Before Brown: A two sport athlete at Ecole Secondaire Catholique de Casselman (ESCC) ... earned three varsity letters in hockey and two in soccer ... was an academic athlete selection from 2007-2010 and was the Female Athlete of the Year in 2008 and 2010 at ESCC ... served as a captain in 2009 and 2010 at ESCC ... was the assistant captain for her club team, the Nepean Junior Wildcats.

Personal: Vanessa Mercedes Welten is the daughter of Harry and Marian Welten of Crysler, Ontario … Has two sisters, Cassandra, who also plays hockey at Western University, and Samantha, whom Welten lists as her biggest influence … an honor roll student who ranked number one in her class in grades nine through 12.