Sanislo, Schauer selected in 2021 NWHL Draft

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Two student-athletes from New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) member institutions were selected in Tuesday evening's National Women's Hockey League Draft by the Metropolitan Riveters.

Jordan Sanislo, who competed on defense for Sacred Heart University, was picked in the fourth round as the No. 23 pick while blueliner Morgan Schauer, a graduate of Long Island University, was tabbed with the 29th overall pick in the fifth round. In total, 30 student-athletes were selected across five rounds by the league's six member clubs.

Sanislo, a team captain from Whippany, N.J., played in 108 games for the Pioneers from 2017-21, scoring six goals and adding eight assists for 14 points (6-8=14) while logging a plus-17 rating on defense. In her first season with the Pioneers, she helped the program to the NEWHA Championship and a 27-6-2 overall record.

"I am just so happy and so proud of Jordan with her being drafted by the Metropolitan Riveters of the NWHL," said Sacred Heart Head Coach Tom O'Malley. "This is a huge accomplishment, and one that she should be very proud of. Jordan has always worked hard in everything that she has done, on and off the ice and this is a fitting and just reward as she takes this next step into professional hockey."

Across Sanislo's four-year career, she helped Sacred Heart to 69 victories and served as a team captain during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Schauer, who split her career evenly between Robert Morris University and LIU, competed in 44 games on Long Island, tallying a goal and nine assists for 10 points (1-9=10). The two-time team captain was a key part of her program's NEWHA title in 2020, won in just the program's first season of varsity competition.

Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Schauer played in 40 games for Robert Morris from 2017-19 and her team competed in two College Hockey America (CHA) championship fixtures. In total, she saw action in four league championships between play in CHA and the NEWHA.

"I am really proud of Morgan," said Head Coach Rob Morgan. "For her to get drafted, and now have the opportunity to extend her playing career at the professional level, adds to her Sharks 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."

Bridgette Prentiss, the NEWHA Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, was drafted by the Riveters out of Franklin Pierce University in 2020 with forward Maddie Bishop, a 2020 First Team All-NEWHA pick out of Sacred Heart, was picked by the Connecticut Whale later in the draft. In total, three NEWHA institutions (Franklin Pierce, LIU, Sacred Heart) have had student-athletes drafted since 2020.