EDMONTON, AB - A three-time national champion, former Panda student-athlete and assistant coach Leah Copeland has been named the Interim Head Coach of the Pandas Hockey program for the 2026/27 season.

One of the most impactful and influential leaders in program history, Copeland returns to Pandas Hockey having already spent eight combined seasons as a student-athlete and assistant coach. Copeland helped lead the Pandas to two CIS Championships (2007, 2010) during her five seasons as an athlete from 2006 to 2011, before spending three seasons on the bench as an assistant coach under Howie Draper, which included guiding the Pandas to their most recent U SPORTS title in 2018.

"A decorated student-athlete, coach and alumni, Leah is the epitome of what it means to be a Panda. It was important for us to provide strong leadership and coaching to the current Pandas student-athletes, while also building upon the foundation Howie built with this program," said Director of Athletics, Leah Pezer. "What stands out about Leah is her passion for the program, the values she brings to the team and her excellent leadership skills, making her an ideal person to lead the team this season."

Along with her two CIS titles as a Panda, Copeland was also a three-time Canada West Champion (2007, 2008, 2010), a three-time conference all-star, and a 2010 CIS Tournament All-Star. Her 133 career points are the fourth most in team history, with her 24 powerplay goals tied for first. 

"I am incredibly excited to be back with the Pandas Hockey program and to work alongside a dedicated and hard-working group of student-athletes. This program means a lot to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to come back and be a part of it again," said Copeland. "I can't wait to build upon past successes and traditions, and to work alongside the athletes to build something special and compete at the highest level of Canada West and U SPORTS."

Copeland served as the 11th team captain in Pandas history in 2010/11, before returning to the Evergreen and Gold in 2016 as an assistant coach. An education graduate, Copeland has spent the past decade as a teacher, assistant principal, and youth sport coach in the Edmonton area.

The process to hire a permanent head coach of the Pandas Hockey program will take place following the conclusion of the 2026/27 varsity season.