Wendell-Pohl, 40, will report to Nick Pryor, the Penguins' Director of Amateur Scouting and will primarily scout amateur players in the Minnesota area.
Wendell-Pohl, a two-time Olympian in 2002 and '06, was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019 following a prolific playing career at the collegiate and international level.
The 5-foot-7 forward represented the United States in six world championships and two Olympics Games. Captaining the U.S. to their first Women's World Championships gold in 2005, she was also named the tournament's MVP scoring nine points (4G-5A) in five games. She, along with Team USA, won five silver medals and one gold at the Women's World Championships ('99, '00, 01, '04, '05, '07). Wendell-Pohl recorded an astounding 247 points (106G-141A) in 147 games with the U.S. National Women's Team and won silver and bronze at the 2002 and '06 Olympic Games, respectively.
The Brooklyn Park, MN native had an incredible collegiate career with the University of Minnesota co-captaining the Gophers to back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2004 and '05. During her time, she amassed a staggering 237 points (106G-141A) in her three seasons placing her fourth all-time in program history, 11th all-time in NCAA women's scoring and fourth all-time in points-per-game (2.35). Pohl played a big part in the Gophers' 2005 NCAA championship run scoring the game-winning goal against Wisconsin for the WCHA title following that up with a hat trick against Harvard in the NCAA title game in Durham, N.H.
During her final season with the Gophers, Wendell-Pohl put up 104 points (43G-61A) in just 40 games which won her the Patty Kazmaier Award for best female collegiate player. She was the first Minnesota native and WCHA player to receive such recognition. Wendell-Pohl also co-holds the NCAA record for most short-handed goals in a single season (7) and most career short-handed goals (16).
Prior to her collegiate career, Wendell-Pohl played hockey at Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park where she scored 219 goals in just two seasons and 165 points (110G-55A) in her senior year alone. Not only was she the first player in U.S. history, both boy or girl, to score more than 100 goals in a single season, she accomplished such feat twice and continues to hold the record for all-time leading scorer in women's hockey.
Following her playing career, Wendell-Pohl coached girls high school hockey in Minnesota with her husband, and former NHL player, Johnny Pohl.
Wendell-Pohl was a multisport athlete as a child and was only the fifth girl to start in the Little League World Series in 1994. She is also a member of the Little League Hall of Excellence.
