Two players with ties to the Jr. Ducks and Lady Ducks were selected in the 2024 PWHL Draft on June 10.

Former Jr. Ducks and Lady Ducks defenseman Cayla Barnes was the fifth overall selection by Montreal. Longtime Jr. Ducks forward Dominique Petrie was taken in the fifth round by Minnesota.

Both players boast strong NCAA and international credentials.

Barnes CAPS NCAA Career With Title

Barnes, who completed her NCAA hockey career with a national championship at Ohio State in late March, became the highest-draft California-born and -trained professional hockey player. Former Jr. Ducks defenseman Cam York is the highest-drafted NHL player from California. York was picked 14th overall in 2019 by the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Barnes, who has been a member of the U.S. Women's National team since 2018 (when she was 19), recently competed for Team USA at the Women's World Championships. She was a member of the 2018 and 2022 Olympic teams, winning gold and silver medals, respectively. 

After four seasons at Boston College, Barnes transferred to Ohio State to take advantage of a fifth season the NCAA granted athletes who were in school during the Covid lockdowns. 

The move paid dividends as she helped the Buckeyes defeat defending champion Wisconsin in compelling fashion. Barnes initiated the game-winning play late in the 1-0 victory. 

She had a remarkable plus-71 to lead NCAA women's hockey in addition to her career-best 36 points in 39 games. She finished her NCAA career with 111 points in 165 games and was Boston College's captain during her final two seasons there. OSU teammate Hannah Bilka was picked on spot before Barnes.

The heady Barnes excels at transitioning the puck and knowing when to jump into plays. Montreal finished second during the PWHL's regular season but lost to Boston in the playoff semifinals. 

Petrie helped Clarkson to Frozen Four

Petrie capped her five-year college career with a 35-point season at Clarkson. She helped the Golden Knights to the Frozen Four, where they fell to Barnes and the Buckeyes. 

Prior to that, Petrie starred at Harvard, where she produced 71 points in 76 games. That included 30 goals. She added 15 more at Clarkson this past season. 

Petrie, who played with the Jr. Ducks' 2001 birth year team through 15U AAA, also has represented Team USA in international competition. She played on the Under-18 Women's World Championship team three times and was the second-leading scorer on the 2018 team with eight points. 

Her strong all-around game is highlighted by her exceptional goal-scoring ability (45 goals in 116 NCAA games).