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Kenneally '90 Announces Women's Ice Hockey Class of 2019
6/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University women's ice hockey will welcome six incoming freshmen for the 2015-16 season as part of the class of 2019, first-year head coach Bob Kenneally '90, announced on Tuesday.
"We are excited to announce our newest class and looking forward to bringing these six student-athletes on campus in the fall," Kenneally said. "They are a talented group that will impact our team next season and help us grow as a program over the next four years."
The class includes student-athletes from across North America including the states/provinces of Massachusetts, Minnesota, Alberta, and British Columbia. The group comprises a balance of forwards and defensemen while the performers represent a number of top leagues encompassing the Independent School League (ISL), the New England Girl's Hockey League (NEGHL), and the Junior Women's Hockey League (JWHL).
The six newcomers include forward Bridget Carey (Weymouth, Mass.), forward Jenna Hewitt-Kenda (North Vancouver, British Columbia), forward Katie Lynch (Victoria, Minn.), forward/defenseman Cara Najjar (Stoneham, Mass.), defenseman Abby Niewchas (Cochrane, Alberta), and defenseman Leah Olson (East Harwich, Mass.).
Bridget Carey
Position: Forward
Height: 5-5 | Shoots: L
Hometown: Weymouth, Mass.
High School: St. Paul's School
Junior Team: Bay State Breakers (NEGHL)
Prep Accolades: Earned All-ISL honors all four years … Gained NEPSAC All-Star Second Team honors as a senior … Won MVP of the 2015 New England Championship Tournament … Helped lead team to a 2015 Division I New England title … Played for head coach Heather Farrell … Also played varsity soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse … Competed on the junior level for Bay State Breakers … Graduated magna cum laude.
Jenna Hewitt-Kenda
Position: Forward
Height: 5-7 | Shoots: L
Hometown: North Vancouver, British Columbia
High School: Seycove Secondary School
Junior Team: Pacific Steelers (JWHL)
Prep Accolades: Captained the Pacific Steelers of the JWHL in 2014-15 … Served as an assistant captain in 2013-14 … Competed on the junior level for the Pacific Steelers in her final two seasons; previously played for Team BC, the Fraser Valley Phantom, and the North Shore Avalanche … Helped Fraser Valley to a fifth-place finish at Esso Nationals and a Major Midget BC Provincial title in 2013 … Won Grade 9 Female Athlete of the Year honors at Seycove … Played for head coach Jeff Eaton … Also played soccer, volleyball, basketball, and softball … Graduated as Seycove's valedictorian … Won Seycove Exemplary Student Awards as a junior and senior.
Katie Lynch
Position: Forward
Height: 5-7 | Shoots: R
Hometown: Victoria, Minn.
High School: Benilde-St. Margaret's School
Junior Team: Minnesota Revolution (JWHL)
Prep Accolades: Served as an assistant captain as a senior … Played for head coach Chris Peterson … Competed on the junior level for the Minnesota Revolution (2014) and the Minnesota Thoroughbreds (2011-13) … Participated in the JWHL All-Star Game … Spent a prep year at B.E. Emerson Preparatory Academy … Missed final season prior to Brown due to double hip surgery … Also played tennis and lacrosse; won four varsity letters in tennis and three in lacrosse … High honors student.
Cara Najjar
Position: Forward/Defense
Height: 5-5 | Shoots: R
Hometown: Stoneham, Mass.
High School: Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School
Junior Team: Assabet Valley (NEGHL)
Prep Accolades: Earned All-ISL honors as a junior and senior … Captained BB&N as a junior and senior … Won Team MVP honors in 2014-15 … Totaled over 100 points at BB&N … Qualified as a finalist for the John Carlton Award from the Boston Bruins … Played five years of varsity ice hockey for head coach Ed Bourget … Also played field hockey and lacrosse … Competed on the junior level for Assabet Valley … Won national titles in 2012 and 2014 and won five state championships with Assabet Valley … Selected for USA National Development Camps in each of three years.
Abby Niewchas
Position: Defense
Height: 5-8 | Shoots: L
Hometown: Cochrane, Alberta
High Schools: Athol Murray College of Notre Dame/Edge School for Athletes
Junior Team: Edge Mountaineers (JWHL)
Prep Accolades: Played for the Notre Dame Hounds from 2012-15 and for the Edge Mountaineers in 2014-15 … Played for head coach Carla MacLeod at Edge … Helped her team finish in third place in the JWHL in both 2013-14 and 2014-15 … Competed with Alberta's U18 team at the 2015 Canada Winter Games … Tallied nine points on four goals and five assists over 23 games for Edge in 2014-15 … Earned Academic Honor Roll honors from 2012-14 and a Mountaineer Award in 2014-15.
Leah Olson
Position: Defense
Height: 5-9 | Shoots: R
Hometown: East Harwich, Mass.
High School: Middlesex School
Junior Team: Assabet Valley (NEGHL)
Prep Accolades: Earned All-ISL Honorable Mention honors as a senior … Gained Division II New England First Team All-Star accolades in 2014-15… Played for head coach Dennis Laing … Also played field hockey as a goalie for head coach Natalie Martinez … Competed on the junior level for Assabet Valley … A high honors student.
