Andover's Lily Shannon signed a two-year contract with PWHL San Jose in September after the expansion franchise drafted her 40th overall in June. The 23-year-old forward will report to training camp on Nov. 18.

Shannon captained Northeastern University's women's hockey team during the 2025-26 season, finishing her college career with 92 points (45 goals, 47 assists) in 144 games, according to Yahoo Sports. She was the only NCAA player to record more than 40 points and 40 blocked shots that season, earning Hockey East First Team All-Star honors after leading the Huskies with six game-winning goals. Northeastern went 29-9-1 and reached the Frozen Four before falling 5-0 to Ohio State in the semifinal.

The 5-foot-10 center and wing built her résumé long before college. She tallied 147 career points at Governor's Academy in Byfield. Northeastern coaches originally planned to redshirt her as a freshman but scrapped that idea after watching her practice. She finished that first year as a Hockey East All-Rookie selection and scored against Yale in the NCAA Tournament.

Shannon was born with moderate hearing loss and has worn hearing aids her entire life, including on the ice. In a March interview with The Hockey News, she said the experience fueled her drive: "It's a part of who I am, and it has shaped me into a determined person." She added that she hopes to use her platform to inspire young athletes with hearing loss or other disabilities.

Shannon has been training at Breakaway Ice Center in Tewksbury and Elev802 Boston in Andover, skating four times a week with skills instructor Alex Molnar and Gloucester native Maeve Carey, who earned an invite to PWHL Hamilton's camp. Molnar told the Eagle-Tribune that Shannon's underdog mentality, from walk-on at Northeastern to playing her entire career with hearing loss, sets her apart at the pro level.

She's ready for the change of scenery. Shannon said the idea of playing hockey in warm weather "kind of sounds like retirement" but stressed she plans to give full effort because the team wants to win the league.

PWHL San Jose is one of four expansion franchises joining the league's 12-team field for the 2026-27 season. Head coach Troy Ryan's 29-player training camp roster includes Shannon among 17 forwards. The team hosts two preseason scrimmages against the Seattle Torrent on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30 at Tech CU Arena, then opens the regular season Dec. 5 against the Minnesota Frost at SAP Center at 4 p.m. PT.