EASTON, Mass. (July 16, 2025) – Stonehill College women's ice hockey head coach Lee-J Mirasolo has announced the program's leadership group for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Senior defender Sydney Russell will wear the "C" for the second consecutive season, becoming the first student-athlete in program history to serve as captain in back-to-back years. She will be joined by fellow seniors Brianna Walkom and Maddison Achtyl, who have been named assistant captains. Walkom returns to the leadership group for the second straight season, while Achtyl earns a letter for the first time in her collegiate career.

A foundational member of the program since its inaugural season in 2022-23, Russell is coming off a standout junior campaign in which she was named to the All-NEWHA Second Team. The Nashville native set a new program record with 62 blocked shots and contributed 14 points (2G, 12A) from the blue line. Her defensive excellence played a critical role in Stonehill's penalty kill unit, which led the NEWHA and ranked 11th nationally with an 86.7% success rate.

Walkom, a three-time NEWHA All-Academic Team honoree, returns for her senior season with a continued leadership role. She appeared in all 38 games in 2024-25, finishing second on the team in faceoff win percentage (54.3%) and fourth in total faceoff victories (153). She added four points on the year, including her first career game-winning goal against Post (Feb. 8) and a two-assist effort against Sacred Heart (Jan. 18).

Achtyl enters her final season following a strong offensive showing in 2024-25. She ranked fourth on the team with 16 points (11 goals, 5 assists), recording three multi-point games—including two-goal performances in both matchups against conference rival Saint Anselm. Achtyl led the team and finished tied for second in the NEWHA with five power-play goals, marking the third-highest single-season total in program history behind Alexis Petford's seven in 2023-24 and six in 2022-23.

Stonehill aims to continue building its legacy in the NEWHA following a 2024-25 season that saw the Skyhawks post a 14-19-5 overall record and a 13-10-5 mark in league play, earning the No. 4 seed in the NEWHA Postseason Tournament.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.