ITHACA, N.Y. -- The women's hockey team will welcome seven newcomers to the program for the 2016-17 season, head coach Doug Derraugh announced Thursday.

Six forwards and one defenseman make up the Class of 2020 that will look to win the program's fifth ECAC Hockey Championship and carry the Big Red to its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance. The seven-member group hails from two states (Connecticut and South Dakota) and four Canadian provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec).

Class of 2020
Valerie Audet
Forward ­— Saint Bruno, Quebec — Dawson College
In 2014, Audet played for Canada's U-18 squad that competed in a three-game series against the U.S. U-18 team. She was invited to the 2016 U-22 National Development Camp. The forward competed for Team Quebec during the 2015 Canada Games, contributing nine points on four goals and five assists on the way to a gold medal. She also helped Team North Quebec win the 2013 Esso Cup title and led the tournament in scoring.
 
Jaime Bourbonnais
Defenseman — Mississauga, Ontario — Oakville Hornets (PWHL)
Bourbonnais comes to the Big Red after earning a silver medal with the Oakville Hornets at the 2015-16 Ontario Women's Hockey Association Provincial Championships. For Team Canada, she was a part of the silver medal team at the 2016 IIHF U-18 World Championships and was invited to the 2016 U-22 National Development Camp. She was also a member of Team Ontario at the U-18 Women's National Championships and at the 2015 Canada Winter Games, where she was named the top defenseman. She also played field hockey and soccer in high school.
 
Amy Curlew
Forward ­— Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador — Oakville Hornets (PWHL)
Curlew played her club hockey for the Oakville Hornets of the Provincial Women's Hockey League, earning a silver medal at the 2015-16 OWHA Provincial Championships and winning the 2014-15 tournament. She has skated for Team Newfoundland and Labrador since 2010, and was an assistant captain for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. The forward skated four years for Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario, where she also played soccer.
 
Grace Graham
Forward — Island View, New Brunswick — Fredericton High School
Graham played for Canada's U-18 team in a three-game series against the U.S. U-18 squad in the summer of 2015. Prior to that tournament, she participated in Canada's U-18 strength and conditioning camp and summer camp. The forward spent the 2015-16 season playing for the Fredericton HS varsity boys' hockey team, and she also was a member of the volleyball, soccer, rowing and track and field teams throughout high school.
 
Paige Lewis
Forward — New Canaan, Conn. — Mid-Fairfield Stars
Lewis spent the past three seasons playing for the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe, Vt., where she was a two-time Junior Women's Hockey league All-Star. On the national stage, she has participated in USA Hockey's National Camp in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and was invited to the U-18 Selection Camp in 2015. Lewis also skated for the Mid-Fairfield Stars from 2011-16 and was a USA National Championship runner-up in 2014.
 
Hanna Mutschelknaus
Forward — Brandon, S.D. — St. Louis AAA Blues
Mutschelknaus was the captain of the St. Louis U-19 Lady Blues during the 2015-16 season, scoring 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points in 42 games. She also participated in USA Hockey's 2015 U-18 Player Development Camp. Prior to joining the Lady Blues, Mutschelknaus was named to the South Dakota All-State Hockey team for the 2014-15 season. She was also a member of the National Honor Society.
 
Kristin O'Neill
Forward — Oakville, Ontario — Stoney Creek Sabres
O'Neill captained the Stoney Creek Sabres of the PWHL during the 2015-16 season, and she was an assistant captain during the team's 2014-15 run to the PWHL Championship. On the national stage, she spent two years on Canada's U-18 team, earning silver medals at the 2015 and 2016 IIHF U-18 Women's World Hockey Championship and was invited to the 2016 U-22 National Development Camp. O'Neill also skated for Team Ontario during its silver medal run at the 2015 Canada Winter Games. She also participated in cross country and track and field in high school.