Robert Morris women’s hockey grad Welsh makes history as first female linesperson in OHL

-

September 30, 2021

Kirsten Welsh played at Robert Morris and will now work the lines in the OHL (photo: Ontario Hockey League).

The Ontario Hockey League on Thursday announced that Kirsten Welsh will become the first woman linesperson in OHL history.

Originally from Blackstock, Ont., Welsh worked Thursday’s game between the host Mississauga Steelheads and visiting Guelph Storm and will also work Friday’s preseason game between the host Oshawa Generals and visiting Windsor Spitfires.

She will be a member of the OHL officiating team for the 2021-22 season after attending the NHL officiating exposure combine this past August in Buffalo, N.Y.

“This is an incredible opportunity and I can’t really put into words what it feels like to be working in the Ontario Hockey League,” said Welsh in a news release. “Just being one of the first women to do this, it really opens that door to women in hockey who want to have an alternate avenue that maybe isn’t playing in the Premier Hockey Federation or playing on a national team.

“Being an advocate and having this opportunity, I just feel so lucky,” she added. “It’s an incredible process to be a part of. I’m so lucky I can be a part of something that is going to affect generations of little girls.”

Welsh, 24, resides in Freedom, Pa., after graduating as captain of the Robert Morris women’s NCAA hockey program where she patrolled the blue line from 2015 to 2019, recording 91 points (34 goals, 57 assists) over 128 regular-season games. Her collegiate career included several awards and honors including being named the 2018 CHA Defender of the Year.

In September 2019, Welsh became one of four women to officiate at the NHL level for the first time, working in the Buffalo Sabres’ preseason prospects tournament held at the LECOM Harborcenter. She also worked the Elite Women’s 3-on-3 event at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis.

“We first met Kirsten at the NHL exposure combine in 2019 and we were immediately impressed by her presence on the ice,” said OHL director of officiating Conrad Haché. “She approaches and prepares for each game in a professional way, is a great skater and has a tremendous desire to continually improve. These traits will not only make her a great OHL official, but also a great ambassador for our League.”

“On behalf of the OHL and its member teams, I’d like to extend a warm welcome and congratulate Kirsten Welsh on the accomplishment of joining the OHL Officiating Team,” added OHL commissioner David Branch. “Kirsten has demonstrated an ability to officiate the game at a high level and we’re excited to see her break barriers as she continues her development as a linesperson in the OHL.”

Welsh has spent the past year officiating throughout Pennsylvania covering NCAA Division III hockey as well as the NAPHL, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League and Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League.

Rensselaer adds former Hobart standout Michel to men’s hockey staff as new operations coordinator

By USCHO Staff

-

September 30, 2021

Rensselaer has announced the hiring of Ryan Michel as the operations coordinator for the men’s hockey program.

“Ryan is a tremendous addition to our staff,” said fifth-year RPI coach Dave Smith in a statement. “His experience as a player and a coach in pro hockey will bring positive new ideas into our environment. He has values that align with the terrific culture within our hockey program, and when you put that with his work ethic, I am very excited for his future.

“He comes highly recommended from many respected in the game of hockey and we are fortunate to have him join our school and hockey program.”

Among Michel’s responsibilities are video coordination, including breaking down game tapes, preparation and pre-scouting for upcoming opponents, team travel coordination and various administrative duties.

Prior to joining the Engineers, Michel held various coaching positions with the SPHL’s Macon Mayhem. His roles included, head coach, associate head coach and director of player development. He first joined the Mayhem is a player during the 2015-16 season, before taking an assistant coaching spot in 2018. On the ice, he notched nine goals and 25 assists for 34 points over 78 games.

Michel’s college hockey coaching experience came in 2017-18, when he was an assistant at Oneonta. For the Red Dragons, he worked on the defensive side of the puck, creating weekly skill sessions. He was also the team’s recruiting coordinator.

Since 2017, Michel has been an instructor for Salt City Prospects, where he created and instructed practice plans for junior prep school players, working closely with coaches from the NCAA, USHL and prep levels.

A 2015 graduate of Hobart, Michel played 93 games for the Statesmen, recording eight goals and 60 assists for 68 points from the blue line. He was the Boswell Award winner as the team MVP following his senior year, while earning All-ECAC West First Team honors three times. He finished his college hockey career ranked ninth on Hobart’s all-time assists list.

Women’s Division I College Hockey: Women’s WCHA balancing history and legacy while looking to the future after men’s league ceases operation

By Nicole Haase

-

September 30, 2021

The turmoil of conference restructuring in men’s college hockey largely has not affected the women’s game over the past ten years or so. And while operationally, the shuttering of the men’s WCHA this summer didn’t much change things for the WCHA women, it signaled the end of one era of the league and an interesting opportunity for the future.

