NASHVILLE, TN, April, 27, 2020 – Mekenzie Steffen, a Minnesota native, joins the Nashville Jr. Predators following a successful hockey career with the University of Wisconsin Badgers. While at Wisconsin, Steffen won a National Championship and was named team captain her senior season. When talking about the stresses of not only competing at one of the highest levels of women’s hockey but being a leader too, Steffen said, “Playing NCAA DI hockey challenged me to be my best with balancing hockey, school work and social life. At Wisconsin, I was fortunate to have a great support system that included my teammates and the athletic staff. It was one of the best experiences and I would not change it for anything.” She added, “Being a part of a National Championship team was truly a dream come true. It meant a lot to be able to share the amazing experience of winning the National championship with some of my closest friends after working so hard, for so long, to achieve it. It’s an experience you remember for a lifetime.”
She also has experience with USA Hockey as she won a gold medal with the US Under-18 National Team in 2015 and was involved in the Under-22 program before graduating from Wisconsin. We asked Mekenzie what experiences she thought helped propel her to the next level; “My playing experiences as a kid inspired and motivated me to get to the DI level. The culture was filled with structure and coaches who wanted the best for us girls and the team. It allowed me to develop into the player and person I am.”
When talking about this position, Steffen shared the same passion to develop a culture within Girls Hockey here in Nashville and to work alongside the Nashville Predators and fellow coaches to do so. “I’ve been playing hockey for over 15 years with different teams and environments and I have learned a lot from each one. From starting in a state crazy about hockey to one of, if not the top D1 women’s program. I hope to bring my knowledge and experience to these girls and help them succeed and grow.”
Steffen graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences and Communication with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Business Management. She looks forward to focusing on expanding the game of girl’s hockey in her new city, Nashville, Tennessee along with coaching our 14U Girls. “I’m beyond excited to get started — to meet the girls, see where the program is at, and jump right into it. I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and knowledge to strategize and increase participation and expand girls hockey.”