Sirens activate Olivia Knowles, place Nicole Vallario on reserve list

A couple of roster moves for the New York Sirens.

On Thursday, the team announced that it has activated defender Olivia Knowles from its reserve list, signing a standard contract. In response, the team has taken fellow blueliner off its main roster, placing her on the team’s reserve list.

The move comes as the Sirens are trying to find a way to bolster the bottom pairs of its defense while rookie Dayle Ross remains on long-term injured reserve.

Knowles brings some significant experience to the young Sirens lineup. After spending the league’s inaugural season with Toronto, the Campbell River, B.C. native joined New York’s reserve list for the 2024-25 season. She ended up playing 12 games, filling in when defenders Ella Shelton and Maja Nylen Persson went on LTIR. Knowles ended up dressing in 12 games, but didn’t register a point. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher posted a plus/minus of +1, last seeing the ice on Feb. 12, 2025.

In 32 regular-season games, the 26-year-old has posted one assist, that coming back in 2024 with Toronto, with a +8 rating.

Vallario came to the Sirens after four seasons at the University of St. Thomas. She started the 2025-26 season with EV Zug’s Women’s Team in Switzerland’s top women’s pro league, scoring three goals and six points in 15 games. The 24-year-old has played in just two games with New York, scoring her first PWHL goal on Nov. 29 against the Vancouver Goldeneyes. The Lugano native had a +1 rating while averaging a little over 10 minutes of ice time.

Vallario was invited to the team’s training camp earlier this fall and performed well enough to earn a spot on the opening night roster.

Following a 2-0 loss to the Boston Fleet on Wednesday night, the Sirens (2-0-0-4) are seventh in the PWHL. New York’s last game before the holiday break is back home on Sunday afternoon against the Toronto Sceptres.