Established as the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League in 1951, the men’s WCHA was the oldest conference in college hockey. It had operated for 70 years – and for the past 22 years, was separated into men’s and women’s leagues.

Moving forward, the women’s league is carrying on the legacy of the WCHA, no qualifiers needed. The league will be branded as the WCHA, though it will take time to get all the social media handles and website URLs aligned.

“It’s such a bittersweet feeling,” said Commissioner Jen Flowers. “No one wanted the WCHA men’s league to go away. (But) this wasn’t going to be detrimental to us. We could step in and maintain the brand and carry the brand forward and pay homage to what the brand has been for a long time.”

Flowers and the league have the task of balancing the heritage and history of the league as it was with embracing the change, moving forward and really owning the fact that the WCHA is a women’s hockey league now.

“We have an obligation to carry the brand forward,” said Flowers. “ I feel really strongly that we are strong and capable of writing a new chapter of the brand. I think that’s incredibly valuable. Women’s college hockey has the ability to stand on its own. We are fortunate now to have that opportunity to showcase that… I think it’s important – regardless of sport – that people know that women’s sports can handle themselves on their own.”

Flowers acknowledged the need for support from male counterparts, especially in a community as small and tight-knit as college hockey. But there is also power in being able to support the weight of a historic league and know your membership is really strong on their own.

The individual member schools and student athletes are aware of the changes that are happening within the WCHA, but Flowers is proud that there’s been functionally no difference for the teams as they prepare for the new season.

The challenges of this league front office transition would be difficult enough to navigate in any year, but are certainly compounded by happening in the middle of a pandemic. There is no playbook for how a still-new-to-her-job Commissioner handles these two separate, massive, once-in-a-lifetime events happening at the same time. Flowers joked she’s the least experienced third-year leader there is, since she’s not actually been able to run the league in what would be considered normal circumstances.

The chaos of it all has challenged Flowers’ propensity to want to try to plan and control things, but she’s learned to at least try to be more fluid and easy going. At this time last year, there was not yet a viable plan to have a season. The WCHA is heading into its second weekend of games already, so that has to be considered a win. Complications with video streams, live stats and finding out exactly how much college hockey relied on CollegeHockeyStats.com, which shut down this offseason, made for an interesting week one. But those are relatively minor issues that can’t always be worked out before an actual game is played.

“We have two teams. We have four officials. The scoreboard works. The lights are on. The ice is good. The rest of it obviously matters, but we have to keep it all in perspective. Everything else will come together and we’ll keep doing our best,” she said.

Though there are still pandemic issues to contend with, Flowers feels like after last season, the conferences and teams have a handle on how to navigate that. With conference turmoil put to rest, there’s finally a chance for Flowers and the WCHA to look toward the future instead of just trying to survive the past two seasons.

“We’re good. We’re very strong. We’re committed,” she said. “These are young women who are going to make huge impacts on the world in whatever they choose to do, hockey or not or both.
I feel really confident in what we’re doing and where we’re going. That’s a good feeling to have.”

Arizona State moving along with new arena construction, holds ‘topping off’ ceremony

By USCHO Staff

-

September 29, 2021

The final beam of the new Arizona State is put in place Tuesday (photo: Sun Devil Athletics).

Arizona State hosted a “topping out” ceremony Tuesday to commemorate the last beam set in place on top of the new multi-purpose arena.

Set to open in late 2022, the new arena will host university and community events and serve as the future home for Sun Devil men’s hockey, wrestling and women’s gymnastics.

Located in the Novus Innovation Corridor, the arena’s steel structure was topped out, completing the final placement of 1,100 tons of steel. In addition, 6,980 yards of concrete have been poured since the project broke ground earlier this year.

The ceremony recognized the major construction milestone, by placing a tree and flags atop the last structural beam that was lifted into place, a custom tradition acknowledging the successful partnership and project progress to date. Having worked more than 124,892 hours since groundbreaking, without a single recordable injury, workers were recognized for their commitment to a safe project site.

“The multi-purpose arena will be a very important piece of the Novus Innovation Corridor — a ‘live, work, play’ community that will span more than 10 million square feet,” said Morgan R. Olsen, ASU executive vice-president, treasurer and chief financial officer, in a statement. “Sun Devils can cheer on ASU athletes in the arena housed in this sustainable, pedestrian-friendly mixed-use development that provides community resources and economic value to the region. We’re pleased that Mortenson and Oak View Group have partnered with us on this exciting arena project.”

In addition to housing Sun Devil athletics’ events and competitions, the 5,000 seat multi-purpose arena, which also includes an adjacent community ice rink, will serve as a public venue for the university and community to host concerts, conferences, youth competitions, educational opportunities, and more.

The arena will feature a wide variety of luxury suites, group suites, a large club lounge, along with premium seating, a 942-seat student section and more than 8,000 square feet of state-of-the-art locker rooms, weight rooms and office space.

