What does it actually take to stand alone in the crease when the pressure is at its highest?

This week on Rinkside Rundown, I’m joined by Penn State goaltender and Vancouver Goldeneyes draft pick Katie DeSa, where she opens up about the journey that brought her from falling in love with the game during the 2010 Olympics to anchoring the Nittany Lions' historic run.

During our conversation, Katie talks about the importance of keeping things fun when the stakes are massive, the mental resilience required to bounce back, and how she unwinds away from the rink through fly fishing and music.

This episode was recorded before she was selected in the fourth round, 37th overall, by the Vancouver Goldeneyes. On September 1, Katie signed her first professional contract, inking a one-year deal with the Goldeneyes.

If you’re enjoying these stories, subscribe and share Rinkside Rundown with your fellow hockey fans. New episodes drop every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET, bringing you closer to the players shaping the women's game.

Building a foundation beyond the ice.

This week on Rinkside Rundown, I’m joined by Brown University captain India McDadi. Instead of just tracing her collegiate steps in the ECAC, we explore how her athletic roots outside the rink ultimately shaped her competitive edge and leadership style.

India opens up about growing up as a multi-sport athlete in Mississauga. We discuss how her early success in baseball taught her unique lessons in confidence, as well as the pivotal moment she decided to focus entirely on hockey. We also talk about her evolution as a leader at Brown, the realities of building a strong team culture, and how she translates those collegiate lessons into her own game.

Because we recorded this conversation just before the 2026 PWHL Draft, India shares an honest look at her preparation for the professional ranks. She provides a rare, unfiltered window into the nerves and mindset required when a top collegiate player is waiting to take that next big step.

If you’re enjoying these conversations, subscribe and share Rinkside Rundown with your fellow women’s hockey fans. New episodes drop every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET, featuring players from across the women’s game, from youth and college to the pros. Link in bio.

When a career comes full circle.

This week on Rinkside Rundown, I’m joined by Colgate University graduate and PWHL Detroit draft pick Casey Borgiel. We trace her path from youth hockey with Little Caesars through her collegiate stops at Holy Cross and Colgate, and what she discovered about herself both on and off the ice along the way.

Casey opens up about the impact of team culture and leadership, the reality of transitioning from junior to NCAA Division I, and how mental resilience and sports psychology helped her handle pressure at every level. We also dig into how she’s preparing for the pro game and what it means to build a career beyond the scoresheet.

Since we spoke, Casey’s hard work has paid off in a big way. At the 2026 PWHL Draft, she heard her name called by her hometown club, PWHL Detroit, who selected her 22nd overall. In doing so, she became the organization’s first-ever draft pick from the state of Michigan. On August 14, 2026, Casey signed her first professional contract, inking a one-year deal with Detroit ahead of the 2026-27 season.

“It’s a dream come true to come home and play in the same arena that helped me fall in love with hockey and find my passion for the game,” Casey said via team release.

If you’re enjoying these conversations, subscribe and share Rinkside Rundown with your fellow women’s hockey fans. New episodes drop every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET, featuring players from across the women’s game, from youth and college to the pros. Link in bio.

What does a journey look like from small town Indiana to the pros?

This week on Rinkside Rundown, I catch up with friend of the show Megan McKay, defender and graduate of Clarkson University, who grew up in Zionsville, Indiana and is now preparing for a professional career in the PWHL.

Since Megan last appeared back on Episode 96 of the show (https://youtu.be/q6yg3V-ip9w), she wrapped up her collegiate career and declared for the PWHL Draft. In this episode, she shares the lessons she learned and growth she achieved while at Clarkson University, and how it’s helped prepare her for the next step of her career.

We also chat about her own podcast, Her Shift, her blossoming broadcasting career, and the work she’s done within her community to help support and develop the next generation of women’s hockey stars.

This conversation was recorded before the 2026 PWHL Draft. Since then, Megan has accepted an invite to PWHL San Jose’s camp this fall.

If you’re enjoying these conversations, consider subscribing and sharing with your fellow hockey fans. New episodes drop every Thursday at 3:00pm EST and feature talented players from across the world of women’s hockey. Link in bio.

Community, leadership, and resilience.

Three words to describe the journey of forward Maddy Christian, who joins me this week on Rinkside Rundown to share her inspiring hockey story.

Maddy talks about the importance of community back home in Elk River, Minnesota and how they helped shape her into the player she is on the ice and the person she is away from it. She also reflects on the growth she went through in becoming part of the leadership group at Penn State University and what it took to pursue her dreams of playing alongside the best in the world.

This conversation was recorded before the 2026 PWHL Draft where Maddy was selected 33rd overall by her hometown Minnesota Frost.

If you’re enjoying these conversations, consider subscribing and sharing with your fellow hockey fans. New episodes drop every Thursday at 3:00pm EST and feature talented players from across the world of women’s hockey.

Antigonish, Nova Scotia native Sara Stewart joins me this week on Rinkside Rundown to talk about her early love of hockey, the impact of community and family on her career, her growth and development at Colgate University, and what it means to be representing the East Coast for her and the next generation of female hockey players.

This conversation took place prior to the 2026 PWHL Draft, where Sara also shares what it would mean to hear her name called at the draft and to embark on a career in the best league in the world.

Since we spoke, Sara has signed her first professional contract, joining MoDo Hockey of the SDHL.

If you’re enjoying the conversations, make sure to click that subscribe button so you never miss a brand new episode, releasing every Thursday at 3:00pm EST.

This week on Rinkside Rundown, I sit down with Belleville, Ontario native Zoe Uens.

Zoe walks me through how her love of hockey started from watching her dad and brother play, why playing multiple sports mattered for her development, and what it was like growing up in Belleville. We talk about her junior career with the Kingston Ice Wolves, her decision to commit to Quinnipiac, and the growth she went through over four years as a Bobcat.

Since we recorded this conversation, Zoe was drafted in the third round, 36th overall, by the Montreal Victoire.

Follow Zoe’s food journey on Instagram: @chueyeats

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Alex Therien went from playing her junior career in her hometown to representing Canada on the international stage to beginning an NCAA career with the University of New Hampshire, and this week, she joins me on Rinkside Rundown.

We talk about the value of being a multi-sport athlete, Alex’s leadership experiences, and what it means to have a professional women's hockey team, the Ottawa Charge, playing in her hometown.

Since our conversation, Alex has begun a new chapter with St. Lawrence University.