The women’s hockey team has added several new players to the team. Head Coach Karen Nystrom says the 2010/2011 season looks bright. The Ridgebacks home opener takes place on Friday, October 8.

By Katie Richard
The Oshawa Express

The university’s women’s hockey team is continuing to grow heading into the upcoming season with a well-toned group of recruits, it says.
The latest additions, Violette Long, Gillian Beggs, Gillian Morgan, Kayla Jardine, Kate Gordanier and Bobbi-Lee Churly, are talented recruits, says Head Coach Karen Nystrom.
“The 2010/2011 season looks very bright and exciting for the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) women's hockey program,” says Coach Nystrom.
“With a combination of solid veterans and a strong 'six pack' of talented recruits, we are confident we have once again strengthened our roster. Our coaching staff strongly believes that Churly, Long, Beggs, Gordanier, Morgan and Jardine will be a great fit and asset to our program.  We strongly believe that we are now positioned to be among the teams who are competing for playoffs and ultimately Ontario and National championships.”
Long is from Oshawa and grew up playing youth hockey in Durham Region.
After two solid seasons with the midget ‘AA’ Generals, the 5’4” blueliner joined the Whitby Junior Wolves where her team had the best record in Wolves history.
Although she is best known for her defensive presence on the ice, Long managed to contribute in the offensive end recording nine points. She was also a part of the very successful high school program playing for Monsignor Paul Dwyer, the university says in a release.

Gordanier will add intensity and size to the team’s lineup, it says. At 6’1”, the forward should be a physical presence on the ice as a left shooter.
The Kingston native grew up playing in her hometown and rounded out her career there with the city’s midget ‘AA’ team.

“Wearing an ‘A’, she led the Ice Wolves to multiple medals at the provincials over the years. An all-around great athlete, Gordanier has also had success at the OFSAA level in basketball and track and field,” the release says.

Known across the hockey world as a smart, speedy player, Beggs is striving to make an impact with the Ridgebacks.
As a member of the Scarborough Sharks youth program, playing on both the midget ‘A’ and ‘AA’ teams, her team quickly worked themselves up to one, if not the most established team in the PWHL.
Beggs was also a member of the Toronto Junior Aeros in the 2009-10 season. She won a gold medal at provincials as well as the playoff final four championship game, says UOIT.
Morgan, another respected player from the league, joins the team after a successful junior career with the Durham West Junior Lightning and Whitby Wolves.

Playing midget ‘AA’ in Whitby, she helped her team finish first in the league and second in the province.
Morgan nabbed three goals and two assists in four postseason games to help her team advance to the finals. In 2009/2010 with Durham West, Morgan finished top five in team scoring with six goals and seven assists during the regular season.
Jardine offers up options to the coach, the university says.
Based on past history, Jardine can be used as a forward or defenseman.
Last season, she played for the Markham-Stouffville Junior Stars, where an unexpected number of injuries to the team forced her to play both positions.
“Jardine rose up to the challenge using her speed and knowledge of both ends of the ice to be successful. Due to her tremendous leadership, she was named the team’s assistant captain,” the release says.

Churly rounds out the list of recruits for the Ridgebacks upcoming season,
Like her fellow teammate Jardine, in 2009/2010, Churly played in 33 games with the Markham-Stouffville Junior Stars, racking up 18 points including eight goals.
Before signing with Markham, Churly played three seasons with the Oshawa midget ‘AA’ team. She played in 58 games in total, where the team combined for a 29-23-16 record. Churly was a teammate with fellow recruits Long as well as Jardine.
All three players have accepted their offer to UOIT for the 2010 fall semester and are eager to hit the ice for the beginning of training camp, says the university.
The Ridgebacks home opener takes place on Friday, October 8 against the Laurier Golden Hawks. Game time at the Campus Ice Centre is 7:30 p.m.