Off-season review; Virtual Coaches Clinic preview with CHI’s Snee, Coaches Site’s Wilbur: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 1

By Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger

-

September 29, 2021

In the opening segment, hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger catch us up on off-season and preseason news, including the USCHO.com Division I men’s ice hockey preseason poll, transfers and fifth-year players, needing homes for new programs, the cancellation and work toward the resurrection of Robert Morris hockey, and the implications of name, image, and likeness on college hockey.

In the second segment, Jim and Ed are joined by College Hockey Inc. executive director Mike Snee and Aaron Wilbur, founder and CEO of The Coaches Site, to preview next week’s Virtual Coaches Clinic (https://collegehockeyincclinic.com).

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

Sponsor this podcast! Visit https://www.advertisecast.com/USCHOSpotlight for details.

Continue

Former Northeastern hockey players Rice, Thiessen to be inducted into school’s hall of fame

By USCHO Staff

-

September 29, 2021

Two former Northeastern hockey players are the newest members of the Northeastern Hall of Fame.

Fiona Rice, class of 1990, and Brad Thiessen, class of 2011, will be inducted with both the 2020 and 2021 hall of fame classes on November 11 at Blackman Auditorium on the university’s campus.

Rice holds the record for most assists in women’s hockey program history with 118, while she sits No. 3 in career points with 181 in 103 games for the Huskies.

Thiessen played in 111 games for the Huskies, posting nine shutouts and a 2.41 GAA in his Northeastern.

After college, he spent time in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames, in addition to 290 games in the AHL for Wilkes-Barre, Norfolk, Adirondack, Lake Erie, and Cleveland

Thiessen is currently the goaltending development coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Northeastern the favorite to claim 2021-22 Hockey East regular-season championship

By USCHO Staff

-

September 27, 2021

Northeastern is the favorite to win the Hockey East women’s title in 2021-22 (photo: Northeastern Athletics).

Northeastern garnered nine first-place votes in the women’s Hockey East 2021-22 preseason coaches poll.

Providence came in second and picked up the other first-place nod.

Hockey East 2021-22 Preseason Coaches Poll

Rank — Team — (First-Place votes) — Total points
1. Northeastern (9) 90
2. Providence (1) 75
3. Boston College 70
4. UConn 67
5. Boston University 59
6. Vermont 52
7. Maine 43
8. New Hampshire 40
9. Holy Cross 25
10. Merrimack 19

Hockey East preseason coaches poll has UMass at top with eight first-place votes; BU, BC also get first-place nods

By USCHO Staff

-

September 27, 2021

Bobby Trivigno celebrates a goal for UMass against Northeastern during the 2020-21 season (photo: UMass Athletics).

Hockey East coaches have picked defending national champion Massachusetts to win the conference this season.

The results of the Hockey East preseason coaches poll were announced Monday.

Hockey East 2021-22 Men’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Rank — Team — (First-Place Votes) — Total points
1. Massachusetts (8) 107
2. Boston University (1) 95
3. Boston College (2) 89
4. Northeastern 86
5. Providence 75
6. UConn 66
7. UMass Lowell 58
8. New Hampshire 46
9. Merrimack 37
10. Maine 32
11. Vermont 24

Defending national champion UMass named top team in 2021-22 preseason USCHO.com D-I Men’s Poll

By USCHO Staff

-

September 27, 2021

UMass celebrates its first NCAA championship after a 5-0 victory in April against St. Cloud State in Pittsburgh (photo: Jim Rosvold).

With 19 first-place votes, 2021 national champion Massachusetts is the No. 1 team in the 2021-22 preseason USCHO.com D-I Men’s Poll.

National runner-up St. Cloud State earned 13 first-place nods and finished just seven voting points behind UMass in the No. 2 spot.

Michigan garnered 11 first-place votes to sit third, followed by Minnesota at No. 4 (two first-place votes) and Minnesota State at No. 5 (one first-place vote).

USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll – Sept. 27, 2021

No. 6 Minnesota Duluth also earned a first-place vote, with No. 8 North Dakota getting two and No. 13 Denver collecting one as well.

In addition to the top 20 teams, 16 other teams received at least one vote in the rankings.

The USCHO.com Poll consists of 50 voters, including coaches and beat writers and sports professionals from across the country.

Cosentino, Murphy, Shasby named finalists for Alaska Anchorage hockey head coaching position

By USCHO Staff

-

September 26, 2021

Chris Cosentino, Steve Murphy and Matt Shasby are the three candidates to be the head coach for Alaska Anchorage.

Alaska Anchorage announced Saturday that Chris Cosentino, Steve Murphy and Matthew Shasby have been chosen as finalists for the head coach position for the Seawolves hockey program.

Former UAA coach Matt Curley resigned in June after leading the Seawolves to seven wins in two seasons.

