Casey Borgiel's skating and offensive upside from the blueline jump off the page, but the Colgate product is also a defensively minded, agitating defender who will be a prospect to watch at the 2026 PWHL Draft.
Watching Colgate's women's hockey team play this season, it was hard not to have your attention grabbed by smooth skating Casey Borgiel.
A mobile defender, Borgiel, a Port Huron, Michigan product, joined Colgate last season after transferring from Holy Cross where she spent the first two seasons of her NCAA career. The move brought Borgiel's offensive potential to life.
In the past two seasons Borgiel has recorded 29 points and 21 points from Colgate's blueline, and even played her way onto USA's Collegiate Select roster. Next up for the 5-foot-7 right-shot defender is the PWHL.
"The PWHL as a league is something that we all have dreamed about our whole lives," said Borgiel. "I think it’s an amazing opportunity for women to continue playing hockey in America, while also being a league people watch, pay attention to and appreciate. It would be a dream come true to play in this league and continue my hockey career in America."
While it's Borgiel's ability to rush the puck, and quickly close gaps that draws immediate attention, Borgiel doesn't define herself that way. She says it's her attention to defence, and her ability to get under the skin of opponents physically that are the keys to her success, alongside that offensive upside.
"I would describe myself as someone who can be physical on the ice and get under the other teams skin," said Borgiel. "It is always defense first, and playing physical in front of my own net is important. I love to join the rush to help create offense as well. I consider myself a pass first player, and I’m trying to find more ways every game to use my speed to my advantage, whether it’s in the transitional game, or angling off the other team."
With the NCAA behind her, all that's left for Borgiel is to hear her name at the PWHL Draft, earn her way onto a roster, and bring the impact she had at the collegiate level to the pros.
"My goals for next season are to make a PWHL team and have an impact. It would be amazing to play in this league and I love hockey, therefore I want to play in this league as long as I can."