Women's Ice Hockey | 8/27/2020 10:26:00 AM

TROY, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) head women's hockey head coach Bryan Vines has announced that 11 newcomers, all freshmen, will join the Engineers for the 2020-21 season, including seven forwards, two defensemen and two goaltenders. Five are from the United States, five hail from Canada and one is from the Czech Republic.

"We couldn't be more excited to welcome our Class of 2024 to our hockey program and University," said Vines, who is entering his fourth season at the helm. "Coach (Tara) Connolly and Coach (Marc) Cavosie have done a great job assembling a class that will help bring our culture to another level as we pursue our goal of raising an ECAC Hockey banner for the first time in our program's history. This group brings talent, speed, character and depth and they will be leaned on to make an immediate impact on our program on the ice, in the classroom and in our community. We are all eager to get back on the ice at the Houston Field House and continue building for the future with our newest Engineers."

Academically, the student-athletes have a variety of majors, including aerospace engineering; biological neuroscience; biology; biomedical engineering; business and management; design, innovation, and society; electrical engineering; environmental engineering and mechanical engineering.
 
Below is an alphabetical list of Rensselaer's newcomers:

Sara Bayne
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #36
5-6 / Ypsilanti, Michigan / Honeybaked U19 (HPHL)
Design, Innovation, and Society

• Played for Honeybacked U19 in 2019-20 ... One goal and one assist with Team Light Blue in 2019 USA Canadian Cup ... Team won Championship ... Attended Ann Arbor Huron High School ... Played hockey (forward & defense) ... Team won State Championships in 2015 and 2016 ... Scored game-winning goal in overtime in 2015.

Meagan Byrum
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #16
5-7 / Potomac, Maryland / Washington Pride 19U (JWHL)
Business and Management

• Played for Washington Pride 19U in 2018-19 and 2019-20 ... Three goals and five assists in 21 games in 2019-20 ... Registered 14 penalty minutes ... Four assists in 17 games in 2018-19 ... Captain of Washington Pride U16 in 2017-18 ... Attended Winston Churchill High School ... Played hockey. 

Magdalena Erbenova
Defense (Shoots Right)
Jersey #9
5-5 / Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic / Northwood School (USHS)
Business and Management

• Attended Northwood School in 2019-20 ... Played hockey ... Suited up for HC Pribram in Czech Republic in 2018-19 ... International competition representing Czech Republic each of past five years ... Captain of national teams in U15 and U18 ... Olympic team captain in U16 ... Best Player of Czech National Team in 2017 Prerov and 2018 Dmitrov ... Team was second in Barcelona in 2019 ... Four years at The Secondary School for the Administration of the EU ... Honor's List.

Riena Jahnke
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #33
5-3 / Allen, Texas / Dallas Stars U19 (Midget)
Electrical Engineering

• Played for Dallas Stars U19 in 2018-19 and 2019-20 ... Stars U16 in 2017-18 ... Team won five Rocky Mountain District titles ... Played on 2019 Women's High School National Champion (Team Texas) ... Won Japan Women's National League Championship in 2020 with Seibu Rabbits ... Attended Allen High School ... Two years of hockey (right wing) ... First woman to letter as freshman in ice hockey at high school ... Team won State Championship in 2017.

Ellie Kaiser
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #10
5-6 / Westmont, Illinois / Chicago Mission 19U (T1EHL 19U)
Biomedical Engineering

• Played for Chicago Mission 19U in 2019-20 ... Suited up for Chicago Mission 16U in 2018-19 ... National Champions in 2018 and 2019 ... National finalists in 2016 and 2017 ... Attended Fenwick High School ... Played hockey (4 years) and lacrosse (2 years) ... Hockey MVP at State Championship in 2019.

Taylor Larsen
Defense (Shoots Left)
Jersey #13
5-8 / Bolton, Ontario / Mississauga Jr Chiefs (PWHL)
Biomedical Engineering

• Played for Mississauga Jr Chiefs in 2019-20 ... Captain ... Nine assists and 14 penalty minutes in 37 games ... Three power play assists ... One goal and seven assists with 20 PIMs for Mississauga in 2018-19 ... One power play goal, three power play assists and one shorthanded assist ... Invited to try out for Team Canada U18 in 2019 ... Played for Team Ontario Blue at 2019 National Championship ... Attended Humberview Secondary School ... Played flag football, table tennis, badminton, cricket, ultimate Frisbee and hockey ... Captain of each ... Hockey MVP in 2019 ... Athlete of the Year in 2019 and 2020.

Jaden Mirek
Goaltender (Catches Left)
Jersey #34
6-0 / Grafton, Wisconsin / Milwaukee Jr. Admirals (T1EHL 19U)
Mechanical Engineering

• Played for Milwaukee Jr. Admirals 19U in 2019-20 and Milwaukee Jr. Admirals 16U in 2018-19 ... U16 team won Tier 1 State Championship ... Invited to 2019 USA Hockey Central District camp ... Attended Grafton High School ... Competed in hockey, track & field and lacrosse (midfield).

Madisyn Papineau
Forward (Shoots Left)
Jersey #28
5-7 / Sudbury, Ontario / Oakville Hornets (PWHL)
Biology

• Played for Sudbury Lady Wolves and Oakville Hornets in 2019-20 ... Nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 27 games with Oakville ... Twelve penalty minutes ... Two assists in three playoff games ... Helped Sudbury to silver medal at 2019 Esso Cup ... Attended College Notre-Dame ... Competed in hockey, flag football, cross country and track & field ... Captain in hockey ... Track Athlete of the Year in 2017.

Nyah Philip
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #7
5-4 / Mississauga, Ontario / Etobicoke Dolphins (PWHL)
Environmental Engineering

• Played for Etobicoke Dolphins in 2018-19 and 2019-20 ... Team won regular season championship both years ... One goal and 10 assists with six penalty minutes in 37 games last season ... One assist in three playoff games ... Five goals and seven assists with 18 PIMs in 34 games in 2018-19 ... One goal and one assist in three playoff games ... Attended Meadowvale High School ... Competed in hockey, flag football, track and rugby ... Student-Athlete of the Year in 2016.

Asiah Taylor-Walters
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #19
5-4 / Toronto, Ontario / KW Rangers (PWHL)
Biological Neuroscience

• Played for KW Rangers in 2019-20 ... Two goals and four assists with 24 penalty minutes in 33 games ... Four playoff games ... Played for Mississauga Chiefs of PWHL in 2018-19 ... Four goals and four assists with 30 PIMs in 2018-19 ... Seven playoff games ... Attended Appleby College for three years ... Competed in hockey, soccer, track and basketball ... Hockey won CISAA Championship in 2017-18 ... Finalists in 2018-19 and 2019-20 ... CISAA 100-meter sprint champion in 2018-19.

Emilie Venne
Goaltender (Catches Left)
Jersey #35
5-5 / Greely, Ontario / Northwood School (USHS)
Aerospace Engineering

• Attended Northwood School in 2018-19 and 2019-20 ... Two years of hockey ... Charles Holt Hockey Award in 2020 ... Team was NAPHA finalists in 2018 ... Detroit Two Nations Cup finalists in 2019 ... Nashville Country Classic finalists in 2020 ... Competed in soccer and crew ... Attended Ecole secondaire catholique Franco-Cite for two years.