Kayla Friesen

Kayla Friesen is a Canadian-American ice hockey forward, currently playing with the Connecticut Whale of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). She was selected second overall in the 2020 NWHL Draft by the Connecticut Whale.

Kayla Friesen
Born (1998-03-05) March 5, 1998
Monroe, Louisiana, United States
Height 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
NWHL team Connecticut Whale
Played for Clarkson Golden Knights
St. Cloud State Huskies
National team  Canada
Playing career 2016–present

Playing career

Friesen attended St. Mary's Academy in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for high school and played on the school’s ice hockey team, registering 78 points in 45 games in her senior season.[1]

Friesen’s collegiate ice hockey career began in 2016, when she joined the St. Cloud State Huskies women's ice hockey program of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). She played 103 games in three seasons with the Huskies, notching 16 goals and 50 total points. She served as team captain during her junior year.

Concerns about her development as a player motivated Friesen to transfer to Clarkson University of the ECAC Hockey conference for her final year of university eligibility.[2] Playing on a line with 2020 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Élizabeth Giguère, she put up a career best 30 points in 28 games with the Clarkson Golden Knights. Her stellar performance with the Golden Knights earned recognition as the ECAC Hockey Player of the Week for September 29, 2019, and she was named to the 2020 ECAC Hockey All-Academic team.[3][4] Across 131 NCAA games, Friesen scored 80 points,

NWHL

In April 2020, Friesen was selected second overall by the Connecticut Whale in the NWHL Draft. The draft was held via Twitter and top women’s athletes from other North American leagues participated by announcing the picks remotely; Friesen’s pick was announced by WNBA star Jasmine Thomas.[5] She would go on to sign her first professional contract with the Whale ahead of the 2020–21 NWHL season, opting not to pursue overseas opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. having grown up with Whale head coach Colton Orr's nephew in Winnipeg.[6]

She scored her first career NWHL goal in the Whale's opening game of the 2020–21 season, a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Beauts.[7]

International play
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Women's ice hockey
World U18 Championships
2016 Canada

Friesen represented Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship. She joined a roster filled with up-and-coming hockey stars, including Sophie Shirley, Kristin O'Neill, Daryl Watts, Amy Potomak, Jaime Bourbonnais, and Saroya Tinker, in addition to her future Connecticut Whale teammate, Victoria Howran.[8] She played in all five games, notching an assist against the Czech Republic and scoring a goal against Russia. Her two points contributed to a Canadian silver medal victory in the tournament.[9]

Personal life

Friesen's father, Rob Friesen, played professional ice hockey in North American minor leagues, including with the Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League, and overseas in the Netherlands, Germany, and in the United Kingdom with the Guildford Flames.

Friesen was born in Monroe, Louisiana, while her father was playing with the Monroe Moccasins of the Western Professional Hockey League, and has dual Canadian-US citizenship.[10] She has an older sister, Taylor, who played collegiate softball at William Jewell College, and a younger brother, Colton, who plays ice hockey with the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs of the USPHL’s National Collegiate Development Conference.[3][11]

Career statistics
    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2016–17St. Cloud State HuskiesNCAA 367111822 –––––
2017–18St. Cloud State HuskiesNCAA 3349138 –––––
2018–19St. Cloud State HuskiesNCAA 345141924 –––––
2019–20Clarkson Golden KnightsNCAA 2810203041 –––––
2020–21Connecticut WhaleNWHL
NCAA totals 131 2654 80 95 ––– – –

References
  1. Fiddler, Meagan (March 12, 2015). "World Sport School Challenge highlights Canada's best girl hockey players". CBC. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  2. "Golden Knights Welcome Nine Newcomers to Women's Hockey Program". Clarkson University Athletics. July 17, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  3. "2019-20 Clarkson Women's Hockey Roster: Kayla Friesen". Clarkson University Athletics. 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  4. Fundaro, Gabriella (November 21, 2019). "Seniors setting new heights". The Ice Garden. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  5. Brooks, Carter (July 6, 2020). "Winnipeg's Kayla Friesen is Set to Exceed Expectations in Connecticut". Game On Media. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  6. "The Whale Sign Clarkson Center Kayla Friesen, Picked Second Overall in the 2020 NWHL Draft". OurSports Central (Press Release). July 1, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  7. Ingemi, Marisa (January 23, 2021). "NWHL Day 1 Takeaways: Riveters, Whale, Whitecaps ahead early". Sportsnet. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  8. Rice, Dan (September 2, 2020). "Connecticut Whale: Q & A with Rookie Kayla Friesen". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  9. "Canada - 2016 Tournament - Roster - #13 - Kayla Friesen - F". stats.hockeycanada.ca. Hockey Canada. 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  10. Wiebe, Ken (May 8, 2020). "Q&A: Kayla Friesen on going No. 2 in NWHL Draft, falling in love with hockey again". The Athletic. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  11. "2018 Softball Roster: Taylor Friesen". William Jewell College Athletics. 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
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