Trio of Former St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey Players Selected in 2025 PWHL Draft
6/24/2025 10:59:00 PM | Women's Hockey
Gentry becomes highest draft pick in program history, Ross and Ahola become first Huskies to be selected at respective positions
OTTAWA, Ontario – For the first time in program history, multiple former St. Cloud State Women's Hockey Players heard their name called in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Draft. Forward Emma Gentry (Alpena, Mich.), defender Dayle Ross (Spirit River, Alberta) and goaltender Sanni Ahola (Helsinki, Finland) were selected in the 2025 PWHL Draft at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Ottawa on Tuesday evening.
The trio brings the total number of draft picks in program history to four after forward Klára Hymlárová (Opava, Czech Republic) became the first former Husky to ever be selected in the PWHL Draft in 2024. Ross became the program's first defender to be drafted and Ahola became the first netminder to be picked.
Gentry, who wore a Husky sweater from 2020-25, became the program's highest ever PWHL pick after being selected in the 2nd round with the 11th overall pick by the Toronto Sceptres, surpassing her former teammate, Hymlárová, who was the 11th pick (3rd round) in the 2024 draft. She was the team's first pick of the draft.
For the Huskies, Gentry scored the most career game-winning goals (14), played in the second most career games in program history (152), scored the second most career goals (59) and finished No. 8 in career points (59-31-90). She also finished No. 2 in career shots on goal after posting three of the top nine marks for shots on goal in a season. Gentry served as an alternate captain in 2023-24 and a co-captain in 2024-25.
Former Head Coach Brian Idalski on Gentry during the pre-draft process...
Emma is the prototypical power forward. I think the pro game is even going to unlock that more with the ability to really finish your hits and checks and just be a physical presence. Her hockey IQ grew a ton in our time together, but at the higher level, she's going to be a relentless F1, heavy down low and super tough to play against. I'm excited to see how she grows in the next couple of years.
Ross, who played at SCSU from 2021-25, was picked by the New York Sirens with the first pick of the 4th round (25th overall). She was the Sirens' fifth pick of the draft.𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 ➡️ 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬
— St. Cloud State Women's Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_WHK) June 25, 2025
Former co-captain Emma Gentry has been selected by @PWHL_Toronto with the 1️⃣1️⃣th pick of the 2025 @thepwhlofficial Draft to become the highest pick in program history 👏#ProHuskies 🐾 | #HuskyHockey 🏒 | @emma_gentry12 pic.twitter.com/7n5Qt2WA56
At SCSU, Ross finished her career tied for ninth in career plus-minus (+7) and recorded 40 points (seven goals and 33 assists). She was an alternate captain in 2023-24 and co-captain in 2024-25.
Idalski on Ross during the pre-draft process...
Dayle is probably arguably the best defensive defender, if not in the country, definitely going out of this draft class – her skating, her ability to handle talented skill players in space one on one, and contain and hit and pin, take the puck away is at a high level. She gives up her body, [she has the] willingness to block shots and just compete all over the ice. I think Dayle is going to be a super good pro.
Ahola, who played between the pipes from 2020-25, was selected by the Ottawa Charge in the 5th round with the 37th overall pick. She was the third netminder taken in the draft and was Ottawa's fifth pick.𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐬 ➡️ 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐬
— St. Cloud State Women's Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_WHK) June 25, 2025
Former co-captain Dayle Ross has been selected by @PWHL_NewYork with the 2️⃣5️⃣th pick of the 2025 @thepwhlofficial Draft 👏#ProHuskies 🐾 | #HuskyHockey 🏒 | @daystarr2622 pic.twitter.com/zoXCSJzYts
The Helsinki, Finland native was named the WCHA Goaltender of the Year and a First Team All-WCHA pick in 2023-24 and a Third Team All-WCHA selection in 2024-25. She earned WCHA Goaltender of the Month honors three times during her career and was given WCHA weekly honors five times (one rookie and four goaltender).
Ahola graduated as the program leader in career wins (35), career shutouts (10) and season shutouts (5, tie, 2023-24). She also ended her career No. 2 in season goals against average (1.72, 2023-24), No. 2 in season save percentage (.935, tie, 2023-24), No. 4 in career goals against average (2.62), No. 5 in career saves, No. 5 in career save percentage (.917), No. 5 in season goals against average (2.22, 2024-25), No. 7 in season wins (10, 2023-24), No. 8 in season wins (9, tie, 2022-23), No. 10 in season save percentage (.923, tie, 2022-23) and No. 10 in season shutouts (2, tie, 2022-23 and 2024-25.
Idalski on Ahola during the pre-draft process...
Sanni very athletic, she did a great job for us. She was obviously part of the reason that we were able to turn things around – with her consistency and her growth and, obviously, I've already seen that translate to some success at the international level and I continue to see her grow and think she'll do the same thing at higher level in the PWHL.
Three Husky alumnae who declared for the draft went undrafted:#𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 🥅 ➡️ 𝐎𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞
— St. Cloud State Women's Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_WHK) June 25, 2025
Former @WCHA_WHockey Goaltender of the Year Sanni Ahola has been selected by @PWHL_Ottawa with the 3️⃣7️⃣th pick of the 2025 @thepwhlofficial Draft 👏#ProHuskies 🐾 | #HuskyHockey 🏒 | @ahola_sanni pic.twitter.com/PZeMxR5281
- Defender Taylor Larson (Nisswa, Minn.) – played from 2023-25, co-captain in 2024-25
- Forward Taylor Lind (Shaunavon, Saskatchewan) – played from 2019-24, captain in 2022-23 and 2023-24
- Forward Addi Scribner (Woodbury, Minn.) – played from 2020-24, alternate captain in 2023-24
SCSU Women's Hockey Alumnae in the 2025 PWHL Draft
June 24, 2025 / Hard Rock Hotel & Casino | Ottawa, Ontario
Second Round
11. Emma Gentry (Toronto Sceptres)
Fourth Round
25. Dayle Ross (New York Sirens)
Fifth Round
37. Sanni Ahola (Ottawa Charge)
Complete 2025 PWHL Draft results
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Hockey, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
