Expectations for women’s hockey’s freshman recruitment were high this year after the team ran a lean 21-player roster in the 2025-2026 season — nearly five players short of the NCAA average.
With an outstandingly small yet strong lineup, the Red needed a major boost of rookies.
Head Coach Doug Derraugh ’91 delivered exactly that, bringing in the program’s largest freshman class in nearly two decades. Despite losing six seniors, including five to the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the team expanded its roster to 24 players.
Forwards
Taya Lonsdale / Shawnigan Lake, B.C. / Shawnigan Lake School (Canadian Sport School Hockey League)
After not playing the entirety of last season, Taya Lonsdale comes to Ithaca with a passion to grow after proving herself valuable in the 2024-25 season. Winning Canadian Sport School Most Valuable Player two seasons ago, she brings a level of competitive intellect to the offense. In 2023 and 2024, she represented Team British Columbia and led her team to the podium at the Canadian National Championships. She is posed to be an intriguing player to keep an eye on as she returns to the ice in a collegiate lens.
Zahra Nauhaus / Pittsburgh / Shattuck St. Mary’s (United States High School)
Having spent four consecutive seasons with Shattuck St. Mary’s, Zahra Nauhaus provides stability to a team that just experienced major upheaval within their roster. She recorded 20 points across 31 games in the 2025-26 season and posted 108 points over 194 games. The Pittsburgh native joins fellow Shattuck St. Mary’s alum senior forward Delaney Fleming. The program produces players with consistent play style, as Fleming and Nauhaus both have similar edge to their offensive game.
Keira Bruen / West Roxbury, M.A. / Phillips Academy (USHS)
As a multifaceted athlete in softball, field hockey and ice hockey, Keira Bruen shows dedication and consistency across sports. With developed leadership experience after serving as team captain for Philips Academy, she led the school to two NEPSAC Class A Field Hockey Championship wins in 2024 and 2025. The 6’ 1” forward is a supportive force both on and off the ice, as her ability to build strong relationships with her teammates and coaching staff manifests through her cohesive playing ability.
Jill McLaughlin / Oceanside, C.A. / Pacific Ridge School (USHS)
A forward with expansive leadership experience, Jill McLaughlin has a notable ability to adapt to her surrounding players. After serving as an assistant captain for both the U19 AAA Tier 1 San Diego Angels and the Pacific Ridge School during her 2023-24 season, she joined elite RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 Prep, where she posted 41 points over 30 games in her 2024-25 season and 34 points over 25 games in her 2025-26 season. Nationally, she represented Team USA and won the 2026 U-18 International Ice Hockey Federation Championship. With her diverse and seasoned background, she’s a premier offensive prospect as she enters collegiate hockey.
Renee Bishop / Baie-D'Urfé, Q.C. / Etobicoke Dolphins (Ontario Women's Hockey League)
Much like Grace Dwyer ’26 and Rose Dwyer ’28, Renee Bishop makes up one half of a sister duo on the women’s hockey team, as she joins the Red’s ranks alongside her twin sister Rachel Bishop. Unlike the Dwyers, this twin duo plays different positions. Renee is a fiercely competitive forward who prioritizes scoring points, as she posted 53 points over 48 games with the Etobicoke Dolphins during her 2025-26 season. During her time with Kent School, she earned forward MVP honors in 2025 and helped the team achieve victory during the Founders League Championship in 2023-24 with her sister on the blueline.
Kayla O’Donnell / Buffalo / Bishop Kearney (USHS)
With seven state championship wins between 2020 and 2026, O’Donnell brings a highly decorated background and remarkable offensive intellect. Her long list of victories at the state level paired with her 2025 USA Hockey National Championship win make her a significant offensive asset to the Red’s roster. While considerably shorter than other forwards in this recruitment cycle at 5’4”, her competitive nature, playmaking instincts and high energy play style make her a highly promising offensive weapon.
Defense
Rachel Bishop / Baie-D'Urfé, Q.C. / Etobicoke Dolphins (OWHL)
Completing the sister duo, Rachel enters the roster as a powerhouse rookie with championship expertise and recognized defensive intellect. After winning a USA Hockey National Championship in 2023 with the Mid Fairfield Connecticut Stars, she went on to be awarded defensive MVP honors in 2025 with the Kent School. With large-scale competitive experience after representing Team Quebec in the U18 team in her 2024-25 season paired with her Championship experience and on-ice chemistry with her sister, she proves to be a defensive asset.
Carly Dann / Hanover, N.H. / The Loomis Chaffee School (USHS)
At 5’0”, Carly Dann brings championship experience and consistently successful performances during high-stakes games. During her four seasons at The Loomis Chaffee School, she helped lead the team to three Founders League Championships between 2024 and 2026. In 2026, she put up 31 points across 28 games. With a high defensive IQ, she has the potential to provide stability on the Red’s blueline and develop a strong foundation for the team to develop in future seasons.
Taia MacDonald / Toronto / Mississauga Hurricanes (OWHL)
With a seasoned background in high-stakes games and championships, MacDonald provides leadership within the incoming rookies. In the 2025-26 season, she served as an assistant captain while she was competing for the OWHA U22 Elite League’s Mississauga Jr. Hurricane. She led her team to a podium finish at the 2026 OWHA U22 Provincial Championship. During the 2025 U18 Canadian National Championships, she represented Team Ontario and won a bronze medal. With a knack for balancing the scoreboard, MacDonald poses to be a key defensive piece in the Red’s upcoming lineup.
Nora Kenzi is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a Sun Staff Writer and can be reached at nmk55@cornell.edu.
