University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey graduate senior defenseman Maggie Flaherty has signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Whitecaps of the PHL

The 5-9 defenseman from Lakeville, Minn. is coming off the most offensively productive season of her college career, netting nine goals to go with 16 assists for 25 points. Flaherty was selected to her first All-WCHA squad since being named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team in 2018-19, landing 2022-23 All-WCHA Third Teams honors at the end of February. Flaherty was an integral p part of a UMD defense that has racked up a NCAA-best 13 team shutouts, and was twice a WCHA Defenseman of the Week this season.

"It feels surreal to start my professional career in my home state," Flaherty said. "I'm super excited to be able to stay close to home and have the continued support from my family."

The blueliner leaves the Bulldog program its eighth-highest scoring defenseman ever, having contributed 16 goals and 60 assists for 76 points in 153 games. Flaherty's 60 assists rank fifth all-time among defenseman, and she graduates having played the ninth-most games of any player in UMD history.

Flaherty will join four other former Bulldogs who are already rostered for 2023-24 -- former UMD assistant coach and its 13th all-time leading scorer Ashleigh Bryklaiuk, All-American defenseman and Olympic gold medlaist Sidney Morin, and Flaherty's teammate for all but one of her seasons at UMD, All-American wingerAnna Klein.