Professional Women's Hockey League announces San Jose expansion team

The Bay Area is getting a professional women's hockey team. The Professional Women's Hockey League announced Tuesday it is expanding to San Jose. The new franchise will join other expansion teams in Detroit, Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario, bringing the league to a total of 12 teams.

"We are bringing you the highest level hockey in the world. We have over 60 Olympians taking the ice this year, and there will be a bunch more next year," said Amy Scheer, the PWHL's executive vice president of business operations. The yet-to-be-named San Jose team will play at SAP Center starting this fall.

League officials said demand was immediate, with 2,000 season ticket requests coming in within hours of the announcement. MORE: A new Bay Area women's pro volleyball team is coming to San Francisco: Here's what to know Local hockey leaders say the addition could have a lasting impact on the sport, particularly for girls and young women in the region. "I think that what it's going to do for hockey in general and girls hockey and all our female hockey players is going to have quite the impact," said Cathy Andrade, a San Jose Sharks skating consultant and owner of Power Hour Hockey.

Andrade, a professional skating development coach who has worked with Bay Area athletes for decades, said the presence of a top-level women's team provides new opportunities for young players. "I think that they are finally going to have a good direction and they get to experience and see everything firsthand, so I think it's going to help grow our sport even faster than it's growing right now," Andrade said. MORE: Bay FC debuts new roster and head coach in season home opener at PayPal Park San Jose already ranks sixth in the nation in girls hockey participation, a popularity reflected at local practices, including those held at Sharks Ice.