New York Sirens third round draft pick Makenna Webster won't play in the PWHL this season as she instead looks to pursue her dream of representing Team USA in field hockey.
New York Sirens draft pick Makenna Webster won't be suiting up in the PWHL this season the team confirmed to The Hockey News on Tuesday.
Webster, who was New York's third round pick, 17th overall in the 2025 PWHL will instead continue to pursue her dream of representing Team USA at the Summer Olympics in field hockey.
“Makenna’s choice wasn’t easy, but it speaks volumes about her character and ambition,” said Sirens GM Pascal Daoust. “She’s made the brave decision to step away for now and focus on giving herself the best chance to represent her country at the next Olympic Games in field hockey - and doing so on home soil makes it even more special.”
Webster is currently one of the top field hockey players in the United States and is top five in most statistical categories in field hockey currently in the NCAA with Ohio State.
Initially beginning her NCAA women's ice hockey career with the University of Wisconsin, Webster transferred to Ohio State in 2022 to become a two-sport athlete at the school. She had previously been a member of the United States’ U-17 Women’s Field Hockey National Team.
On the ice, Webster won two IIHF U-18 World Championship gold medals and two NCAA national titles, one with Ohio State and one with Wisconsin. She was named a tournament All-Star at both, and was the 2021 national championship MVP.
The departure from ice hockey next season does not put a stop to Webster's goal of joining the PWHL. Webster still hopes to rejoin the Sirens in the future, but according to the team, it will not be in the 2025-26 season.
The team said they support Webster's aspirations to pursue her on field dreams, and are excited to welcome her back to the ice in the future.
“Her dream of wearing the New York Sirens jersey isn’t gone - it’s just waiting for the right time,” said Daoust. “By chasing this goal with everything she has, she’s giving herself the chance to live out both dreams to their fullest. We’re proud of her courage, we’ll be cheering her on, and we can’t wait to welcome her to the Sirens family when the moment comes.”
Webster will pursue a position with USA's national field hockey team which qualified to compete in the 2026 Women's FIH World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands. The 2028 Summer Olympics will be held on American soil in Los Angeles.
