FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tonbara Sports & Entertainment Signs Guelph Gryphons Captain Katherine Heard

OUA West MVP and McCaw Cup champion set to pursue a professional career.

TORONTO / MIAMI / NEW YORK — Tonbara Sports & Entertainment is pleased to announce the signing of Katherine Heard, a forward and team captain who recently completed her collegiate career at the University of Guelph.

Heard, a 5-5 forward from Arva, Ontario, capped one of the most decorated careers in Gryphons history with a 2025-26 season that saw her named OUA West MVP and an OUA First Team All-Star. As captain, she led Guelph to their 8th OUA championship — scoring the game-winning goal in the third period of the McCaw Cup final against Ottawa and earning Player of the Game honours.

The fifth-year forward set career-highs across the board, finishing sixth in the OUA with 25 points, including eight goals and 17 assists in 26 games. She went on an eight-game point streak in the second half of the season, recording six goals and 12 points during a stretch that saw Guelph go 7-1.

At the U SPORTS National Championships in Elmira, Ontario, Heard continued to deliver in clutch moments. She scored the game-winning goal against Waterloo in the quarterfinals, circling the net and firing one into the top corner in a 2-0 victory. In the bronze medal game against UNB, she broke free on a breakaway and scored a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 1-1, though Guelph ultimately fell 2-1 to finish fourth at nationals.

In total, Heard recorded five goals in nine playoff games — cementing her status as one of the premier two-way players in the OUA.

Beyond the ice, Heard was named the W.F. Sportswoman of the Year at Guelph for her leadership in the Student-Athlete Mentor Program, where she helped first-year student-athletes navigate the transition to university life. She also volunteered weekly with the Junior Gryphons program. She graduated with a degree in Sociology.

"Katherine embodies everything you want in a leader — she scores championship-winning goals, she's elite defensively, and she elevates everyone around her," said Patrik Darabont, Founder & Principal at Tonbara Sports & Entertainment. "She's ready to compete at the professional level, and we're excited to support her in that next chapter."

Tonbara Sports & Entertainment is a full-service athlete representation agency licensed across FIFA, FIBA, and PWHLPA, with offices in Toronto, Miami, New York, and Los Angeles.

Media Contact: hello@tonbaramg.com