Cosentino is a two-time ACHA Coach of the Year after leading New York University to two ACHA national championships. During his 10 years as head coach, he earned the NYU President’s Service Award five times and was a two-time ACHA Community Service Award winner. NYU led the league in all-academic honorees for seven straight years and posted a cumulative GPA of 3.4.

Consentino led an on-ice training camp for the New York Rangers at the conclusion of the NHL lockout in 2013. He served as head coach and general manager of the New York Apple Core junior team for two seasons and was the head coach and assistant general manager of the New York Apple Core Junior B team for five seasons. He played collegiate hockey at Iona and Geneseo and earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Hofstra in 2008.

Murphy is currently the head coach at Buffalo State where he has posted a 73-47-12 record in five seasons and has been nationally ranked in the top 15 three of the last five seasons. He oversees his student-athletes academic progress that has resulted in 85 percent of his players earning a 3.0 or higher GPA.

Prior to taking over as head coach for the Bengals, he served as an assistant coach for one season. Murphy was an assistant coach for the NAHL’s Kenai River Brown Bears for one season and served as head referee in the NAHL for one season. He played NCAA Division III hockey at Curry and Saint Mary’s and earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Saint Mary’s.

Shasby is currently the vice president of player development for the state of Alaska and serves as a coach with the Anchorage Hockey Association. He has coached numerous age groups in addition to high school teams during his career.

A UAA alum who played in 127 games during his four-year career for the Seawolves, Shasby was an All-WCHA Second Team defenseman and was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team three times.

Shasby went on to play professional hockey, appearing in 375 games, primarily with the ECHL’s Alaska Aces. He has served as a volunteer with USA Hockey at numerous camps and coaching education programs. Shasby earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Alaska Anchorage in 2008 and a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Phoenix.

He currently teaches seventh and eighth grade social studies at Northern Lights ABC.

Each candidate will participate in an open forum this coming week:

Matthew Shasby – Wednesday, September 29, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Steve Murphy – Thursday, September 30, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Chris Cosentino – Friday, October 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Women’s Division I College Hockey: Weekend Wrap, September 26, 2021

By Nicole Haase

-

September 26, 2021

(1) Wisconsin at Lindenwood

Casey O’Brien and Maddi Wheeler each scored twice and Daryl Watts added a goal and three assists to lead the Badgers to a 8-1 win in their season opener. Katie Kotlowski scored her first career goal in the win. Megan Wagner was the goal-scorer for the Lions. On Saturday, O’Brien scored four times, including a natural hat trick to open the game for Wisconsin. Kotlowski scored two more times and Nicole LaMantia had three assists in the Badgers’ 10-0 win.

St. Thomas at (3) Ohio State

Six different Buckeyes scored to give OSU their first win of the season. Clair DeGeorge tallied her first for Ohio State and added an assist. On Saturday, Lexi Templeman and Emily Curlett opened the game with their first goals for OSU. Abby Promersberger cut the lead in half for St. Thomas, but Jenna Buglioni scored her second of the weekend less than a minute later and Gabby Rosenthal added a short-hander to give Ohio State a 4-1 win and weekend sweep

(6) Colgate vs. RIT

Seven different skaters lit the lamp for Colgate on Friday to give the Raiders a 8-1 win. Neena Brick led the team with two goals while Sydney Bard added three assists. Athena Vasdani scored the goal from RIT. In game two, the Raiders erupted for 13 goals, a new team record. Transfer Dara Greig potted four goals and added an assist while Kalty Kaltounkova lit the lamp three times and had two helpers. Danielle Serdachny also set a record with six assists.

St. Lawrence at (9) Penn State

Hillary Sterling scored her first career goal on St. Lawrence’s first shot of the game and that’s all the Saints needed to upset Penn State on Thursday night. On Friday, St. Lawrence once again took the early lead as Rachel Teslak scored five minutes in. Rachel Bjorgen doubled the lead early in the second, but the Nittany Lions were able to claw back in with a goal from Karley Garcia a few minutes later. Natalie Heisin’s goal in the third forced overtime, but this game ended a 2-2 tie. Saints’ goalie Lucy Morgan had a career-high 39-saves.

Minnesota chosen as team to beat in 2021-22 Big Ten preseason coaches poll

By USCHO Staff

-

September 25, 2021

Minnesota captain Sammy Walker celebrates a goal during the 2019-20 season (photo: Brace Hemmelgarn).

Minnesota was tabbed the favorite in the 2021-22 Big Ten hockey preseason coaches poll, the conference announced on Friday.

The coaches also selected preseason All-Big Ten teams.

