By Alexis Demopoulos
Forward Ryan McKenna has been a core part of the P.A.L Islanders success this season and with the help of his team and a lot of hard work has earned himself an NCAA Division III commitment to Connecticut College for the 2025-26 season.
McKenna, a Garden City, NY native started his junior career in the NCDC last season playing for the Mercer Chiefs. In 47 games, McKenna had 26 points.. For the 2024-25 season, he decided to take his talents to the PAL Islanders and has loved every minute of it.
In 44 games so far, McKenna has 39 points (13G, 26A) and was also named an Atlantic All-Star.
“I don’t have enough words to express how great the PAL Jr. Islander organization is,” said McKenna. “Playing here since the age of eight and growing up in the system has been an incredible experience. The coaching staff —Mike Marcou, Greg Barnych, Frank DiChiara, and our GM Ron Kinnear — have been amazing to me and my family since they traded for me in May. Coach Marcou’s reputation for developing players speaks for itself. His attention to detail, commitment to improvement, and ability to challenge each player to be their best have made a significant impact on my development and was the reason I wanted to play for PAL.”
McKenna first began communicating with head coach Jim Ward and assistant coach David Woodford back in December. He explained that the coaches showed interest in him after a 5-2 win over the Connecticut Jr. Rangers. They liked his “ability to play a complete 200-foot game, effectiveness in big defensive situations and penalty kill minutes, and his consistent offensive contributions as well.”
McKenna wanted to be challenged in his college hockey career and also get a top notch education and Connecticut College provided him with that opportunity.
“The academic reputation of Connecticut College was a huge draw for me,” said McKenna. “The opportunity to major in economics and minor in finance while attending such a prestigious school has been a long-term goal. On the hockey side, Coach Ward and coach Woodford are outstanding individuals who have turned Connecticut College into a growing program. Playing in a tough division like the NESCAC while earning a high quality degree was an appealing combination for me.”
Choosing Connecticut College puts him close enough to his family where they can come and support him and he was in awe of how nice the campus was.
“Connecticut College had always been on my radar, and I’d heard a lot of great things from my family and friends about both the NESCAC and the school,” said McKenna. “However, when I visited and toured the campus with Coach Woodford, I was really impressed by the beautiful, older architecture paired with modern classrooms and facilities. Additionally, it’s great to be within range of Long Island so my family can come see my games more frequently.”
Before he gets to the college level, McKenna is working on refining his skills, getting stronger and making high quality repetitions that will make him an impactful player come October. But, he still has one more goal to accomplish.
“There has been only one goal this year and that is to win the Dineen Cup with the best teammates and coaching staff,” said McKenna. “I’m excited for what lies ahead and grateful for the opportunity to continue growing both on and off the ice with such a dedicated and experienced coaching staff.”
The NCDC congratulates Ryan McKenna, his family, the PAL Islanders and Connecticut College for his commitment.
