For the last three years, Karell Emard has been in the NCAA. But, unlike some of her fellow draft class, like Marie-Philip Poulin at Boston University, or Leslie Oles and Katia Clement-Heydra at McGill, she wasn't there playing. She was an assistant coach at Colgate University.
Emard did play in the NCAA, too. She played for the St. Lawrence Saints where she was a captain for two years, won a conference championship, and made the NCAA championship in four of her five seasons. She recorded 106 points in 138 games as a forward, although she will likely play defence for Les Canadiennes de Montreal this season.