The Ottawa Charge have re-signed restricted free agent defender Stephanie Markowski to a one-year Standard Player Agreement, the team announced Thursday.
“Stephanie is a competitive and tough defender who will have a strong presence on the back end,” said Charge General Manager Mike Hirshfeld. “With the expansion teams taking a few of our rearguards, she will have an opportunity to play more important minutes this season.”
Markowski was selected 20th overall in the fourth round of the 2024 PWHL Draft. In her rookie campaign, she appeared in 28 regular season games and recorded five points. She also suited up in all eight playoff contests.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to Ottawa and reuniting with my teammates to keep building on our accomplishments from last season,” said Markowski. “The league will have a different look with the expansion, so I will do everything I can to be ready to take on more responsibilities in my second season in the PWHL.”
Markowski's signing comes following yesterday's announcement that Anna Meixner, Logan Angers, along with defenders Sam Isbell and Jessica Adolfsson, were signed to one-year Standard Player Agreements. She joins a defensive group that also includes Ronja Savolainen, Jocelyne Larocque, Brooke Hobson and Emma Bergesen.