Wesleyan's McKenna to Coach National Women's Ice Hockey Under-18 Squad in August

Courtesy Wesleyan Sports Information

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – After serving as assistant coach for Team USA during the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Women's Ice Hockey Championship in Finland as the USA won a gold medal, and during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, when the USA secured a silver medal, Jodi McKenna has been chosen to coach the Under-18 USA squad during the 2010 USA Hockey Women's National Festival in Lake Placid, N.Y. The Festival runs from August 13-21.

The 21 members of the U18 squad were announced by USA Hockey July 30. Seven team members have previous National Team experience. This past April, the USA U18 squad took a silver medal at the 2010 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship. Previously the USA was the gold-medal squad at the 2009 U18 IIHF World Championship.

Taking over as Wesleyan's head coach during the 2007-08 season, McKenna directed the Cardinals in 2008-09 as well before taking a leave of absence for the 2009-10 campaign to serve as an Olympic assistant. A 1998 graduate of Brown University, McKenna captained the Bears her senior season as Brown reached the first-ever NCAA Division I Championship game. Beginning her college coaching career as an assistant at St. Lawrence, McKenna helped the Saints reach the NCAA Frozen Four five times during her nine seasons. McKenna added a Master's degree at St. Lawrence to her credentials in 2000. She has been constantly active as a coach with USA Hockey over the last decade.