KINGSTON, Ont. (June 22, 2010) – Matthew Holmberg, head coach of the Queen's women's hockey team, announced today his recruiting class for the 2010-11 season.

Joining the Gaels next season will be two members of the Calgary Flyers, Emily Harrison of Calgary and Shawna Griffin of Redwood Meadows, Alta. The two players are both 5'8 forwards and were key contributors to the Flyers, one of the top Midget AAA teams in Alberta, as they posted a 23-3-6 record a year ago.

Harrison, who is a strong skater and blessed with tremendous hockey sense at both ends of the rink, was one of the top scorers in the league last season as she tallied 25 goals, seven of which came with the man-advantage, and 23 assists in 32 games. She also led the league in game winning goals with six.

Griffin, who was team captain last year, is a grinding forward who battles relentlessly in front of the net and in the corners. This desire to compete is complemented by a scoring touch around the net as she scored 17 goals and recorded 28 points during the regular season before adding five goals and three assists in four playoff games.

Also committing to Queen's for next year are two players from the Mississauga Chiefs, who were runners-up in the Provincial Women's Hockey League (PWHL) last season after posting a 29-2-3 regular season record. Alex Cieslowski of Oakville, Ont., is a 5'10 forward who brings size, hockey sense and a well-rounded game to the Gaels. Last year, she scored 12 goals and added nine assists in 34 games for the Chiefs.

Joining her next season will be teammate Sofia Troop of Georgetown, Ont., who at 5'8 can play both forward and defence. Troop, who is a hard-working, physical player, tallied 11 assists in 32 games last season with the Chiefs.

Rounding out the recruiting class is Kelly Eustace, a 5'7 defenceman from Oakville, Ont., who played for Oakville Ice of the PWHL last season. Eustace, an assistant captain with the Ice, is strong in front of the net and tough to beat in one-on-one situations. She also has the ability to make the all-important first pass out of her own zone.

“We are only losing a handful of players from last year's team, and this group of incoming recruits will allow us to add more size, depth and skill to our squad,” commented Holmberg. “Their collective abilities will fit very well within our team's aggressive offensive style and tough defensive system and will certainly help us to take the next step in reaching our goal of becoming OUA champions.”