Alumni Olympic Champion Is a Trailblazer in Women’s Pro Ice Hockey Stories You May Like Meet the Alum Who Helped Bring ‘Heated Rivalry’ to TV Screens ‘Thoughtful, Gracious, and Humble’: Remembering Ken Dryden ’69 O Canada! Former Big Red Player Runs Popular Hockey Bar in NYC A three-time captain for the Big Red, Micah Zandee-Hart ’19, BA ’20, now leads the New York Sirens of the PWHL By Melissa Newcomb As the youngest of four kids growing up in British Columbia, Micah Zandee-Hart ’19, BA ’20, would go all out to keep up with her older siblings in the street hockey games they’d play in front of their house. Today, the Arts & Sciences alum is not only an ice hockey star—an Olympic gold medalist who plays in the Professional Women’s Hockey League—but a seasoned leader, having served as a captain for the Big Red and now for the New York Sirens. Dave Holland / Canadian Sport Institute CalgaryPlaying for Team Canada at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. “I’m a lead-by-example person; I always think of the Dr. Seuss quote, ‘Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered,’” she says. “Growing up in a big family teaches you that not everything’s about you—and in sports, that’s a really important lesson to learn.” A left-handed defenseman, Zandee-Hart has played in every game of the 2025–26 season for the Sirens, whose home ice is at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ; as of early March, she’s ranked at the top of her team for blocked shots and boasts three assists. I’m a lead-by-example person; I always think of the Dr. Seuss quote, ‘Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.' “From day one, Micah has been a model of what it means to lead,” the team’s general manager said in a statement announcing her contract extension through 2026–27. “She consistently puts our team, our culture, and our family before herself. She is the definition of an exemplary captain.” As a child, Zandee-Hart spent years playing on boys’ teams before leaving home to attend a hockey-focused prep school—a common pathway for young Canadian athletes aiming to play in the NCAA. cornell athleticsIn action for the Big Red her senior year. She landed on the Hill eager to make her mark on the program, and earned the rare honor of being made a team captain as a sophomore. “Even before she arrived at Cornell, Micah stood out as mature beyond her years; she is an old soul,” says head coach Doug Derraugh ’91. “I found her to be someone who saw beyond her own self-interest and wanted what was best for her teammates.” Even before she arrived at Cornell, Micah stood out as mature beyond her years; she is an old soul. Head coach Doug Derraugh ’91 Stories You May Like Meet the Alum Who Helped Bring ‘Heated Rivalry’ to TV Screens ‘Thoughtful, Gracious, and Humble’: Remembering Ken Dryden ’69 After her sophomore spring, Zandee-Hart took a yearlong leave of absence to vie for a spot on Team Canada in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea—and came close, as one of the last players to be cut. By her senior season in 2019–20, she’d helped lead the Big Red to a pair of Ivy titles and two appearances in the ECAC championship game. The team was ranked number one in the country when the pandemic canceled the NCAA tournament. providedCelebrating Olympic gold. Zandee-Hart finished her Big Red career with a school record of 225 blocks, was ranked fourth in the nation among defenders, and was named second-team All-Ivy and All-ECAC, among other accolades. Her junior and senior years, she also played for the Canadian National Team. And in 2022, she was tapped to represent her nation at the Beijing Olympics—coming home with a gold medal. “Doug was on the coaching staff,” Zandee-Hart notes of her fellow Canadian, “so to get to experience that with him after years of working together was really awesome.” By her senior season, Zandee-Hart had helped lead the Big Red to a pair of Ivy titles and two appearances in the ECAC championship game. In 2023, she signed with the Sirens in the newly created PWHL—becoming its founding captain as well as its player rep to the league’s labor union. But as much as she’s relishing her time in the pros, the former psychology major has an eye on her post-hockey future: an education degree and a career as a high school teacher. Jordan LeighWith her Olympic medal—and rings tattoo—at West Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay. “I want to continue to be a role model for the next generation,” says Zandee-Hart, who grew up a diehard Vancouver Canucks fan in an era when there were no female pro players. “Seeing kids fall in love with the sport has been my favorite part. Having people bring my jersey for me to sign at games reminds me I’m part of something so much bigger than me.” Top: Zandee-Hart playing for the New York Sirens (Alex Wohl / PWHL). Published March 4, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Cornelliana 100 Years of Hospitality Education on the Hill: Fascinating Facts Alumni Stamp of Approval: Postal Service Honors RBG and Novelist Morrison Bear Hugs Designing Clothes for Kids with Sensory Issues