Last year’s leading scorer, junior Carly Mercer (Exeter, ONT) will serve as the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team’s captain this season, while senior Hailey Wood (Lethbridge, ALB) will act as the Golden Knight assistant captain.

"We are very excited about our leadership for this season," stated co-head coach Shannon Desrosiers. "Both Carly and Hailey complement each other very well, and they are well respected by all of their teammates."

Mercer is a talented offensive player who recorded 40 points on 14 goals and a team-high 26 assists playing in all 37 games as a sophomore during the 2012-13 campaign. Named Clarkson’s Rookie of the Year in 2011-12, Mercer has produced 64 points on 22 goals and 42 assists through 74 games in her first two seasons with the Green and Gold.

A solid defensive-defenseman, Wood has been a steady force in Clarkson’s zone the past three years. She picked up her offensive play from the blueline last season and led Clarkson defensemen in scoring with 24 points. Wood was among the Knights’ leading playmakers with 21 assists through 37 games. She has skated in 110 career games and has recorded 43 points, including 35 assists.

Clarkson will battle archrival St. Lawrence University this weekend in a home-and-home series to officially open the program’s 10th season in Division I. The North Country rivals play at Cheel Arena on Saturday afternoon (3:00 pm) after battling at Appleton Arena in Canton on Friday night (7:00 pm).