Wednesday represented not just a new step for the Professional Women’s Hockey League, as the first entry draft with four new franchises and 12 teams total, but also a next step for eligible draftees. For the second year in a row, a Cornell alumna was drafted in the first round of the PWHL draft. While some former Red would have to wait longer to hear their names called, all five of the women’s hockey seniors who declared for the 2026 PWHL draft were selected.
With five draft picks (not including Ashley Messier ’25), Cornell tied for second among colleges in producing PWHL talent, trailing only Penn State. By night's end, six Cornellians joined the women's professional league, and if signed, will bring the total of alums in the league to 16. Here’s what PWHL franchises should expect from Cornell’s draftees.
Grace Dwyer ’26
The first Red player off the board, Grace Dwyer ’26, was drafted in the first round, 10th overall, by the Boston Fleet.
A staple of the Red’s top pair, Dwyer amassed 76 points over 134 NCAA games with Cornell, along with providing physical, shutdown defense. A quiet personality off the ice, Dwyer lets her game speak for itself.
“[Dwyer] doesn’t say a lot, but her actions speak very loud,” said head coach Doug Derraugh ’91. “She’s big, strong and wants to play more physical than college hockey allowed her.”
The 5’8” blueliner can quarterback a power play, but also shines on the penalty kill. And while it is still up for question whether Dwyer will remain a two-way player in the professional ranks, the former captain of the Red is looking forward to making the jump to the PWHL.
“It’s a step above [college],” Dwyer said. “The physicality and pace is a lot faster… I like playing that style, moving the puck quick.”
Despite dominating the PWHL awards, the Fleet lost four defenders to expansion and instantly filled a position of need with the selection of Dwyer. Still, Boston has high-end blueline talent in PWHL Rookie of the Year and Clarkson alumna, Haley Winn, and PWHL Defender of the Year Megan Keller. Dwyer will provide a steady presence on the second or third pair as well as offensive upside as a defender who can move the puck.
Avi Adam ’26
Avi Adam ’26 was drafted in the second round, 24th overall in the 2026 PWHL draft by the Montréal Victoire.
The 5’9” center led the Red in scoring during the 2025-26 season with 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 33 games played. Adam possesses a PWHL-ready skillset, bringing size and scoring ability to Montréal, which will enjoy the forward’s ability to park netfront and score in close, or beat defenders with her speed down the wing.
The Nova Scotian will join the 2026 Walter Cup champions, a team that features stars such as Marie-Philip Poulin and Abby Roque.
“It’s a little intimidating,” Adam said when asked about entering the defending champions’ locker room. “But, I’m definitely excited to get started.”
The Victoire took a large hit in PWHL expansion, losing six players, including two middle-six centers, Hayley Scamurra (Las Vegas) and Shiann Darkangelo (Detroit). Adam will help fill the center position.
When the Red needed goals in the playoffs, it was Adam that provided, scoring in each of Cornell’s three postseason matchups, including two game-winning goals against Colgate — the first of which sealed game one in overtime.
Video from @ECACHockeyLeague on YouTube of the goal.
Adam’s shot, size and ability to find the soft area of the ice will bode well for scoring in professional ranks. If the Victoire look to repeat as Walter Cup champions in the upcoming seasons, expect Adam to be a key piece in the process.
Mckenna Van Gelder ’26
Mckenna Van Gelder ’26 was drafted in the fifth round, 52nd overall, by San Jose, joining former teammate Rory Guilday ’25 and Kristin O’Neill ’20.
Cornell’s former first line center will provide depth to a new San Jose club that still has to fill out its 23 active roster spots.
Van Gelder produced at a steady pace across four seasons with the Red, totaling 86 points in 134 games, along with playing a strong defensive game and providing leadership as a captain. The Etobicoke, Ontario native won 61% of her draws in the faceoff dot and has a high hockey IQ.
“I am a smart player and I play a good 200 foot game,” Van Gelder said. “Especially in my D-zone, I think I am very strong and positionally aware.”
Van Gelder was glad to go through the PWHL draft process alongside her teammates.
“It can be an anxiety inducing process,” Van Gelder said. “But, going through that with your teammates that you call family, it’s so much more comforting.”
Now, the work begins for San Jose and Van Gelder to build something special in the Bay Area.
Ashley Messier ’25
While Messier might not have been announced as a Cornellian on draft night, the 61st overall selection to the Vancouver Goldeneyes spent a majority of her collegiate career in Ithaca, playing 108 games for the Red.
