McKenna Van Gelder
| McKenna Van Gelder | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
January 24, 2004 | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
| Position | Center | ||
| PWHL team | PWHL San Jose | ||
| Played for | Cornell | ||
McKenna Van Gelder (born January 24, 2004) is a Canadian ice hockey player. She played center for the Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey team in the NCAA, was a member of the gold-winning Team Canada at the 2022 World U18 Championships, and was drafted by PWHL San Jose in the 2026 PWHL Draft.[1]
Playing career
Starting at the age of 8, Van Gelder played for the Etobicoke Junior Dolphins, winning a U13 AA OWHA championship in 2017 and an OWHA U22 Elite provincial title in 2022, in which she was the team's captain and leading scorer.[2] She also competed on the boy's hockey team at her high school, Silverthorn Collegiate Institute and won a city silver medal with them in 2020.[1]
Van Gelder played for Team Canada at the 2022 IIHF Women's World Championship, winning gold and placing as the 9th overall scorer of the tournament, scoring 6 goals in 6 games.[3][4]
She attended Cornell University and played as a center for the Big Red women's ice hockey team.[5] As a senior, she was a co-captain of the team, finished fifth on the team with 23 points and ranked third on the team in goals scored.[1][6] On December 2, 2025, she was named ECAC Hockey Forward of the Week.[7] As a junior, she also led the team in blocked shots.[6] She was named ECAC Rookie of the Week for the week of November 1, 2022.[8] At Cornell, Van Gelder won two Ivy League championships, an ECAC Hockey tournament championship, and an NCAA regional championship, and advanced to the 2025 Frozen Four.[9][10]
In the 2026 PWHL Draft, she was drafted in the fifth round, 52nd overall, by PWHL San Jose.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 "Mckenna Van Gelder - 2025-26 - Women's Ice Hockey". Cornell University Athletics. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ Staffieri, Mark (August 15, 2022). "Mckenna Van Gelder enjoys dream season with Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins | Women's Hockey Life". Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "IIHF - Statistics 2022 IIHF ICE HOCKEY U18 WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ Aykroyd, Lucas (June 14, 2022). "Canada strikes gold". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Frojelin, Josh (June 18, 2026). "PWHL San Jose Drafts Lily Shannon, Mckenna Van Gelder, Reichen Kirchmair". San Jose Hockey Now. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Goldberg, Tyler (October 13, 2025). "Dwyer, Van Gelder, MacEachern Named 2025-2026 Women's Hockey Captains". The Cornell Daily Sun. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Van Gelder Named ECAC Hockey Forward of The Week". Cornell University Athletics. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Mckenna Van Gelder (11/1/2022) - Athlete Awards". ecachockey.com. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ McNally, Jane (February 9, 2026). "Bonds That Win: For Women's Hockey's Seniors, Four Years Are Just a Fraction". The Cornell Daily Sun. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Road To The Frozen Four: A Blast From The Past". Cornell University Athletics. March 4, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.