Stephanie Markowski of Ohio State is a two-way defender who is one of the better shot blockers in the draft, and is coming out of two NCAA programs with a track record of producing high end blueliners.

Stephanie Markowski is a versatile defender. First and foremost, she's tough to play against, and a good distributor of the puck.

A product of Clarkson's defensive factory that produced current PWHL stars including Erin Ambrose, Renata Fast, Savannah Harmon, and Ella Shelton, Markowski will look to join their ranks next season as one of the better NCAA defenders available in the 2024 PWHL Draft.

After four seasons at Clarkson, Markowski transferred to Ohio State this season winning a national title in the process while collecting 27 points in 39 games from the Buckeyes blueline. 

She's part of a talented foursome of Ohio State defenders declaring for the draft including Cayla Barnes, Hadley Hartmetz, and Lauren Bernard. 

Markowski topped Clarkson in penalty minutes on multiple occasions showing her willingness to engage physically, but where she really thrives in using her body is closing space, including shooting and passing lanes. Markowski is one of the top shot blockers out there, a trait that's become a calling card of her game.

From the offensive blueline, Markowski rarely sees her own shots blocked as she walks the line to open lanes, and is a strong decision maker with the puck. 

While she often is a pass first defender, she's also not afraid to join the rush or slide low on the backdoor when the opportunity arises, but Markowski thrives at picking her moments without putting defensive positioning in jeopardy. 

Markowski can slide into a third pairing to open the PWHL season and has the tools to develop into a solid two-way defender in the PWHL for years to come. As we saw this season with several highly regarded NCAA defenders, nothing is certain in the PWHL as players are being asked to develop on the fly, but Markowski's attention to detail should give her a leg up.