2021-22 Big Ten Preseason Poll

1. Minnesota
2. Michigan
3. Wisconsin
4. Notre Dame
5. Penn State
6. Michigan State
7. Ohio State

2021-22 Preseason All-Big Ten Hockey Team

FIRST TEAM
Thomas Bordeleau, F, Michigan
Ben Meyers, F, Minnesota
Sammy Walker, F, Minnesota
Owen Power, D, Michigan
Jackson LaCombe, D, Minnesota
Jack LaFontaine, G, Minnesota

SECOND TEAM
Matty Beniers, F, Michigan
Kent Johnson, F, Michigan
Graham Slaggert, F, Notre Dame
Brock Faber, D, Minnesota
Ryan Johnson, D, Minnesota
Cameron Rowe, G, Wisconsin

HONORABLE MENTION
Quinn Preston, F, Ohio State
Mitch Lewandowski, F, Michigan State
Roman Ahcan, F, Wisconsin
Dennis Cesana, D, Michigan State
Mike Koster, D, Minnesota
Spencer Stastney, D, Notre Dame
Drew DeRidder, G, Michigan State

Defending champ Long Island tabbed top team in 2021-22 NEWHA preseason coaches poll

By USCHO Staff

-

September 25, 2021

Long Island celebrates its second straight NEWHA championship after topping Sacred Heart to wrap up the 2020-21 season (photo: LIU Athletics).

Long Island has been chosen as the top team in the 2021-22 NEWHA preseason coaches poll.

In the team’s very first season of varsity competition in 2019-20, LIU won its first NEWHA postseason championship by defeating Saint Anselm by a 1-0 margin. Last season, the Sharks edged Sacred Heart for the NEWHA Commissioners’ Cup, a championship held in lieu of a traditional postseason championship in 2021.

2021-22 NEWHA Preseason Coaches Poll

RANK-TEAM-POINTS (FIRST-PLACE VOTES)
1. LIU, 25 pts. (5)
2. Sacred Heart, 19 pts. (1)
3. Franklin Pierce, 18 pts.
4. Saint Anselm, 14 pts.
5. Saint Michael’s, 9 pts.
6. Post, 5 pts.

Holy Cross alum, 2014 Hockey Humanitarian Award winner Reppucci awarded prestigious scholarship for Stanford grad program

By USCHO Staff

-

September 25, 2021

Holy Cross graduate Jeffrey Reppucci has been awarded the prestigious Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, which provides full funding for the graduate program of the student’s choosing at Stanford University.

Reppucci, class of 2014 valedictorian, majored in Russian studies and was a member of the men’s hockey team at Holy Cross. He is part of the fourth group to be awarded the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship at Stanford, and is the second Holy Cross student to win the award.

The cohort of 76 Scholars—selected from a pool of 6,171 applicants—includes participants from 26 countries, with each recipient receiving funding at one of 37 graduate degree programs at Stanford University.

Worth approximately $350,000, the award will cover tuition, travel, books and living costs and will fund Reppucci’s master’s in Business Administration and master’s in Public Policy degrees at Stanford. In addition to the monetary funding, Reppucci will also be able to participate in leadership development programs, international trips and a multi-disciplinary cohort of fellow scholars across Stanford’s seven graduate schools.

The Knight-Hennessy Scholar Program was founded in 2016 to support and fund graduate students at Stanford University. Every year, high-achieving students from around the world receive full funding to pursue any graduate degree at Stanford, as well as joint- and dual-degrees. Knight-Hennessy Scholars is the largest fully endowed scholars program in the world.

“I am overwhelmingly grateful to be joining the diverse, global community of Knight-Hennessy Scholars,” said Reppucci. “This funding and leadership curriculum will hopefully enable me to be an effective leader in public sector innovation someday. I am very proud to represent Holy Cross at Stanford this fall, and I cannot thank the advisors, professors, coaches and fellow alumni of Holy Cross enough for their mentorship and friendship throughout the past 10 years.”

In addition to being a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship (twice) and the John Wooden Award for public service among college athletes, Reppucci’s honors include the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Fellowships for Peace for language study at Middlebury, the Kathryn Davis 100 Projects for Peach (in Russia), the Truman Scholarship for public service, the NCAA’s Hockey Humanitarian Award, and the Fulbright Scholarship to Argentina.

Perhaps his greatest legacy is Working for Worcester, an annual event that brings volunteers together for a build day to complete projects that create or revitalize play and educational spaces for kids in Worcester.

“The Knight-Hennessy award caps off Jeff’s illustrious fellowships career at Holy Cross, where he is the most decorated undergraduate in the college’s history,” said Anthony B. Cashman, director of the Office of Distinguished Fellowships and Graduate Studies at the college. “The master’s in Business Administration and master’s in Public Policy degrees will help Jeff start his own social entrepreneurship ventures, while learning how to navigate the complex interface among representatives from the business world, nonprofits and NGOs and government agencies.”

