KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College women's ice hockey team recently announced their new leadership, with junior
Ava Iantosca being named the team's captain, while
Emma McNeil,
Ellie Patrick, and
Brianna Finke were named alternate captains ahead of the Owls' third season as a program in 2026-2027.
Ava Iantosca, a junior forward from Dedham, Mass., returns as the captain after being named the captain a season ago for her sophomore season for the Owls. Coming off her second season with KSC, Iantosca recorded 15 points from seven goals (two power play goals) and eight assists, to go with 33 shots blocked. Iantosca's .541% faceoff winning percentage was a team high and her 292 faceoff wins were the third-most in the LEC on the season.
Emma McNeil, a senior forward from Bangor, Maine, returns for her third season with the Owls in her final season at KSC. McNeil netted two game-winning goals a season ago with the game-winner in overtime at Salem State University (1/3/26) and the eventual game-winner in KSC's 3-2 win over the University of Southern Maine (2/21/26) to round out the Owls' regular season.
Ellie Patrick, a junior forward from Belfast, Northern Ireland, is back for her third season as an alternate captain for the Owls, after earning the selection in each of KSC's first two seasons as a program. In her sophomore season Patrick tied for the team-high of 17 points from seven goals and 10 assists, including tallying five points across the Owls' final four games of the season. Patrick has got it done on both sides of the ice for the Owls over her first two years with the program as she also became the first member to reach the 100 career shots blocked milestone last season, leading the conference with 79 blocked shots on the year.
Brianna Finke, a junior forward from Cypress County, Alberta, Canada, also returns as an alternate captain for the Owls in her junior season, alongside Patrick. Finke had led the Owls' attack over the past two seasons with 43 points across her first two years from 24 goals and 19 assists to go with her three game-winning goals a season ago with two coming in overtime against New England College (1/24/26) and against the University of Vermont State Castleton (2/13/26).
"This group was chosen because of who they are, the experiences they have had within our program, and most importantly, the growth I have seen in each of them," said Owls head coach
Rob Morgan. "I have watched Ava, Mickey, Ellie and Bri continue to grow — not just as hockey players, but as people. They have been given the responsibility to help lead this team, but our culture will be determined by every single person in this room. Every player has the ability — and the responsibility — to make this team better. I have tremendous confidence in these four women. I believe they understand that leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about being willing to learn, grow, respond and keep moving forward."
The Owls kick off their 2026-2027 season and second year in the Little East Conference at home against Albertus Magnus College on Friday, October 30, at 3:00 PM.
