Anneke Rankila Bio
Anneke Rankila (née Linser, born November 10, 1999) is an American ice hockey forward who plays for the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). A right-handed shooter listed at 5 ft 10 in (178 cm), she came to the PWHL after five college seasons at the University of Minnesota Duluth and one professional year with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL). Toronto selected her in the sixth round of the 2024 PWHL Draft, and she made her league debut on December 1, 2024, against the Montreal Victoire.
Raised in Lino Lakes, Minnesota, Rankila developed into a forward with a strong two-way reputation, a heavy shot, and the durability to play long stretches of the schedule. By the time she completed her college career, she ranked third in games played in the history of the UMD women’s ice hockey program. Her path from Centennial High School to UMD, to Sweden, and then to the PWHL reflects a steady climb through some of the most competitive women’s hockey environments in the world.
Early Life and Background
Anneke Linser was born on November 10, 1999, in Appleton, Wisconsin, and grew up in Lino Lakes, Minnesota, where her family settled by the time she reached high school. She attended Centennial High School and played four seasons on the school’s girls’ hockey team, the Centennial Cougars, graduating after the 2017–2018 season. She was named an assistant captain in her junior year and was elevated to team captain as a senior, signaling early recognition from her coaches as a leader on the ice.
During her senior season, Rankila was one of five finalists for the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association’s Ms. Hockey Award, an honor that recognizes the top senior girls’ high school hockey player in the state based on academics, community involvement, citizenship, coachability, and on-ice performance. That finalist distinction placed her among the most accomplished high school players in Minnesota and helped set the stage for her college recruitment.
Path to Hockey
Rankila’s international introduction came through USA Hockey’s age-group programs. She played for USA Hockey’s Women’s U18 Select Team in the 2016 series against Canada, and the following season she was a member of the United States women’s national under-18 ice hockey team that won the gold medal at the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. Competing on a gold-medal U18 team established her as one of the top American forwards in her age group.
After her senior year at Centennial, Rankila enrolled at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) for the 2018–2019 collegiate season, joining one of the most decorated programs in NCAA women’s hockey. Her time at UMD would last five seasons and provide the foundation for her professional career in North America and Europe.
Anneke Rankila Career
Early Career (2018–2023)
At UMD, Rankila played five seasons for the Bulldogs and steadily grew into a dependable, two-way forward. She earned Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Scholar Athlete honors and WCHA All-Academic Team recognition in each of her final four seasons, and she was named one of the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year following the 2022–2023 season. Her durability was exceptional: at the time of her graduation, she ranked third in games played in the history of the UMD women’s ice hockey program.
UMD’s women’s team made three straight NCAA tournaments during her career, and two of those teams reached the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four, giving Rankila experience on college hockey’s biggest stage. The combination of consistent academic and conditioning awards, leadership milestones, and deep postseason runs at a perennial national power shaped her reputation as a complete and reliable player.
SDHL Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Following her graduation from UMD, Rankila initially signed with the Metropolitan Riveters of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). When the PHF was dissolved in the summer of 2023 as part of the creation of the new PWHL, she pivoted to Europe and signed with Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL) for the 2023–2024 season. The move gave her a full year of high-level professional hockey in one of the strongest women’s leagues outside North America.
She found early offensive success with Djurgårdens IF and finished the SDHL season with 31 points in 36 games, paired with a plus/minus rating of +29. That production drew significant attention from PWHL scouts and positioned her as a probable pick in the league’s 2024 draft. Her play in Sweden also demonstrated that her college game would translate against experienced professional competition, particularly in transition and on the power play.
Toronto Sceptres Era (2024–Present)
Rankila was selected as the 36th overall pick of the 2024 PWHL Draft by the team then known as PWHL Toronto, becoming one of the league’s notable Day 2 selections. Later that same year, two major name changes took place: PWHL Toronto rebranded as the Toronto Sceptres when the league announced permanent nicknames for its six original franchises, and Anneke Linser took the surname Rankila following her August wedding.
Although she did not make the Sceptres’ opening night roster to begin the 2024–2025 season, Rankila secured one of the final places on the team and made her PWHL debut on December 1, 2024, in a game against the Montreal Victoire. Her path onto the roster and into the lineup reflected the same patient, detail-oriented climb that has defined her career to that point.
Driving Style and Strengths
Rankila is recognized for a responsible, two-way style of forward play, with the conditioning and game shape required to log heavy minutes in all situations. Her production in the SDHL, paired with her plus/minus rating of +29, points to a player who contributes in all three zones rather than relying solely on offense. The long partnership with the UMD strength and conditioning staff, recognized by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, gave her a physical base that translates directly into a forceful, sustainable professional game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her most significant milestones are the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship gold medal with the United States, her third-place ranking in career games played in UMD women’s hockey history, and her selection in the 2024 PWHL Draft by Toronto. Her 31-point SDHL season with Djurgårdens IF, her December 1, 2024 PWHL debut against Montreal, and her selection as a Ms. Hockey Award finalist round out the list of career-defining moments to this point.
Anneke Rankila Career Highlights
Professional League Highlights
In her only SDHL season with Djurgårdens IF in 2023–2024, Rankila scored 31 points in 36 games and finished with a plus/minus rating of +29, the kind of debut professional line that immediately caught the attention of PWHL teams. That performance served as her springboard into North America’s newest top-tier women’s league, where she was taken in the sixth round of the 2024 PWHL Draft by Toronto.
International and Other Performances
On the international stage, Rankila suited up for USA Hockey’s Women’s U18 Select Team in 2016 and won a gold medal with the United States at the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. She was also a finalist for the Minnesota Ms. Hockey Award in her senior season at Centennial High School, recognition that placed her among the top high school players in the state.
Anneke Rankila Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public sources do not provide detailed information about Rankila’s parents or extended family, and she has not shared those details in widely available profiles. Her family is known to have lived in Appleton, Wisconsin at the time of her birth and in Lino Lakes, Minnesota during her high school years.
Personal Life
Rankila married in August 2024 and took the surname Rankila from her spouse, having previously been known in hockey circles as Anneke Linser. She resides in Lino Lakes, Minnesota, and maintains an active presence on social media, where her verified Instagram account documents her professional and personal life. No further personal details are widely available.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, Anneke Rankila is in her first full PWHL campaign with the Toronto Sceptres after making her league debut on December 1, 2024, against the Montreal Victoire. After a late-camp push earned her one of the final places on Toronto’s roster, she has been working to establish herself as a regular in the Sceptres’ forward group and to build chemistry with her linemates and coaching staff.
The 2025 storyline for Rankila centers on whether her strong SDHL production can translate directly into PWHL results, particularly given the league’s depth and the speed of the North American professional game. Her plus/minus record with Djurgårdens IF and her history of durable, defensively responsible play suggest she has the tools to carve out a steady role in Toronto’s middle-six forward group.
Longer term, Rankila’s outlook is shaped by her age, her five-year college foundation, and her international pedigree, including a 2017 U18 gold medal. If she can settle into a regular place in the Sceptres’ rotation through the 2025 portion of the schedule, she has a clear pathway to a larger offensive role in subsequent PWHL seasons.