In Photos: Taylor Heise entourages Walter Cup with PWHL Minnesota teammates at state fair

Taylor Heise, the first overall pick in the 2023 PWHL draft for PWHL Minnesota, celebrated the team's victory in the Walter Cup with her teammates at the state fair on Monday.

In May, Heise played a pivotal role in the playoffs, scoring five goals and accumulating eight points, which helped PWHL Minnesota secure the inaugural Walter Cup. Following her impressive performance, Heise was recognized with the Ilana Kloss Trophy as the playoff MVP.

Heise, along with Sophia Kunin, Kelly Pannek, Krysta Person, Nicole Hensley and Claire Butorac, celebrated the inaugural Walter victory at the state fair. PWHL Minnesota shared photos of the event through its Instagram stories.

Image Source: PWHL Minnesota/Instagram

Six teams, three each from Canada and the U.S., took part in the inaugural PWHL tournament. PWHL Minnesota beat PWHL Boston in five games (3-2) to lift the inaugural Walter Cup.

Taylor Heise headlined PWHL draft as the first overall pick

In September last year, Heise became the first player to be drafted in the inaugural PWHL draft. She was drafted first overall by PWHL Minnesota and subsequently signed a three-year contract with the team.

After being drafted first overall, Heise expressed her excitement, saying (via CBS Sports Television):

"It's an unreal feeling. It's my home. Everyone I love is there. And it's the State of Hockey. I'm just honored that I'm going to be able to play and to show little girls that anything is possible if you keep working hard.”

She made a memorable start to her PWHL career, scoring an impressive goal unassisted in Minnesota's inaugural matchup. Throughout the regular season, the 24-year-old Lake City native forward continued with her impressive form, tallying 13 points (four goals and nine assists) in 19 games.

In the playoffs, she contributed nine points, which helped PWHL Minnesota win the Walter Cup. Moreover, in the span of the 14-month run, Heise also won gold in the World Championship with the U.S. and led the NCAA in goals.