NWHL Release
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – LIU women's hockey senior
Morgan Schauer became the first Shark athlete drafted to a professional team Tuesday night, as she was picked by the Metropolitan Riveters in the fifth round of the National Women's Hockey League draft.
A total of 30 players were selected by the league's six member clubs over the five-round process and were introduced live on Twitch for the first time in league history.
Schauer was drafted as the fifth pick in the fifth round. She is the first women's hockey player from LIU ever to be drafted.
"I'm really proud of Morgan!" LIU head coach
Rob Morgan said. "For her to get drafted and now have the opportunity to extend her playing career at the professional lever adds to her Shark legacy here at LIU. Morgan knows what she needs to do in order to make the Riveters in the fall, and there's no doubt in my mind that she's going to be fully prepared!"
The 30 selected players by position equal 16 forwards, 13 defenders, and one goaltender. They represent a total of 24 different programs including 19 NCAA Division I teams, three U SPORTS teams, and two NCAA Division III teams. Programs developing multiple players include the aforementioned BSU and Colgate, plus the University of New Hampshire and the University of Maine all with two players behind RMU's three. Seven programs were represented for the first time in NWHL Draft history including Hamilton College, College of the Holy Cross, St. Cloud State University, Pennsylvania State University, Castleton University, Long Island University, and Concordia University.
"These athletes represent the future of the NWHL and professional women's hockey in North America who will help inspire the next generation of young girls and boys," said NWHL Commissioner Tyler Tumminia. "We are proud to celebrate all of the hard work, dedication, and resiliency that have driven their careers this far. I hope all of the players enjoy this special moment with family and friends, and we can't wait to see you and all of our fans in Season 7."
NWHL clubs will have a two-week window to exclusively sign their draft picks to contracts for the 2021-22 season. Any selected players who go unsigned in this timeframe will become eligible for free agency at 9:00 a.m. ET on July 14. Any unselected players immediately qualify for free agency beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on June 30. The inaugural NWHL International Draft will be held on July 25.
About the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL)
Established in 2015, the NWHL was the first professional women's hockey league in North America to pay its players. The mission of the league is to fuel the continued growth of the sport and brand of pro women's hockey. The league is made up of the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, and the Toronto Six. Visit NWHL.zone and follow on Twitter and Facebook @NWHL and Instagram @NWHL.zone.
