Hamilton Hawks Represented at Historic PWHL Hamilton Announcement

The future of women’s hockey took another major step forward this week as the Professional Women’s Hockey League officially announced expansion to Hamilton, and the Hamilton Hawks were proud to be part of the celebration.

Ten Hawks players attended the announcement events surrounding the new Hamilton franchise, representing multiple age divisions across the association. Among them was U18AA player Emma MacLeod, who delivered a speech reflecting on her hockey journey, the impact of the Hawks organization and what the arrival of professional women’s hockey in Hamilton means to young athletes across the city.

Representing the Hamilton Hawks were:

• U18AA - Emma MacLeod
• U18A - Ella Carrigan
• U18B - Hannah Masys-Pollock
• U18B - Gabriella Gennaccaro
• U13AA - Heidi Vollick
• U13AA - Ava Carrigan
• U13BB - Caeleigh Henderson
• U13BB - Josephine Lovett
• U13BB - Emmerson McQueen
• U11BB - Skylar Lawton

During her speech, Emma spoke about growing up in Hamilton and proudly wearing the Hawks jersey since she was six years old.

“Being a player in Hamilton is about more than just a jersey; it’s about pride, commitment, playing for the teammates beside you and representing our city.”

Emma reflected on how the Hawks organization helped shape her both as a hockey player and as a person, emphasizing the friendships, leadership and resilience developed through the game. She also highlighted the importance of seeing women’s professional hockey continue to grow.

“As a female athlete, seeing the PWHL take off makes the dream of going pro feel more real than ever.”

The announcement marks a historic moment for girls’ hockey in Hamilton. The new PWHL franchise will play out of TD Coliseum, bringing professional women’s hockey directly into the local community and creating new opportunities for young athletes to dream bigger than ever before.

The Hamilton Hawks organization has proudly supported girls’ hockey in the city for decades, and moments like this continue to inspire the next generation of players throughout the association.

The Hawks congratulate Emma and all participating players on representing the association so well during this exciting milestone for women’s hockey in Hamilton.

For more on the PWHL Hamilton announcement, read the CBC Hamilton coverage here or watch Emma's speech on the PWHL YouTube Channel Here.