Women’s Division I College Hockey: 2021-22 Hockey East season preview

By Nicole Haase

-

September 24, 2021

It sure feels like this is Northeastern’s conference to lose and everyone else is just going to try and keep up. The Huskies had control from start to finish last season and they return all but one player from that squad. They have more experience, more confidence and more drive to win that final game of the year. For me, there’s an opportunity for pretty much any of the rest of the teams to finish second through tenth. Providence is the favorite to place second and make another NCAA tournament, but there’s a lot of very good new players that could pull a team higher up in the standings.

Boston College

Last Season
14-6-0 (second). Lost to Ohio State in the NCAA quarterfinals.

Names to know

Transfer Michaela Boyle will join the team second semester and should have every opportunity to become an impact player on offense for Boston College. Two top scorers transferred out and the Eagles are in need of someone with Boyle’s experience, size and shot.

Sophomore Gaby Roy introduced herself by scoring four goals in her first collegiate game last year. She has size and skill with and without the puck. This is a team in want of a star forward and I think they’re hoping it will be Roy.

What to Watch For

Coach Katie Crowley said she thinks her team has all the pieces to compete for a championship and she’s happy with their compete level so far. BC is a team that has had some very good highs and very disappointing lows in recent years. They have struggled with closing out weekend series and putting away teams that, on paper at least, aren’t as good. I’d really like to see them not only close out those games, but respond emphatically when they do suffer those kinds of losses.

They have a talented incoming class to keep an eye on, including Keri Clougherty on defense and Abby Newhook on offense.

Crystal Ball

I’m picking BC third, but think they better keep an eye over their shoulder for UConn.

Boston University

Last Season

6-6 (sixth). Lost to Providence in the Hockey East tournament quarterfinals.

Names to know

Ellie Larson is a transfer from RIT where she captained the team from the blue line. She’s great with the puck from the point and does a great job of feeding passes to players in front of the net.

Senior goalie Kate Stuart takes over in net. She’s played a handful of games over the course of her career, posting an 11-2-1 record over the past two seasons. She’ll be taking a big step up to be the starter. She’s 6’0” and uses her size to not only limit access to the net, but to keep players out of her crease.

What to Watch For

BU’s roster features depth at a lot of positions and coach Brian Durocher said that’s led to competition for ice time and improvement for everyone. At the moment, there does not seem to be a clear top line that will step up and lead the Terriers on offense. Freshman Kylie Roberts is someone I’ll be watching to see if she can transition quickly and prove herself invaluable in front of the net.

They close out their season with a pair of games against Providence, which could prove to be a very interesting series. They’re one of the teams playing at the Battle of the Burgh tournament at New Years.

Crystal Ball

I’ve got the Terriers fifth to start the season

Connecticut

Last Season

9-10-1 (seventh). Lost to Northeastern in the Hockey East semifinal.

Names to know

Natalie Snodgrass is taking advantage of the bonus Covid year and will continue to lead the offense for the Huskies. She led the team in points for most of her time in Stamford. Lucky for her, they’ve added transfer Summer Rae Dobson, a talented forward that can help balance the load up front.

Samantha Carpentier-Yelle split time in net last season, but her partner, Tia Chan, is centralizing with China for the Olympics. I’d guess we’ll see Carpentier-Yelle in the net to start the season, with freshman Megan Warrener and senior Mackenzie Nicholas fighting to see if they can split time in net with her.

Viki Harkness is very good at finding the open player and dishing passes up front. She can score when needed, but her vision of feeding her teammates is a great asset.

What to Watch For

It feels like the league is pretty wide open below Northeastern this season and I think UConn is a school that could really take advantage of that. They’re carrying five fifth year players who bring a ton of experience as well as a desire to make this last year something special. They’ve played spoiler for a few teams in recent seasons, but it seems like they have the pieces to do more than that this year. They need to be consistent, but I think there’s a lot of opportunity for the Huskies to really move up in the league and national regard this season.

Crystal Ball

The Huskies are fourth, but with a high ceiling.

Holy Cross

Last Season

4-15-1 (ninth). Lost to New Hampshire in the opening round of the Hockey East tournament.

Names to know

Sophomore Millie Sirum is a big, strong forward who tied for the team lead in points last season. The Norwegian national was a finalist for Hockey East Rookie of the Year. She’s an important member of the power play unit and uses her size to get great position on the puck.

Senior Bailey Bennett is a team captain that is a stay-at-home defender that anchors the Crusaders’ blue line.

What to Watch For

This is Katie Lachapelle’s third year at the helm for Holy Cross. She’s starting to fill the roster with her own recruits and really getting to implement her style of play and culture on the the squad that is still a Hockey East newbie. They’ve pushed teams on the top of the standings in close games and should be gaining confidence that they can be a factor in league play.

They face off with Northeastern early, but have a relatively easy February to close out the season.

Crystal Ball

Holy Cross finishes ninth.

Maine

Last Season

8-9-1 (fifth). Lost to Providence in the opening round of the Hockey East Tournament.

