2024 was one of the biggest years ever for women’s sports all around the world. Leagues such as the WNBA and the NWSL saw some of the biggest viewership and attendance ever and the Professional Womenís Hockey League (PWHL) had its inaugural season. Former Blake hockey star Izzy Daniel ’19 was selected 18th overall in the second PWHL draft in 2024 and is now playing for the Toronto Sceptres.

Daniel began playing for Blakeís varsity team as a freshman in 2015. During her time at Blake, she was a two-time team MVP, three-time All-Conference honoree, and two-time All-Minnesota State honoree. She began playing for Cornell in 2019 and had a standout season in her senior year. In 2023-24, she was named Ivy League Player of the Year and was the first Cornell player to win the Patty Kazmaier Award. This award is given to the best player in NCAA Division 1 women’s hockey and is based on both skill and character.

This year with the Sceptres, Daniel has played her way up to Toronto’s top line and has been making an immediate impact. The season began on Nov. 30, and the team has played 15 games, all of which Daniel has played in. They have a 5-6-4 record, fourth best in the league. In their most recent game on Feb. 1, the Sceptres beat the Ottawa Charge 4-2. Per PWHL stats, she ranks eighth among all rookies, and best on the Sceptres. Look out for a feature article about Daniel in a coming issue of the paper.