Coyne Schofield's Columbus visit hit home to one fan

As the doors swung open at OhioHealth Chiller North, young girls dressed in purple filed in, arms filled with books, pictures and even Barbie dolls donning ice skates – an unusual sight in prior years. 

Kendall Coyne Schofield joined Columbus’ hockey community Monday, partaking in a meet and greet followed by an appearance at the Blue Jackets’ Learn to Play event thanks to a partnership with Bread Financial.  

Fans both young and old lined up to see the four-time Olympic medalist and Minnesota Frost star, coming together in their shared love for Coyne Schofield’s trailblazing efforts to play hockey at the highest level and make the sport more accessible to girls across the world. 

One fan in particular holds a special place for Coyne Schofield in her heart. Hannah Daubenmire is an 11-year old girl from Gahanna who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in August 2024 after noticing pain in her knee. Now cancer free after 18 rounds of chemo, Daubenmire utilizes her experiences to help others, but through her cancer journey, the hockey community became a source of comfort. 

“When I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which is a rare bone cancer, there was this foundation that matched you up with sports teams,” Daubenmire said. “So I got paired up with the Ohio State women’s hockey team. I was never a (hockey) fan before that, but now I’m a huge fan.” 

Daubenmire’s close connection with the team catapulted her to Ohio State’s No. 1 fan status, particularly resonating with defensemen Maria Roth and Mira Jungåker – who share the same position as Daubenmire in sled hockey – and Coyne Schofield’s 2026 Olympics teammate Joy Dunne.

The Daubenmire family also built a relationship with former OSU defenseman and current PWHLer Emily Zumwinkle, whose sister, Grace, is a two-time Olympian who plays on the Frost with Coyne Schofield. In addition, Hannah was visited in 2024 at Nationwide Children’s Hospital by Blue Jackets players Ivan Provorov, Jake Christiansen and Kevin Labanc. 

Daubenmire attended Monday’s event sporting a Minnesota jersey with Grace Zumwinkle’s name on the back. Like many others in line, Daubenmire patiently waited to have Coyne Schofield add her signature to the purple uniform. Only excitement was felt after Daubenmire got her chance to converse with the best in her sport. 

“It was a really cool experience just putting all the pieces together,” Daubenmire said. “We know the Zumwinkles and we’re big Frost fans, and it was just really cool.”

Before her diagnosis, Daubenmire was an avid runner. Needing to adapt, sled hockey seemed like the obvious choice for continuing her athletic endeavors. Daubenmire noted that she’s fortunate to play on an all-girls team, and she even participated in an all-girls tournament right here in Columbus. 

Much of that is thanks to Coyne Schofield. Her visibility in the hockey world — from winning multiple gold medals at the Olympics to skating in the NHL All-Star skills competition — provided legitimacy to those skeptical about a woman’s place in hockey. 

Now, Coyne Schofield gives back to young girls like herself, who dream big enough to be in her place. 

“Being out here for the Learn to Play program, it’s the future of our sport,” Coyne Schofield said. “These are the kids that we will see fill our skates one day. Hopefully they’ll stay in the game for a long time, but it starts with an amazing foundation. … It’s just so fun to see them love the game. I see a little version of myself out here just loving the game, loving skating, learning how to stop, learning how to turn and go backwards.” 

People like Daubenmire are part of the generational shift in women’s hockey, where exponential growth is currently happening. The countless girls lined up who had to leave for hockey practice, or the gobs of PWHL gear flooding the rink, demonstrated the power of representation in all areas. Players like Coyne Schofield have been around for a bit, but she’s built a foundation for girls to know that hockey is for everybody.