Names to know

Goalie Loryn Porter had a stellar season in net, finishing with a 1.49 goals against average despite her team having a sub .500 record. She returns for her fifth year and that makes a big difference for this team.

Senior Celine Tedenby is a natural goal scorer. She had the OT game-winner when Maine upset Northeastern two seasons ago.

What to Watch For

Coach Richard Reichenbach praised his fifth year players for expecting excellence from themselves and their teammates every day. That kind of team culture will serve the Black Bears well in this tough conference.

Maine’s season ended when they lost to Providence in OT in the Hockey East semifinal. They do a great job of pushing teams late in the season and the postseason to their limit. They have an intriguing roster that I feel has a bunch of potential, but it’s hard to rank them higher until we see them in action.

Crystal Ball

I’ve got the Black Bears eighth for now.

Merrimack

Last Season

1-15 (tenth). Did not qualify for the Hockey East tournament.

Names to know

The Warriors bring in three very good transfers in Teghan Inglis, Madison Oelkers and Emily Oosterveld, all of whom have multiple years of eligibility left. They bring some much needed offensive strength and defensive depth for the squad.

Fifth year forward Domenika Laskova is an offensive force. She scored four goals for Czech in the most recent World Championship and was second on the Warriors in points two seasons ago. On older collegiate player, she brings poise, leadership and experience.

What to Watch For

We should see a more aggressive, difficult to play Warriors team this season. They’ve added depth and maturity which should help beget confidence. They face off with Minnesota State – Oelkers’ old school – the first weekend and it should be interesting to see how those two teams match up. I think they’re better than what we’ve seen from them and I’m hoping we continue to see growth and improvement.

Crystal Ball

I think they’ll finish tenth.

New Hampshire

Last Season

7-14-1 (eighth). Lost to Northeastern in the Hockey East tournament quarterfinals.

Names to know

I’m very high on juniors Jada Christian and Tamara Thiérus and sophomore Nicole Kelly. They bring a new level of offense to the Wildcats. They’re dynamic and so much fun to watch. The offense overall at UNH is pretty balanced and there are a number of good players and goal-scorers, but these three stood out to me last season.

Senior goalie Ava Boutilier is a strong, solid presence in net. She always finds a new level as the season progresses and seems to play her best in January and February and against big opponents. There are times the team asks a lot of her and she really delivers.

What to Watch For

The Wildcats jump right into Hockey East play with games against BU, BC and Providence in the first month. It’s a tough test early on and they need to come away from that stretch with at least a few wins. They host Harvard in November for an interesting non-conference matchup.

UNH is a team that has shown they can play with the best teams in this league, but they’ve been able to do it consistently. Two seasons ago they amassed an impressive 18-15-4 record and were 12-12-3 in Hockey East play. I think they have the pieces to be at least that good this year, but I’d love to see them take another step, winning a few more of those ties and close games.

Crystal Ball

I believe they can surprise some teams. I have them finishing seventh.

Northeastern

Last Season

22-2-1 (first). Lost to Wisconsin in the national championship.

Names to know

Alina Mueller was injured at the World Championships, but is expected to be on the ice for the Huskies early on if not right away. Switzerland is only planning one camp in advance of the Olympics, so Mueller will get the bulk of her prep for the tournament as part of NU.

Aerin Frankel was a late add to Team USA’s World Championship roster due to injury, but she didn’t see any ice time. However, all that time practicing with and against the best players in the world can only have helped last year’s Patty Kazmaier Award winner improve.

What to Watch For

Many expected the Huskies to be missing a few players to Olympic centralization, but instead they all but one player from last season’s national runner up squad. They have eight fifth year players and look like they can and should be as dominant this season as they were last year.

They’re going to be gunning for the national championship after coming so close last year. Having played through the full grind of the season, they’re going to be more prepared than ever to make a run. For their sakes, I wish they had a tougher schedule to close out the regular season, but they do have both Cornell and Princeton in for non-confernece games and they’ll be the first US team to compete at the World University Games in December.

Crystal Ball

This is Northeastern’s conference to lose.

Providence

Last Season

12-8-1 (third). Lost to Wisconsin in the NCAA quarterfinals.

Names to know

Senior Caroline Peterson led the team with eight goals and was second with 15 points. She’s a great scorer on the power play and really stepped up last season. They’ll need her to be a big presence again if they’re going to repeat last year’s postseason run.
Goalie Sandra Arbstreiter had a 2.05 goals against average last season and returns to Providence after playing with Germany at the World Championships. She was huge in their NCAA quarterfinal loss to Wisconsin, making 41 saves.

What to Watch For

Providence was a bit of a surprise team in the NCAA tournament last season. Arbsreiter played particularly well down the stretch, especially in the Hockey East tournament and they got goals from a number of different players. Peterson was great, particularly in the tournament win over Boston University.

