April 6, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Bella Sutton (Shoreview, Minn.) has been named the captain of the Penn State women's hockey team for the 2017-18 season, while Kelsey Crow (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Aly Hardy (St. Albans, Vt.) will serve as alternate captains, as announced by interim head coach Dean Jackson.
"We are excited with the leadership group heading into next season," Jackson said. "Bella, Aly, and Kelsey possess the character and intangible qualities to lead our team. These three upperclassmen are tremendous young women that lead by example in the classroom and on the ice. They are great ambassadors of Penn State women's hockey and Penn State."
Sutton, a rising senior defenseman, has tallied 40 points on 13 goals and 27 assists in 103 games played over the past three seasons. During the 2016-17 slate, Sutton, an All-CHA Second Team honoree, posted 13 points on two goals and 11 assists in 29 games played. She also became the 13th Nittany Lion to skate in 100 career games on Feb. 18.
In the all-time Penn State record books, Sutton holds the program record for goals by a defenseman (13) and points by a defenseman (40).
The 2017-18 season marks the second-straight season as an alternate captain from Crow. A rising junior defenseman, Crow has played in 51 career games and has recorded 12 points on five goals and seven assists.
Hardy, a rising senior forward, joins Crow as an alternate captain for the upcoming 2017-18 season. Along with her role as an alternate captain with the women's hockey team next year, Hardy will serve as the vice president for the Penn State Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) for the 2017-18 school year.
During her Nittany Lion career on the ice, Hardy has played in 71 games and has recorded 10 points on three goals and seven assists.
The Nittany Lions return 17 members from the 2016-17 team and welcome six student-athletes to the program next fall.
Natalie Heising (Maple Grove, Minn.), Cam Leonard (Cary, N.C.), Shea Nelson (Evanston, Ill.), Katie Rankin (Kanata, Ontario), Morgan Rolph (Mitchell, Ontario) and Sophie Slattery (Edina, Minn.) will be on campus for the 2017-18 season.