The defender spent the past season playing for Minnesota Duluth as a graduate student, appearing in 36 games and amassing seven points, all assists, for the Bulldogs.
In her senior season at Cornell, she led defenders in goals with seven and added 13 assists. She was also a defensive stalwart, contributing 47 blocked shots.
“I’m a 200-foot defender,” Messier said of her game. “I’m reliable in the D zone, but like to bring the offense as well, and I have a good work ethic.”
Messier has a well-rounded style of play that has only become more refined since she last played at Lynah Rink. In her lone season at Duluth, she was nabbed for five penalties, three fewer than her last season at Cornell.
Despite her 5’3” size, Messier plays much bigger, and she was a leader for the Red in both her play and character, serving as a three-year captain.
Messier was the final selection for the Goldeneyes and one of three defenders taken by the club on draft night. She will have to fight for an important role in Vancouver’s defensive depth as the team suffered no losses to expansion. If she makes the roster, she will be reunited with former teammate Izzy Daniel ’24, who recently inked a two-year contract with the Goldeneyes.
Georgia Schiff ’26
Georgia Schiff ’26 was drafted 63rd overall by Detroit with their final pick in the draft and received a warm reception from the hometown fans still in attendance at the Fox Theater in Detroit.
The forward plays a hard-nosed game, excelling on the forecheck and back check. This past season, Schiff tied for the team high of 12 goals, an opportunistic goal scorer who led the Red with a .194 shooting percentage and who added 16 assists, cementing herself as a multi-tool offensive driver.
“This is the year it paid off, but I really do think it is the accumulation of my four years,” Schiff said. “I think it’s really just showing up myself and putting the work in.”
It’s not just on the offensive end that the Montpelier, Vermont native puts in work. Schiff ranked second in blocked shots and showed tenacity whenever on the ice. The 5’9’’ forward plays to her size and uses her body and stick as well as good positioning to displace opponents from the puck and be a net front presence.
Schiff was also a valuable part of the eighth-ranked power play, adding three goals on the advantage and always bringing energy from puck drop. She tied for the team lead with three first goals.
Schiff joins a new Detroit team chock full of high-end forward talent, but figures to be a depth player with goal-scoring and playmaking ability.
“[Being drafted] felt unreal, and I’m super grateful to be here in Detroit,” Schiff said. “ I’m super excited to be part of this new organization.”
Alyssa Regalado ’26
The final Cornell alum drafted in 2026 was Alyssa Regalado ‘26, an Etobicoke, Ontario native. She went 68th overall to her hometown Toronto Sceptres.
The 5’7’’ defender was a mainstay of the Cornell blueline for the past four seasons, notching 30-plus games played every year in Ithaca. Regalado’s brand has been consistent, with an innate ability to spring and lead the rush without sacrificing quality of play in her own end.
She was often called upon to kill penalties and close out games in her time far above Cayuga’s waters and finished second on the team with 45 blocked shots in the 2025-2026 season.
Regalado accrued 48 assists throughout her collegiate career, 31 coming in the past two seasons. Her high hockey IQ allows her to fulfill any role asked, from power play to penalty kill.
“I definitely like to jump up into the rush when I get the chance and put pucks on net from the point in the offensive zone,” Regalado said. “I’m definitely a student of the game.”
While her playmaking was often noted, she still consistently brought depth scoring, totalling 16 goals in her 134 games with the Red. Perhaps none bigger than her lone career game-winning goal in the 2025 NCAA Regional Finals 1-0 win over Minnesota Duluth.
Video from @cornellathletics on YouTube of the goal.
Regalado's drive and work ethic, combined with her intangible skills, will make her a valuable asset for the Sceptres.
“How can I make myself better?” said Regalado. “Not just with hockey, or the PWHL, or whatever my future holds, but just myself as a person. I'm just taking it day by day.”
Regalado joins a Toronto team undergoing a large change after head coach Troy Ryan left for San Jose, but her adaptability will make her a useful asset as the Sceptres attempt to return to the Walter Cup playoffs after missing it for the first time in team history last season.
With the spotlight growing on the PWHL and the firm establishment of a league for professional women’s hockey to thrive, women’s college hockey players now have a next step to look forward to after graduating.
The success of this year’s Cornell class sets the standard for Cornell women’s hockey as a top producer of PWHL-ready talent. This draft may just inspire youth players to pick the Red as they navigate the recruitment process. The Cornell Sun Hockey Beat looks forward to its continued coverage of the women’s hockey program.
Eli Kwait is a staff writer for the sports department. He is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. You can follow him on X @EliKwaitand reach him at ekwait@cornellsun.com.
