It’s very difficult to try and parse the small bits of info gathered through fits and starts last season to prognosticate what might shake down in this conference this season. Most of the rosters have had significant turnover since the abrupt end of the 2019-20 season and no one knows how the time off will affect programs and players. Sacred Heart and Franklin Pierce have traditionally been the top two teams, but LIU showed in their first season that they’re going to be a team to reckon with. The conference feels very wide open.
Franklin Pierce
Last Season
2-0
19-20 results: 13-7 (second)
Names to Know
Senior goalie Emme Ostrander was among league leaders in goals against and save percentage over the past two seasons.
Sophomore Jenna Ruiz has a nose for the net. She and Emilie Prive will have to build on their short experience from last season.
What to Watch For
The Ravens are a young team that graduated a lot of offense two seasons ago. The good news is the younger players are stepping up. The top two scorers last season were rookies and the top six were underclassmen. Things are definitely up in the air overall in the league and with so much time passed and so many changes, it’s going to be difficult to know how the league will shake out until some more games are played.
Crystal Ball
I have the Ravens finishing second, but I’ll be honest and say I have no idea how this year is going to shake out in the NEWHA.
Long Island University
Last Season
2-1
19-20 results: 11-9 (fourth)
Names to Know
Junior Carrigan Umpherville was a breakout star in her and the program’s rookie year. She led the team with 33 points and was among point per game leaders for all rookies that season.
Senior Alva Johnsson is a 5’11” forward from Sweden who’s a huge asset in front of the net, with great hands and vision, but she also led the team in blocks with 54 two seasons ago. A true 200-foot player, Johnsson is a leader on and off the ice.
What to Watch For
Can the Sharks recapture the lightning that something special they created in their postseason run in 2020? After finishing fourth in the standings, they played some incredible (and incredibly long) hockey to win the first-ever NEWHA conference tournament. It was a stunner and a truly improbable and amazing way to cap off their first season. Unfortunately for LIU, the world turned upside down shortly thereafter and now they need to try and find a way to recreate that momentum and excitement.
The focus has to be on tightening up the defense. The Sharks did it in fits and starts that first season, but they can’t keep averaging more than four goals against a game if they want to solidify their place among the top teams in the league.
Crystal Ball
I’m predicting third until I can see more.
Post
Last Season
Post did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 2-19 (sixth).
Names to Know
Freshman Hannah Luckman skated for Team USA in the Inline Hockey World Championships, where she won gold. She had three goals and two assists in seven games during the tournament.
Junior forward Jenna Abeyta led the team in scoring two years ago as a rookie and set a program record for goals scored in a game with four. She’s dynamic and fast on both ends of the ice. She also led the team with 65 blocks.
What to Watch For
The Eagles return a solid core that should bring experience and a desire to get back on the ice. They struggle with consistency and depth. Abeyta can’t do it by herself and it doesn’t bode well for the team if she’s a leader in stats on both ends of the ice. With just two conference wins the last season they took the ice, there’s nowhere to go but up.
Crystal Ball
The Eagles finish sixth.
Sacred Heart
Last Season
1-2
19-20 results: 18-2 (first).
Names to Know
Freshman Kerryn O’Connell won the John Carlton Memorial Trophy presented by the Boston Bruins as the top hockey student-athletes in Massachusetts.
Senior Anna Klein was conference Rookie of the Year as a freshman and a second-team all-NEWHA selection as a sophomore. She was third on the team in scoring her second year and looks to be an anchor for this offense.
What to Watch For
Sacred Heart has been the team to beat in NEWHA. They play a tough style and average more than three goals per game. Though not quite as tight on defense and I think they’d like to be, they’re still keeping opponents to fewer goals than they themselves score and that balance makes them tough to unseat.
Crystal Ball
With little else to usefully inform these decisions, I have to give Sacred Heart’s consistency and experience the nod for first place.
Saint Anselm
Last Season
Saint Anselm did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 11-8-1 (third).
Names to Know
New head coach Jen Kindret was most recently an assistant with Robert Morris. She’s young – a 2013 RMU grad – but brings a wealth of experience in every aspect of coaching and managing a team. Her youth and similar experience should resonate with the players. A great recruiter, this could signal an interesting tide change for the Hawks.
Sophomore Abigail Blair is a small, crafty forward that uses her size to her advantage and does not get pushed around. Expect her to make an early impact after having to wait a year to make her presence known.
What to Watch For
For the first time in their program’s history, Saint Anselm will only face National Collegiate-level teams. It’s a tough schedule, but one that will only serve to test the Hawks and ultimately help them get better. This is a big and good step for this program.
Saint Anselm is carrying two freshman goalies, a senior who has not played any minutes and Quinnipiac transfer Allie Kelley. It appears the job in net is wide open and seeing how these four push each other for playing time will be fun. If they can find a solid starter early, they should be able to gather momentum on the offensive end.
Crystal Ball
I have them fourth, but think they have the pieces to push the top teams more this year.
St. Michael’s
Last Season
St. Michael’s did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 4-15-1 (fifth).
Names to Know
Junior Meaghan Kennard is the team’s leading returning scorer. She’s a cerebral player with a good shot and eye on the net.
Junior Callie Wiley is listed as an F/D. A physical player, she’s racked up a lot of penalty minutes, but if she can reel it in a bit, she’s great on the puck and battling on the boards.
What to Watch For
The Purple Knights also have an inexperienced set of goalies that will be fighting for the starting job. Senior Gabriella Dicomitis played just four games her sophomore year after not playing as a rookie and the team did not play last season. She’s joined by two rookies who will be looking to take advantage of this opportunity.
Crystal Ball
Until we see more hockey, I have them fifth.
