Cougars hockey add two Hawks

The Cougar women’s hockey team has strengthened their recruiting class for the 2017-18 American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) season with two players from the Pembina Valley Hawks AAA Midget team.

Alyssa Alderson and Kenzie Heide both hail from Morden, Man., where they compete for the Hawks. They will finish out their midget hockey careers playing on home ice as Morden hosts the Esso Cup AAA Midget Nationals in the spring.

Alyssa Alderson is a strong skater that plays a full 200 foot game. Her natural skating abilities, size (5’9”) and competitive level make her a true power forward. Alderson has proved herself an offensive threat and is in the top 10 in scoring in the Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League (MFMHL) this season. The Cougars will be looking for that scoring prowess to continue next season as she joins the team to compete in the ACHA. Alderson is a true athlete having made the under 18 Team Manitoba hockey top 40, as well as competing in the Manitoba High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) soccer and track & field provincials for Morden Collegiate Institute.

Kenzie Heide is a solid defender in the defensive zone while moving the puck well to offense. She will help to stabilize the Cougars defense in the upcoming season. Heide will add size (5’10”) and grit to the Cougars defense. Her ability to see the ice, read and react to the play will be a welcomed asset to the team. Heide has also achieved athletic success winning a Provincial title with the Pembina Valley Hawks AAA Bantams and she is a three time Provincial Champion.

Both Alderson and Heide will be taking ACC’s Comprehensive Health Care Aide (CHCA) program in the fall with the intent to enter the Practical Nursing program and play for the Cougars for the next three seasons.