NEWS: Gee-Gees Women’s Hockey hires two-time Olympian Jennifer Wakefield as full-time assistant coach

University of Ottawa Recreation and Varsity Sports is proud to officially announce Jennifer Wakefield as the women's hockey program's full-time assistant coach.

Wakefield assumes the position that was held by Stefanie McKeough, who was elevated to head coach in July 2023.

"I am really appreciative for this amazing opportunity to be part of the coaching staff here at uOttawa, and part of an athletic department that recognizes and celebrates all athletes," said Wakefield, who is originally from Scarborough, Ont. "I am excited to get to work in pursuit of team success."

This will be Wakefield's first foray into coaching at the university level. She served as an assistant coach with the Dutch National Team for the past two years and was an assistant with Almtuna IS in Sweden during the 2021-22 campaign. She has also run her own hockey training service, Fierce Edge Athletics, for a number of years.

The 34-year-old recently wrapped up a decorated playing career, having spent the 2022-23 season with MoDo in Sweden's first division, being nominated for the top forward of the season award.

"We are incredibly excited to welcome Wake to the Gee-Gees family," said McKeough. "She brings a wealth of experience at all levels of the game and I can't wait to see the impact that she has on our players and this program as a whole."

On the international stage, Wakefield represented Canada at two Olympic Games, winning gold in Sochi in 2014 and silver in Pyeongchang in 2018. She also appeared at six World Championships between 2011 and 2017, winning gold in 2012.

A power forward, Wakefield played over 100 games while wearing the maple leaf. She retired from international play in 2018.

At the club level, Wakefield spent most of her career in Sweden, playing for a variety of women's and men's club teams. She twice won the women's top division championship, doing so in 2014-15 with Linköping HC and in 2017-18 with Luleå HF.

Wakefield split her collegiate career between the University of New Hampshire (2007-09) and Boston University (2010-12), serving as the latter's captain during the 2011-12 campaign. She was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award for the top women's player in the NCAA in 2008-09, led Hockey East in scoring twice, and was Boston University's Women's Athlete of the Year in 2011-12.

Wakefield started her role in early September. The RSEQ season, the Gee-Gees women's hockey program's final year in the conference before shifting to the OUA for 2024-25, begins Oct. 13.