
Kepler, Claudia, University of Wisconsin
Kunin, Sophia, University of Wisconsin
Levis, Paetyn, Ohio State University
Maltais, Emma, Ohio State University
Marvin, Gigi, University of Minnesota
Mrázová, Katerina, University of Minnesota Duluth 
Norcross, Savannah, University of Minnesota
Packer, Madison, University of Wisconsin
Prévost, Carolyne, University of Wisconsin
Schepers, Elizabeth, Ohio State University
Shirley, Sophie, University of Wisconsin
Skaggs, Tatum, Ohio State University
Skaja, Catie, University of Minnesota
Spooner, Natalie, Ohio State University
Templeman, Lexi , Ohio State University
Tougas, Kaitlyn, Bemidji State University
Watts, Daryl, University of Wisconsin
Zumwinkle, Grace, University of Minnesota

DEFENDERS:
Bell, Ashton, University of Minnesota Duluth
Bizal, Madison, Ohio State University
Brown, Emily, University of Minnesota
Buchbinder, Natalie, University of Wisconsin
Channell, Mellissa, University of Wisconsin
Curlett, Emily, Ohio State University
Daoust, Catherine, University of Minnesota Duluth
Dunne, Jincy, Ohio State University
Fällman, Johanna , University of North Dakota
Flaherty, Maggie, University of Minnesota Duluth
Healey, Jessica, University of Minnesota Duluth
Jaques, Sophie, Ohio State University
Knowles, Olivia, University of Minnesota
Kondas, Jessica , Minnesota State University
Langei, Makayla, Bemidji State University
Larocque, Jocelyne, University of Minnesota Duluth
Marshall, Patti, University of Minnesota
Morin, Sidney, University of Minnesota Duluth

GOALTENDERS:
Bench, Lauren, University of Minnesota
Burke, Chantal, Minnesota State University
Campbell, Kristen, University of Wisconsin
Cavallini, Alex, University of Wisconsin
Kronish, Cami, University of Wisconsin
Leveille, Amanda, University of Minnesota
Räty, Noora, University of Minnesota
Rooney, Maddie, University of Minnesota Duluth
Sauvé, Kassidy, Ohio State University
Scobee, Sydney, University of Minnesota
Škodová, Blanka, University of Minnesota Duluth
Söderberg, Emma, University of Minnesota Duluth
Walters, Jorie, University of Wisconsin