Dani Rylan

Dani Rylan Kearney (born August 5, 1987) is an American entrepreneur and former ice hockey player. She is the founder and former commissioner of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL),[1][2] the first professional women's hockey league in the United States, and the first professional women's hockey league ever to pay its players in North America.[3] Prior to launching the league in March 2015, Rylan attempted to bring a CWHL expansion team to New York in 2014.[4] She previously played with the Northeastern Huskies women's ice hockey program in NCAA play and was a captain in her final season.

Dani Rylan
Rylan in 2017
Personal information
Born (1987-08-05) August 5, 1987
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Height5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Sport
SportIce Hockey
PositionLeft Wing
College teamNortheastern

Early life and playing career

Rylan began playing ice hockey with boys on the Tampa Bay Junior Lightning as an elementary school student.[5] She attended boarding school at the St. Mark's School in New England and was captain of the girls' hockey team.[5]

Prior to joining Northeastern University, Rylan played one season with the Division II club program at the Metropolitan State College of Denver, a men's team that competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. She earned a broadcasting journalism degree at Metro State in 2010.[6]

Career stats
SeasonTeamGPGAPPIMPPGSHGGWG
2010–11[7]Northeastern37371020001
2011–12Northeastern33371016002

Executive career

Rylan was inspired to create a women's league while watching the United States and Canadian national teams play in the finals of the 2014 Winter Olympics and began researching the new business opportunity.[5] She began calling people she knew in ice hockey circles and the plans for the league began within a year.[5] She contacted players, conducted research on markets, held training camps, created four teams, and scheduled the venues.[5]

On October 12, 2020, Rylan stepped down as commissioner and was replaced by Tyler Tumminia as interim commissioner during a league reorganization. The league changed its governing model to an incorporated association overseen by a board of governors with one representative per team. Rylan remained with the league to oversee the Beauts, Whale, Riveters, and Whitecaps while it searched for independent ownership of the league-operated teams before resigning from that role in March 2021.[8][9]

Personal life

Rylan grew up in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Her father worked in marketing for the Tampa Bay Lightning.[6] After college, she moved to New York City and opened a coffee shop named Rise and Grind in East Harlem.[5]

References
  1. "Champion for Women's Hockey Wills Pro League Into Third Year". The New York Times. 2017-03-19. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  2. "So We Started a Hockey League | By Dani Rylan". The Players' Tribune. Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  3. "These women are about to make hockey history". Archived from the original on 2017-10-17. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  4. "CUNY Sports Report Dani Rylan Looks to Bring New Women's Hockey Team to NYC - CUNY Sports Report". Archived from the original on 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  5. Menza, Kaitlin (2015-10-06). "Meet Dani Rylan, the Commissioner of the NWHL". Shape Magazine. Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  6. Borzi, Pat (April 10, 2015). "Big Plans, Big Questions For New Women's Pro Hockey League". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  7. "Player Stats | Year by Year | Dani Rylan :: Statistics :: USCHO.com :: U.S. College Hockey Online". USCHO.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
  8. "AP Source: NWHL founder Rylan stepping down as commissioner". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  9. "Dani Rylan Kearney Resigns from NWHL, W Hockey Partners". Premier Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
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