Fourth-year women's hockey defenceman Jenai Buchanan grew up in the small town of Crystal City, Manitoba. Her experiences there have helped mould her into the leader she is today, both on and off the ice.

"Growing up in a small town has shown me different attributes of being a leader, especially my work ethic," she says.

"I'm also a very vocal person. I like to speak up and sometimes you have to say what needs to be said. You're not going to say it in a rude way but sometimes it has to be done. Mostly I'm an outgoing and very easy person to talk to."

Buchanan's dad was the head of the rink in town, teaching her how to skate at a young age. She has many memories from her early years in the sport, one of which demonstrated her adaptability.

"My dad and this guy from Hamiota, they met each other at a hockey tournament and that year they randomly chose 15 girls from Manitoba and put together a team," she recalled.

"We would get together once a month to practice and we'd go to tournaments. It ended up that we were actually quite good for not really knowing each other. I'm still friends with those girls to this day and I still see them. Some are still playing in U SPORTS."

As she got older, Buchanan blossomed into a high-level defenceman, earning captaincy for the highly successful Pembina Valley Hawks of the Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League (MFMHL) while also representing her province as part of Team Manitoba.

She made her debut for the U of M in 2016-17, noting how valuable the team's pre-season Europe trip was for developing friendships.

"I was rooming with [fifth-year goaltender] Amanda Schubert and [alum] Erin Kucheravy. I remember the first day of the trip in Finland I was rooming with them and I sassed [Schubert] and she was like 'woah you're a rookie, settle down.'

Honestly from then on, I felt fine and could be myself. Being in a group coming in that was so much older than me, that Europe trip helped and just being myself and putting myself out there."

The chemistry amongst Manitoba's roster was evident, as the following year they brought home the program's first-ever national title and returned to the big tourney the following season as well.

"Earlier this year we were watching a video back on it and it just brings jitters and joy," Buchanan recalls of the championship season.

"Just reminiscing about it, it was a surreal feeling."

One of Buchanan's teammates on the blue line during both nationals appearances was fellow fourth-year Megan Neduzak. The two go way back, having played on the same teams for close to a decade, making the result from 2017-18 that much more special.

"We have been on a team together since bantam or peewee. It's kind of cool that you can say you've been playing together with someone for that long, because not many teams people can say that. And it just so happens that we're born on the same day too."

With the graduation of Erica Rieder and Alexandra Anderson, Buchanan has assumed a larger role on the blue line this season. She's been up to the task, currently leading the team with five points while also staking her claim on special teams.

"I really like special teams. On the power play I'm usually the quarterback. That's where I've been for most of my life, so I like it. I like contributing offensively, because I'm a very offensive d-man. Having the opportunity on the power play allows me to build confidence in that area too."

Bisons head coach Jon Rempel has also taken notice of Buchanan's play.

"She's been good from day one," he says.

"She has probably been one of our most consistent performers this year. She took it upon herself this summer to get fit. I think that's what you're seeing there. She's always had the tools, and she's been in a more secondary role, but she's in a much more primary role now and she has really embraced it. She's definitely the quarterback and the leader of [the blue line] for sure."

With ten rookies on Manitoba's roster in 2019-20, Buchanan is once again in a leadership position. Her extroverted personality shone through right from day one of camp.  

"The first and second day I was cracking jokes with [the rookies]," she says with a smile.

"And I have two rookies beside me in the dressing room, so I like to bug them. That's who I am. I think it just broke the ice and allowed them to open up too. If we're joking around, they're able to be themselves and everyone gets closer that way."

Off the ice, Buchanan is just as busy.

She is currently finishing her agribusiness degree after graduating with an agriculture diploma from the U of M last year. The latter is a bit more practical, while the former pertains more to farm management – beneficial for when she returns home.

"Knowing how my schooling is going to relate when I go back to the farm or in a job that I have in the agriculture industry is really helpful. It keeps me intrigued and going with my schoolwork."