Women's Hockey: Badger women sign five new skaters

The rich got richer on national signing day as the Wisconsin women's hockey team signed five new skaters to national letters of intent. The class is comprised of Melissa Channell (Oakville, Ontario), Sydney McKibbon (Oakville, Ontario), Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ontario), Annie Pankowski (Laguna Hills, Calif.), and Jenny Ryan (Victor, N.Y.)

If there is a common ground among the newest Badgers slated to join the team for the 2013-2014 season, it is their international experience. "The thing I like about this class is that they have all had the chance to wear their country's jersey, whether that's part of the U-18 or U-22 programs," head coach Mark Johnson said. "They've been part of that process and they're all very competitive players. They have goals in mind and hopefully we'll be able to help them attain some of those goals."

Here is a quick overview of the five signees:

Melissa Channell: Channell is a 5-4 defenseman currently playing with the Burlington Barracudas Junior in the Provincial Women's Hockey League. She was invited to the Team Canada U22 camp this past summer with Badgers, Saige Pacholok and Katarina Zgraja. She was also part of the Canadian U-18 team in the 2011 Canada-USA series. Channell also helped the Ontario Red team to a Canadian National Championship title in 2011. Her intended major is psychology and her father, Craig, is a scout for the Minnesota Wild.

Sydney McKibbon: McKibbon is currently the captain of the Stoney Creek Junior Sabres in the Provincial Women's Hockey League. Through 12 games with Stoney Creek she leads her team in points with eight goals and three assists. Last season, McKibbon also led her team with 41 points off of 12 goals and 29 assists and was also named to the 2012 PWHL All-Star Team. She spent time with Team Canada at the IIHF High Performance Women's Hockey Camp in Slovakia in July 2011. Playing in the Canadian National Championships, McKibbon won a bronze medal with Team Ontario Red in 2012 and skated with Team Ontario Blue in 2011. Her intended major is business.

Sarah Nurse: Through 121 games this season with the Stoney Creek Junior Sabres, she is second on the team in points with four goals and six assists. Last year, she was also second on the team in points (37), first in goals (21) and third in assists (16). At the Canadian National Championships, Nurse won gold in 2011 and bronze in 2012 with Team Ontario Red. Her intended major is undecided.

Annie Pankowski: Through 30 games this season with the North American Hockey Academy, Pankowski leads her team with 65 points (30G, 34A). Last season, she averaged almost a goal per game, scoring 66 goals and tallying 20 assists in 70 games, and helped lead her team to a Junior Women's Hockey League championship. NAHA also won a JWHL championship her sophomore year, as she logged 50 goals and 44 assists in 86 games. She was a member U.S. U-18 squad that took silver at the 2012 IIHF World Championships, and also skated with the U-18 team in both the 2011 and 2010 Canada-USA series. Her intended major is undecided.

Jenny Ryan: In 26 games so far this season with the North American Hockey Academy, Ryan has totaled four goals and 16 assists from the blue line. Last season, she registered 11 goals and 18 assists en route to a league championship. Ryan was recently selected for the U.S. Women's U-18 Team that will participate in the 2013 IIHF World Championships. She also skated with the U-18 team this past summer in the 2012 Canada-USA series. She has also participated at the U.S. National Festival in 2012, 2010 and 2009. Her intended major is kinesiology.

UWBadgers.com contributed to this report.