Laura Fortino

Laura Fortino (born January 30, 1991 in Hamilton, Ontario) is an ice hockey player for the Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey program. On October 3, 2011, she was named to the Team Canada roster that will participate in the 2011 4 Nations Cup. She was selected first overall by the Brampton Thunder in the 2014 CWHL Draft.

Playing career
In 2004, Fortino played for the Hamilotn Reps (Bantam AA Boys) and she won a silver medal at the Ontario provincials. In 2007, Fortino was a member of the Stoney Creek Junior Sabres and won a gold medal at the OWHA provincials. As a member of Stoney Creek, she won a bronze medal at the 2007 PWHL championships. At the 2007 National Women’s Under-18 Championships in Kitchener, Ontario, she won a gold medal with Ontario Red. The following year, Fortino won a gold medal with Stoney Creek at the OWHA provincials and at the PWHL championship of 2008. In 2007-08, Fortino led PWHL defensemen in scoring. She won a gold medal with Ontario Red at the 2008 National Women’s Under-18 Championships in Napanee, Ontario. In 2009, Fortino won a silver medal with Stoney Creek at the OWHA provincials. Fortino ranked second among PWHL defencemen in scoring in 2008-09

NCAA
Fortino joined the Cornell Big Red in 2009 and she earned All-America honors as a freshman. She led NCAA defencemen, Cornell defencemen and Cornell freshmen in scoring in 2009-10. As a member of the Big Red, she played in the NCAA championship game at the Frozen Four in 2010.

Hockey Canada
In August 2008, Fortino was a member of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for a three-game series against the United States in Lake Placid. Later that year, she would win a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2008 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship in Calgary.

The following year, she participated with Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team for a three game exhibition versus the United States in Calgary. At the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Under 18 championships, Fortino won a silver medal in Füssen, Germany. She was part of another three game exhibition series with the Under 22 team vs. the United States in August 2010. Fortino won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team at the 2010 MLP Cup in Ravensburg, Germany. In the semifinal of the 2011 MLP Cup, Fortino scored a goal in a 9-0 rout of Russia to advance to the Gold Medal game. Fortino would score another goal as Canada beat Sweden in the final by a 6-0 tally to claim the gold medal. In March 2011, she was invited to the Canadian national women's ice hockey team selection camp to determine the final roster for the 2011 IIHF Women's World Championships.

Awards and honors

 * Cornell’s co-Rookie of the Year 2009-10
 * ECAC First All-Star Team 2009-10
 * ECAC All-Rookie Team 2009-10
 * RBK Hockey/AHCA Women’s Division I 2009-10 First Team All-American
 * 2011 First Team All-America selection