The WCHA has such a great class of defenders in this year’s PWHL draft. It was tough to narrow down this list. I chose the five best defenders and included honorable mentions, too.
The PWHL draft is just days away. On June 17, many of these players on this list will hear their names called. Let’s see why they will.
Currently at The Ice Garden, we are rolling out articles on the best prospects from AHA, NEWHA, the best forwards and defenders from Hockey East and ECAC. We also have stories on prospects outside of the NCAA. There will be more draft coverage coming up so please keep checking back here daily for all your NCAA and PWHL needs.
Caroline “KK” Harvey, Wisconsin | Pelham, N.H.
Harvey will be going first overall, there is no doubt about that. She is a highly decorated college and international player. The 23-year-old won this year’s Patty Kazmaier award, becoming only the third defender to do so. This season she finished with 64 points, which was fourth in the NCAA. She was the highest scoring defender in all the NCAA.
Inside her college career
Harvey finished an incredible collegiate career this year. She was a First-Team All-American for the third time in her career. She was also recognized as the WCHA Defender and Player of the Year this season.
Her collegiate career ended with a third national championship, becoming the first defender in program history to record 200 points, and set a new record for most goals by a defender in the WCHA.
Harvey has also been a mainstay on special teams. She was always on the power play and penalty kill, helping Wisconsin have two of the best special teams in the country.
International experience
Outside of college, there are even more accolades. Harvey appeared in five World Championships with Team USA. She medaled in every tournament. Harvey was named Best Defender at the 2023 and 2025 Worlds. She has spent a lot of time around veteran players and said she actually takes the time to learn from them.
In February, Harvey became a two-time Olympian. She posted nine points in seven games en route to a gold medal. Harvey was named to the Olympic All-Star team and Best Defender too. But on top of that, she earned MVP honors โ at the Olympics! All this at just 23 years old.
Every part of Harvey’s game is incredible. She is a superb two-way player who will have no trouble in the PWHL. She’s the type of player who starts her pro career on the top line. And, she’s the type of player who is generational. No one plays hockey like her. Additionally, Harvey is still working to get better. She said she aims to fine tune her craft. She even admitted to working on her skating with fellow teammate Kirsten Simms.
I wrote this last summer and still stand by it: An intelligent, skillful, and tenacious player, Harvey is both a veteran of the sport and someone who still has the potential to grow, all in stunning fashion.
You can read more that I’ve written about Harvey here:
Plus, you can watch the The IX Sports podcast where I talk about Harvey here:
Laila Edwards, Wisconsin | Cleveland Heights, Ohio
I need to start this with a note. Edwards is in the draft as a defender but at Wisconsin she played both forward and defense this season. While with Team USA at the IIHF World Championship and this yearโs Olympics, she usually plays defense. Iโll still talk about her in both positions here.
The Ohio native is a very special player. For starters, as mentioned, she plays two different positions very well. While with the Badgers, Edwards normally played forward and had a great offensive career. This year she spent time playing in both positions and finished with 45 points and 25 blocks. She was a Top-10 Patty Kaz finalist, All-WCHA Second Team, and won her third NCAA championship.
Edwards played in her first Olympics earlier this year. She became the first Black woman to play for the USA womenโs hockey team at the Olympics. There, she played defense for the U.S. and finished with eight points in seven games. Edwards played a big part in the Americansโ road to a gold medal with her great shutdown defensive game and offensive prowess.
What’s not to like about Edwards?
The 22-year-old has appeared in two World Championship tournaments in 2024 and 2025. She won a silver medal and was named MVP of the 2024 World Championship. Additionally, at the 2025 tournament she played as a defender and won gold. Edwards has also played in The Rivalry Series for three years and in the Six Nations tournament, as well.
Thereโs no shortage to Edwardsโ game in either position she plays. She is a great playmaker as a forward and always finds her way on a scoresheet. As a defender, she has stellar reach and can be aggressive against opponents. During this season, she even had to switch up positions in the middle of games. However sheโs used in the pros, Edwards will adjust perfectly fine. She will continue to find the back of the net โ while preventing opposing teams from doing the same.
Sydney Morrow, Minnesota | Darien, Conn.
