KINGSTON, Ont. (October 8, 2010) – Tonight, the Queen's men's and women's hockey teams kickoff the 2010-11 season with the women opening at home against the Waterloo Warriors and the men opening on the road against the Ottawa Gee Gees.

After disappointing ends to last season for both squads, the Gaels will be looking for big things this season with the addition of a number of talented rookies on both sides.

For the men, this summer saw the Gaels add a number of talented rookies to the fold after having three (Payton Liske of Welland, Ont., Jordan Mirwaldt of Winnipeg, Man., and Stephane Chabotof Rockland, Ont.) named to the OUA All-Rookie team a year ago. Headlining the group is Alexi Pianosi of Halifax, N.S., a defenceman who played three years in the QMJHL. The winner of the Lou Jeffries scholarship, Pianosi demonstrated in the preseason his ability to provide offence from the backend.

Head Coach Brett Gibson also managed to bring in another talented netminder in David Aime of Clandeboye, Man., who was named the Goaltender of the Year last season in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, as well as centre Jordan Soquila of Maple Ridge, B.C., who captained the Merritt Centenials in 2009-10.

The Queen's women also added a talented group of recruits led by Emily Harrison of Calgary, Alta. Harrison was one of the top scorers in the Alberta Midget AAA league last season as she tallied 25 goals and 23 assists in 32 games. Joining her on the Gaels is fellow Calgary Flyers teammate Shawna Griffin of Redwood Meadows, Alta., who had 28 points last season.

Other fresh faces on the women's team this season are forward Alex Cieslowski of Oakville, Ont., and defencemen Sofia Troop of Georgetown, Ont., and Kelly Eustace of Oakville.

This group of rookies joins already established players such as the aforementioned Liske, Mirwaldt and team captain Jonathon Lawrance, of Steinbach, Man., on the men's squad as well as Becky Conroy of Pembroke, Ont., Elizabeth Kench of Ganaoque, Ont., and team captain Michelle Hunt of Mississauga, Ont., on the women's team.

Tonight marks the home opener for the women as they take on the Waterloo Warriors, a team they have not lost to in over a year. The Gaels will be looking to Conroy to lead them to a win tonight as she looks for her 100th career point with Queen's.

The men, in the meantime, open on the road tonight against Ottawa but will be at home on Saturday night for their home opener against the Concordia Stingers. All month long, the men will be showing their support in the fight against breast cancer as the team will be wearing pink shirts during warmup. The team, along with the School of Business at Queen's, have already raised $500 in donations.