When it comes to evaluating a goaltender, it can be one of the toughest tasks. With 40 goaltenders in the PWHL draft in 2026, that task becomes even more difficult.
Today, the TIG NCAA writers are taking a stab at evaluating players from their conferences. While there is a lot of talent in the pool this year, we’ve kept it to one netminder per league. What follows is what makes each player an intriguing candidate before June 17’s PWHL entry draft.
AHA: Katie DeSa, Penn State | Pawcatuck, CT
Katie DeSa became the best goaltender in Penn State history this past season. The 22-year-old recently wrapped up her collegiate career which saw her lead the Nittany Lions to their first Frozen Four appearance in program history. She finished the season with a 27-4-0 record which was her second straight season with 27 wins. She helped lead the Nittany Lions to a 16-0 record to open the season. And, she stood tall throughout the NCAA tournament.
DeSa’s season included being named a semifinalist for the HCA Goalie of the Year award. She led the NCAA in shutouts with 12, and won the AHA Goaltender of the Year award for a second-straight season. She was also once again a member of the All-AHA First Team for the second year in a row. DeSa’s 1.36 goals against average was second in the NCAA, and she was in the top 10 in save percentage with a .936. Those numbers were also the best in the AHA. She leaves a legacy at Penn State with the most wins in one season with 27, most career shutouts with 25, and a career GAA of 1.43.
DeSa took strides in her college career and has still been putting in work. She attended the USA Hockey goaltending camp in May. DeSa is a great choice in the draft given her great skill, and her ability to be in the right position to make saves.
You can learn more about DeSa here.
ECAC: Emma-Sofie Nordström | Herning, Denmark
Only two ECAC goaltenders from the 2025-26 season declared for the draft: Calli Hogarth, who appeared in just one game for Quinnipiac after posting a .904 save percentage over three years at Merrimack, and Nordström. At 5-foot-10, Nordström has a solid frame in net, but her size doesn’t limit her ability to move laterally.
After a quiet freshman season in which she made just five appearances, Nordström broke out in 2023-24. She posted a 25-11 record and a .931 save percentage en route to Second Team All-ECAC honors. She capped off the season with her best collegiate performance: a 36-save shutout of Penn State in the NCAA tournament, her seventh clean sheet of the season.
Her junior year was more of the same — a 19-12-5 record, a .934 SV%, and a spot on the All-ECAC third team. In her senior year, the Saints struggled, but Nordström remained consistent despite a late-season injury, finishing with a .931 SV%.
Internationally, Nordström has backstopped Denmark in four World Championships — two at the highest level and two in Division I A — and made the 2022 Beijing Olympic team. If drafted and/or signed, she would be the first Danish player to appear in the PWHL.
Because of St. Lawrence’s high-flying (or less politely, chaotic) style, Nordström is difficult to evaluate. The fact that she faced a lot of shots and high quality chances during her collegiate career but still managed to post solid numbers is a big mark in her favor. Still, she doesn’t quite have the flashy saves and sub-2.00 goals-allowed average that other top goaltenders typically bring into the league.
HEA: Tia Chan, UConn | Hamilton, Ontario
Multiple senior netminders from Hockey East schools have entered the draft this season. And, in my opinion, no entrant is more intriguing than Chan. Following five seasons with UConn, Chan is expected to be one of the first goaltenders off the board next week. An agile, quick goaltender, the former Husky finished her career with a .946 save percentage across 121 appearances. Her talent is highlighted by her .951 save percentage in over 2200 minutes this past season.
You know, the season where she won NCAA Goaltender of the Year. No big deal.
While Chan isn’t the tallest netminder on this list — she comes in at 5-foot-6 — her awareness of the puck and ability to move around the crease helps her stand out. She has been a walking highlight reel, thanks in large part to her aforementioned speed and the particular skill she wields her glove with.
The accolades speak for themselves. She finished her career with back-to-back Hockey East Goaltender of the Year honors and multiple All-Hockey East team honorifics. Plus, she departs Storrs as the program’s all time leader in wins, save percentage, and shutouts. Her 3,293 total saves rank her second in UConn’s history.
Outside of the NCAA, Chan does have international experience. Between 2022 and 2023, she made 11 appearances for the Chinese national team, including at the Beijing Olympics. In five games at the DI A World Championships in 2023, she helped China earn a promotion to the top division. Chan backstopped them with a .956 SV% in five games.
While Chan may not be a PWHL starter out of the gate, she will automatically provide a solid secondary presence. I have full confidence in her ability to develop into a starter over the course of the next few seasons, a characteristic that should entice any general manager.
NEWHA: Jill Hertl, Franklin Pierce | Highland Park, IL
The NEWHA Goaltender of the Year and conference leader in wins, save percentage, and goals-against average is looking to make the jump to the pros after four years at Franklin Pierce. Hertl led the NCAA in save percentage with a .953. She backstopped the Ravens to the NEWHA championship title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, too.
Hertl started 29 games, won 18 of them, and recorded six shutouts, including in the NEWHA championship game. She was also named to the All-NEWHA First Team and the NEWHA All-Tournament Team and was named the NEWHA All-Tournament Most Outstanding Player. That’s a lot of recognition in one season.
Hertl has been solid in net her entire career and has always finished with an save percentage over .934. If any team needs a goalie, Hertl is ready for her chance and ready to prove that NEWHA produces its own talent.
You can read more about Jill Hertl here.
WCHA: Hailey MacLeod, Ohio State | Abbotsford, British Columbia
Ohio State’s Hailey MacLeod put together a great senior season in net. The 21-year-old finished the season with a 26-4-0 record, setting a new program record for wins. She also finished the season winning 10 of her last 11 games. Statistically, her 1.48 goals against average was second in the WCHA and her .932 SV% was in the top five in the conference.
MacLeod was tied in the WCHA with six shutouts in the regular season. In the conference postseason, she led the Buckeyes to the WCHA Final Faceoff, capturing the title after holding Wisconsin to just one goal. In the NCAA playoffs, she allowed one goal against Yale, followed by a shutout of Northeastern. Though Ohio State lost to Wisconsin in the title game, MacLeod made 31 saves and allowed three goals.
Before this stellar season, MacLeod only started 12 games in her junior year. While with Minnesota Duluth, she started nine and 19 games respectively, and was named a semifinalist for Goaltender of the Year as a sophomore. She had also previously represented Canada at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in 2022, where she won gold.
Ohio State is a very talented program and their offense and defense are both solid. Part of that defense is noticeable with MacLeod, whose postseason run showed just how composed she can be in net. MacLeod is a very consistent goaltender and stands tall especially in the rare times when the Buckeyes in front of her made errors or needed her to hold down the defense.
For more on the top NCAA prospects in the PWHL draft this season, be sure to check out the rest of TIG’s 2026 draft coverage on The IX Sports website.