Morrow is a strong offensive defender. She finished her final season at Minnesota with 38 points: eight goals and 30 assists. Morrowโs 30 assists were second in the country among defenders. Her 38 points ranked third in the NCAA. At seasonโs end, Morrow finished in the top three for WCHA Defender of the Year. She was also All-WCHA Second Team and Second Team All-American.
The Connecticut product also recorded 57 blocks this season. She was a regular on the Gophersโ penalty kill and ran that special team with no problem at all. Morrowโs collegiate career included stops with Ohio State and Colgate before playing her final two years with Minnesota. She was also part of Team USA at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. There she recorded seven points in five games and won a silver medal.
Morrow is good at scoring up front and is also sneaky. If an opponent is focused on a different play, she always appears out of nowhere to score. One of the best parts of her game is that sheโll find the perfect teammate in the perfect spot for a goal. Furthermore, she has a wicked shot from a distance. Defensively, she puts her body on the line and breaks up chances. After recording at least 50 blocks each season in Minnesota, there’s no doubt Morrow will be blocking even more shots in the PWHL.
Emma Peschel, Ohio State | Edina, Minn.
Peschel put together a nice season with 39 points and 35 blocks. The senior captain helped lead the Buckeyes to a conference title and into yet another NCAA championship title game. A reliable defender, Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall described Peschel as a leader and trustworthy player. Those are great words from such a great coach.
Internationally, Peschel played in the 2025 edition of The Rivalry Series. Previously, she represented Team USA at the 2024 Women’s Euro Hockey Tour. Prior to that, she won a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF Womenโs World Championship.
Peschelโs size is what jumps out. Sheโs 5โ10โ and thatโs an asset in a league that doesnโt have many players of that height. Peschel is a true defender, dynamic skills wise, but also has a great offensive side to her game, according to Muzerall.
Nelli Laitinen, Minnesota | Lohja, Finland
Nelli Laitinen is one of the best defenders in the WCHA. Second only to Harvey, Laitinen brings experience from different leagues and different tournaments. The Finland native played in four U18 Womenโs World Championships. She earned Top Three Player on Team three straight years. Previously, Laitinen played in the Naisten Liiga, Finland’s second tier pro league. She spent six years there before making the move to college hockey. In those six years, she won three championships. She was named the league’s best defenseman in three of those sixย years. Laitinen won even more accolades, including First All-Star Team. She had the most assists, most points by a defender in the league, and she was also Most Valuable Player in the league playoffs.
Laitinen’s accomplishments
Laitinen has three World Championship medals, an Olympics bronze medal, and was an alternate captain for Suomi at this yearโs Games. In college, she was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team after the 2022-23 season. She was Second All-Star Team in 2024 and Second Team All-American this last season. In her final year with the Gophers, Laitinen finished with 30 points and 35 blocks. She ranked fourth amongst all defenders in points total.
Former Minnesota assistant coach and now head coach, Greg โBoomโ May had nothing but high praise for Laitinen. In an interview earlier this year, he described the 24-year-old as a true two-way defender. Laitinen grew up playing center then switched to defense. She believes that played a role in developing her two-way game. As a defender, she puts her body on the line and blocks shots well. She also had a lot of time on the penalty kill in her college career. One of the best aspects to Laitinenโs game is off the ice. Sheโs a student of the game and Coach May said she watches a lot of video. Sheโs a player who is attentive and focused on getting better, he added.
Laitinen will find a home with no problem in the PWHL.
Honorable Mention: Grace Wolfe, St. Cloud State | Owatonna, Minn.
Wolfe wrapped up a five year career with the Huskies this season. She was captain of the team the last two seasons. In her final year, her offensive game grew. She had her best season yet. Wolfe finished with six goals and 15 assists for 21 points. She was the top scoring defender on a Huskies team that was going through changes. Still, one thing about Wolfe was her ability to be a leader to the team. Sheโs adaptable, and said she has bettered her positional awareness over her collegiate career. Wolfe also led St. Cloud to their first win in the conference playoffs since 2010.
Someone should take a chance on Wolfe to see how she can do in the pros.
More honorable mentions: Vivian Jungels, Wisconsin. Sara Swiderski, Ohio State. Krista Parkkonen, Tova Henderson, Minnesota Duluth. Kianna Roeske, Minnesota State.
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