Outside the women’s hockey locker room after a 4-2 win over Boston College — completing an opening weekend sweep — the smiles and laughter were uncontainable.
It was alumni weekend for the Cornell women’s hockey program, which meant dozens of former skaters were back in Ithaca to watch the 2025-2026 team. It was almost as if being back in Ithaca transported the alumna back to their time on the Hill, the energy palpable as former teammates rehashed old memories and visited their favorite spots on campus.
For Brianne Jenner ’15 — who, since her time at Cornell, has won two Olympic medals for Team Canada — this weekend meant a little bit more. Jenner and Jill Saulnier ’15 were honored after Saturday’s game for their inductions into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame.
“It was a huge honor,” Jenner told The Sun. “I think getting that phone call [brought back] so many amazing memories from my time here. I feel like [Cornell] kind of made me the athlete I am today and the person I am today.”
Jenner, now captain of the Ottawa Charge in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, posted 229 points as a Cornellian from 2010-2015, a number that tops the Cornell women’s hockey record books.
Her time at Cornell — much like all the other alumna that returned for the celebratory October weekend — means a whole lot more than that.
“So many of my great memories happened in the dressing room here with the girls,” Jenner said. “We had such a great group, and I think that's what I think of. I think of the times on the bus, in the dressing room, and just all the fun that we had together.”
Jenner and Saulnier united on the Lynah Rink ice with their families, another step of their hockey journey that they will share together. The pair have been teammates since even before they shared the ice at Cornell, winning silver at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships in 2009.
When Jenner took off the 2013-2014 collegiate season to play in the 2014 Winter Olympics, that reclassed her into Saulnier’s grade for the 2014-2015 season. The two, often playing on a line together, put up a combined 95 points, with Saulnier leading the way with 20 goals.
“Jilly is a really special teammate. She just puts a smile on your face when you're around her,” Jenner said. “Girls love to be her teammate, love to be around her, and she was a dynamic, offensive, fast player. When she was on the ice, she always kind of swung the momentum for the Big Red. … I think she's just unbelievable and very deserving of this honor.”
Saulnier and Jenner now compete against each other in the PWHL, as Saulnier suits up for the Boston Fleet. The two are tasked with rigorous training schedules and the strict regimen of professional hockey — but, like many others, still find the time to make the trek back up to a place they love.
“It’s been really fun. A couple close friends from my class were back here to be here with us, and a lot of the young alumni here too,” Jenner said. “It was just special to be in the rink today and see the girls play an awesome game, two-win weekend. Just kind of being around campus, hitting up some of our favorite old spots, showing the kids.”
The festivities didn’t stop — or begin — with Saulnier’s and Jenner’s inductions. Many of the young alumni were from last year’s Ivy League championship, ECAC championship and NCAA semifinalist squad, and were back in town to reveal their three banners that will soon hang in the rafters at Lynah Rink.
Returning players from last year’s team were positioned at each banner and unveiled them prior to puck drop. While Jenner — like Cornell’s Class of 2025 — played in the Frozen Four during her time with the Red, her outlook following her Cornell career was much different. At the time, the PWHL didn’t exist, and women’s hockey had yet to establish a sustainable professional league.
While Jenner and Saulnier have both played international hockey at the highest level, Jenner noticed subtle differences when watching the 2025-2026 Cornell team this weekend.
“The PWHL has changed our entire sport. Watching this game today, the talent level, the speed — it's definitely just getting better and better each year, and that was really great hockey to watch today,” Jenner said after Cornell’s 4-2 win over Boston College. “I always felt, prior to that league, that [the time] I was treated most professionally — outside of the Olympic team — were my four years here.
“That's when you had the most support, the most fans, the investment all around. It's just really exciting to see that that's not going to end now for great players coming out of college. They have that opportunity to develop even more and [it’s] just going to elevate the whole sport. You already see it over here. It's just an unbelievable level of hockey.”
The student-athlete experience at Cornell — evident through all of the wide grins and laughter echoing throughout the halls at Lynah Rink — is unlike any other.
Perhaps that’s why everyone keeps on coming back, no matter if they’re still lacing up the skates and no matter where they’re coming from. Whether or not players have shared the same ice, the locker room is always open.
“I wanted to go to a school that was going to challenge me in my development. And I learned pretty quickly when I came to Cornell that I was going to get that,” Jenner said. “I feel like the hockey program — there's a level of work ethic that you need to fit in here with the Big Red, and I think that's something that I took with me and kind of really shaped me. … It was such a challenging and amazing education. I really enjoyed that whole experience. I grew a lot.”
Jane McNally is a senior editor on the 143rd editorial board and was the sports editor on the 142nd editorial board. She is a member of the Class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. You can follow her on X @JaneMcNally_ and reach her at jmcnally@cornellsun.com.
