BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Beauts announced the team has agreed to terms with forward Taylor Accursi and defensemen Sarah Casorso and Jordyn Burns.
“We are excited to bring back three important players from last year’s high-achieving team,” General Manager Nik Fattey said. “All three work hard, are great teammates and contributed to our 11-game winning streak last season.”
Accursi (5’8”, 3/2/1995) made her professional debut last season with the Beauts, scoring five goals in her first three NWHL games and finishing her rookie season with 11 points (6+5) in 15 contests. Her six goals ranked seventh in the league and she tied for the league lead with four power-play goals.
The Ancaster, Ontario native played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Mercyhurst University before turning pro, including a senior season in which she recorded 23 points (9+14) in 35 games.
In her second campaign with Buffalo last season, Casorso (5’7”, 3/22/1989) led all Beauts defensemen with nine points (0+9) in 15 regular-season games. She followed up a strong 2017-18 by scoring her first NWHL goal – an overtime winner – in the team’s playoff game against the Boston Pride to send the Beauts to their second consecutive Isobel Cup Final.
A native of Kelowna, British Columbia, Casorso spent her collegiate career at the University of British Columbia, where she totaled 66 points (21+45) in 121 regular-season games and added 15 points (3+12) in 16 career postseason contests. In her senior year, she captained the Thunderbirds and led the nation’s defensemen with 21 points (8+13) in 23 games.
Burns (5’7”, 9/29/1992) returns to Buffalo for her third year with the Beauts after a sophomore season that saw her selected to play in the 2018 NWHL All-Star Game. Through two NWHL seasons, the Chanhassen, Minnesota native has recorded four points (0+4) and six penalty minutes in 30 games for Buffalo.
Prior to beginning her professional career, Burns appeared in 97 collegiate games, totaling 19 points (6+13) and 12 penalty minutes. After transferring from Syracuse University following her freshman year, she spent her sophomore and junior seasons with the University of Minnesota and was part of the Golden Gophers squad that won the 2013 National Championship and became the first-ever undefeated women’s hockey team in NCAA history.
