Vanessa Upson

Vanessa Upson
Upson with the Minnesota Frost
Born (2003-11-18) November 18, 2003
Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight 135 lb (61 kg; 9 st 9 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
PWHL team Minnesota Frost
Playing career 2025–present

Vanessa Upson (born November 18, 2003) is a Canadian ice hockey player who is a forward for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

She played college ice hockey for the Mercyhurst Lakers from 2021 to 2025, totaling 147 points in 148 games. Upson was selected in the fifth round, 38th overall, by the Minnesota Frost in the 2025 PWHL Draft.

Early life

Upson is from Stoney Creek, Ontario. She played minor hockey with the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs of the OMHA, winning a gold medal in 2012 and a bronze medal in 2013.[1][2]

She attended St. John Henry Newman high school, playing on numerous sports teams, including the Cardinal Newman girls' hockey team.[3] She played club hockey with the AA U22 Stoney Creek Sabres in the Provincial Women's Hockey League. With the Sabres, she scored a goal in the third round of the shootout to help the team win the bronze medal at the 2019 Esso Cup. Upson was named an alternate captain for the 2020–21 season.[4][5]

Her youth highlights include participation with Team Ontario at the Ontario Summer Games, an invitation to a Hockey Canada U18 summer camp.[3]

As a grade 12 honour roll student, she committed to Mercyhurst University.[6][7]

Playing career

College

Prior to her 2021–22 freshman season, she was voted as CHA Preseason Co-Rookie of the year.[8] Upson led Mercyhurst with 39 points (19 goals, 20 assists) in 35 games and was named USCHO National Rookie of the Year and CHA Rookie of the Year. She earned All-CHA First Team and CHA All-Rookie Team honors, and was selected to the USCHO All-Rookie Team and named USCHO Rookie of the Year.[9][10][11] She led all NCAA Division I freshmen in points, goals, and assists and was named CHA Rookie of the month four times and CHA Forward of the Month twice.[3] She was named CHA Forward of the Week three times and Rookie of the Week twice.[12][13][14][15][16]

She posted 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in 37 games as a sophomore in 2022–23.[17]

In 2023–24 she was named an alternate captain and recorded 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) in 38 games, earned CHA All-Tournament Team honors, won the conference’s Individual Sportsmanship Award, and tied a CHA postseason single-game record with five points in a semifinal game.[3][18][19]

Upson was named captain in her 2024–25 senior year, after the CHA transitioned to Atlantic Hockey America (AHA), Upson led Mercyhurst with 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists) in 38 games, topping the league in assists. She was named First Team All-AHA and the league’s January Player of the Month.[20][21][22]

Professional

On June 24, 2025, the Minnesota Frost selected Upson with the 38th pick in the 2025 PWHL Draft.[23] Following pre-season training camp, she signed a one-year contract with the Frost prior to the 2025–26 season.[24]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2021–22 Mercyhurst University CHA 35 19 20 39 8 — — — — —
2022–23 Mercyhurst University CHA 37 16 12 28 12 — — — — —
2023–24 Mercyhurst University CHA 38 17 20 37 8 — — — — —
2024–25 Mercyhurst University AHA 38 13 30 43 4 — — — — —
2025–26 Minnesota Frost PWHL 28 0 1 1 0 5 0 0 0 0
NCAA totals 148 65 82 147 32 — — — — —
PWHL totals 28 0 1 1 0 5 0 0 0 0
Source: College Hockey Inc.; HockeyDB; Mercyhurst Athletics.[17][25][26][3]

Awards and honours

Honour Year(s) Ref.
College Awards
USCHO National Rookie of the Year 2022 [9]
CHA Rookie of the Year 2022 [10]
All-CHA First Team 2022 [10]
CHA All-Rookie Team 2022 [27]
USCHO All-Rookie Team 2022 [11]
CHA Individual Sportsmanship Award 2024 [3]
CHA All-Tournament Team 2024 [3]
First Team All-AHA 2025 [28]

References

  1. ↑ "Local players help Jr. Bulldogs claim season's first OMHA title". thespec.com. The Hamilton Spectator. April 12, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Dogs have their day". thespec.com. The Hamilton Spectator. March 18, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Vanessa Upson – 2024–25 Roster & Bio". Mercyhurst University Athletics. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  4. ↑ "2019 Esso Cup Game #18 Bronze". hockeycanada.ca. April 27, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  5. ↑ Moko, Larry. "Newman scores three breakaway goals". athletics.hwcdsb.ca. Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Newman student commits to play NCAA Division 1 Women's Hockey". athletics.hwcdsb.ca. Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  7. ↑ Upson, Vanessa [@vanessa.upson]; (November 14, 2020). "Super excited for the next 4 years!!! So thankful for everyone that has supported me along the way. #itsofficial". Retrieved June 15, 2026 – via Instagram.
  8. ↑ Women's Ice Hockey (September 16, 2021). "Defending Champion Penn State Tops Preseason CHA Coaches' Poll". atlantichockeyamerica.com (Press release). Winthrop, MA: Atlantic Hockey America. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Mercyhurst's Vanessa Upson is USCHO's 2022 Rookie of the Year". USCHO.com. April 1, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 "Upson Claims CHA Rookie of the Year". Mercyhurst University Athletics. February 23, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  11. 1 2 "2021–22 All-USCHO Teams". USCHO.com. April 1, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  12. ↑ Anzevino, Cameron (September 27, 2021). "Upson Earns CHA Rookie of the Week Honors". hurstathletics.com (Press release).
  13. ↑ Anzevino, Cameron (October 11, 2021). "Upson and Mortlock Earn Weekly CHA Honors". hurstathletics.com (Press release). Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  14. ↑ Anzevino, Cameron (November 22, 2021). "Upson Chosen as CHA Rookie of the Week". hurstathletics.com (Press release). Winthrop, MA. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  15. ↑ Anzevino, Cameron (January 17, 2022). "Three Lakers Claim CHA Weekly Honors". hurstathletics.com (Press release). Winthrop, MA. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  16. ↑ Anzevino, Cameron (February 21, 2022). "Boucher, Mortlock, and Upson Collect CHA Weekly Honors". hurstathletics.com (Press release). Winthrop, MA. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Vanessa Upson – Career Statistics". College Hockey Inc. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Athlete Awards: Vanessa Upson (Feb. 26, 2024)". Atlantic Hockey America. February 26, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  19. ↑ "2023–24 Mercyhurst Statistics". College Hockey Inc. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Atlantic Hockey America Announces 2024–25 Women's All-Conference Teams". Atlantic Hockey America. February 26, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  21. ↑ "AHA Players of the Month – January 2025". Atlantic Hockey America. February 4, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Penn State Hosts AHA Championship vs. Mercyhurst". Penn State Athletics. March 7, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Mercyhurst's Vanessa Upson Drafted 38th Overall in 2025 PWHL Draft". Mercyhurst University Athletics. June 25, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Minnesota Frost Announce 2025-26 Roster". thepwhl.com. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Mercyhurst Women 2024–25 – Roster and Statistics". HockeyDB. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Mercyhurst Women 2023–24 – Roster and Statistics". HockeyDB. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  27. ↑ "2022 All-CHA Teams & All-Rookie Team". USCHO.com. February 22, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  28. ↑ "2024–25 All-AHA Teams". Atlantic Hockey America. February 26, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
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