Women's Hockey | 8/1/2016 8:55:00 AM
ROCHESTER, NY – Scott McDonald, the Bruce B. Bates Women's Hockey Coach at RIT, announced that senior
Taylor Thurston (Kanata, Ontario/All Saints Catholic) will serve as captain for the 2016-17 season, while classmates
Cassie Clayton (Pickering, Ontario/PEAC School) and
Mackenzie Stone (Kars, Ontario/South Carleton) are the assistant captains.
"We couldn't ask for a better group of captains to be role models for our younger players and to represent our team on and off the ice," said McDonald, who is entering his 11th season behind the bench at RIT. "Most importantly, all three student-athletes are great ambassadors in the community and great representatives of our program."
Thurston will be in a leadership role for the third straight season, having served as an assistant captain in 2014-15, and team captain last year. A strong two-way defenseman, Thurston appeared in 33 games, last season, recording career-high totals of three goals and 12 points, while blocking 57 shots. Thurston, the 2015 College Hockey America Individual Sportsmanship Award winner, has appeared in 110 career contests with 31 points on four goals and 27 assists, while amassing just 18 penalty minutes.
Thurston will be the seventh player in the 42-year history of the RIT women's hockey program to serve as a three-year captain, joining Sheila Stevenson (1976-79), Shelley Moore (1994-97), Jen Gorczynski (2001-04), Stacey McConnell (2004-07), Sarah Dagg (2008-11), and Kim Schlattman (2010-13).
"Taylor joins an elite group of three-year captains," said McDonald. "She brings calmness, poise and steadiness to our team and is willing to do whatever it takes to help her teammates out."
Clayton, who also served as an assistant captain in 2015-16, played in all 36 games for the Tigers last season, recording 12 points on four goals and eight assists, while leading the squad with 377 face-off wins. In 2014-15, Clayton was named to the CHA Championship All-Tournament Team, while helping lead the Tigers to their second straight league title. She is one of RIT's top defensive forwards, consistently shutting down the opponents best offensive threats. Clayton enters her senior season having recorded 27 points on 11 goals and 16 assists in 99 career games.
"Cassie brings a grit and toughness to our team that will hopefully translate to our younger players," said McDonald. "Being a two-year captain, Cassie knows what it takes to be an effective leader."
Stone suffered a season-ending injury in RIT's first game in 2015-16, but has rehabbed diligently to return in 2016-17. She did not miss a game over his first two seasons at the university, tallying 26 points on 11 goals and 15 assists in 76 games. In 2013-14, Stone scored five goals, all of which were game-winning tallies and had the primary assist on Lindsay Grigg's game-winning goal that lifted RIT to the 2-1 double overtime win over Mercyhurst in the CHA Championship. In 2015-16, she tied for second on the team in scoring with 16 points. Overall, she has eight career game-winning goals.
"Mackenzie has always been a bright spot in our lineup who plays with a lot of energy," said McDonald. "We certainly missed her presence last season and are excited to get her back into the lineup and have her in a bigger leadership role."
The Tigers will enter the 2016-17 season looking for their third College Hockey America title in four years. In 2014-15, RIT advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a Division I program since moving up in 2012.