I don’t see any reason why this team can’t repeat their NCAA run from last season. What makes them so good is there aren’t one or two standout players, but a high level across the board and different women step up in different opportunities.

I’m excited to see them matchup with Quinnipiac and Princeton in non-conference games.

Crystal Ball

Providence finishes second.

Vermont

Last Season

6-5 (fourth). Lost to Maine in the opening round of the Hockey East tournament.

Names to know

First year goaltender Jessie McPherson became the first women’s hockey player in program history to be named Hockey East Rookie of the Year. She had a 1.57 goals against average last season. She gives them confidence and the ability to push forward a bit and be more offensive.

McPherson gets a lot of help from Maude Poulin-Labelle on defense. She set the program record for single season points from a defender two seasons ago. She’s a strong defender with a great stick who is active in the offensive zone.

What to Watch For

It feels like the middle of this conference is wide open and any number of teams could finish third to eighth. Vermont has a lot of potential and are coming off a very successful shortened season. They need to win close games – they had eight ties two seasons ago. The Catamounts are generally a solid, difficult team to face that will be strong on defense, but they need to be a bit more offensive-minded to move up in the standings.

Crystal Ball

I have Vermont finishing sixth.

Women’s Division I College Hockey: 2021-22 WCHA season preview

By Nicole Haase

-

September 24, 2021

With four of the top five teams in the country, the members of this conference are set to beat each other up for the next few months. Every one of these teams can and will beat each other on any given day and their records will reflect that. There are convincing arguments to be made for why each of those teams can and should win it all this year and if nothing else, they’ll be tough game ready and battle tested. The conference welcomes St. Thomas as their eighth team. Wisconsin was the preseason number one pick, followed by Ohio State with Minnesota and UMD just behind.

Bemidji State

Last season
2-16-2 (seventh). Did not qualify for the WCHA tournament.

Names to know

Fifth year goalie Kerigan Dowhy has been a backbone for this squad for most of her career. She’s used to facing a bevy of shots and handles herself well in the crease amid the chaos.

Freshman Claire Vekich is a stellar multi-sport athlete that should be an immediate help to the offense. She has size, speed and great hands.

What to Watch For

The Beavers’ most dynamic skater, Clair de George, transferred to Ohio State in the offseason, leaving this already beleaguered offense with even more slack to pick up. BSU has a proven ability to shut down, stymie and generally frustrate the best offenses in the league (and country), but they have to improve on the other end. It’s hard to steal wins when you’re not scoring goals and Bemidji is averaging less than two goals a game. They’ll need players like Reece Hunt, Paige Beebe and Lydia Passolt to take on a more aggressive offensive role.

They open with St. Thomas, but then face Ohio State, Clarkson, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Minnesota Duluth in succession leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s a brutal stretch where they have to try and steal some points and not get discouraged.

Crystal ball

I have Bemidji sixth

Minnesota

Last Season
11-8-1 (fourth). Lost to Wisconsin in the WCHA semifinal.

Names to know

Senior Savannah Norcross led Boston College in points last season. She’s a smooth-skating forward with good vision and a deliberate shot.

Assistant coach Natalie Darwitz is a US hockey legend who engineered an amazing turnaround at Division III Hamline before joining the Gopher staff this year.

What to Watch For

The Gophers finished fourth in the conference for the first time ever. They had taken first or second in the WCHA in 19 of 21 seasons prior to this one. The three conference teams that finished ahead of them played in the Frozen Four. I think they might be a little highly ranked in the national polls, but I also think they can easily prove me wrong.

The shakeup in the Gophers’ coaching staff should be a very good thing for them. Things might have gotten a little too stagnant and comfortable. Darwitz brings a very different dynamic than Joel Johnson and Brad Frost already said there’s a different vibe around the rink. I think Minnesota needed that. They haven’t been the team we know they’re capable of being.

I’m looking forward to their non-conference matchup with Colgate in a few weeks.

Crystal Ball

I have Minnesota fourth right now. I’d like to see some more fight from them before I buy in.

Minnesota-Duluth

Last Season
12-7 (second). Lost to Northeastern in OT in the NCAA semifinal.

Names to know

Élizabeth Giguère is spending her final year of eligibility in Duluth. Adding the Patty Kazmaier winner brings a whole new level of offensive prowess to the Bulldogs. There simply aren’t many individual players in the college game that can match her skill, her playmaking ability and her scoring prowess. She’s a huge addition to this team. If she and Gabbie Hughes are paired together, it could be magic.

Senior Emma Soderberg had big skates to fill following the graduation of Maddie Rooney and she’s done so with aplomb. She was a huge part of giving UMD an opportunity to win their national semifinal games over Northeastern, tallying 44 saves. She is calm and collected in the crease and gives the offense the confidence to be more aggressive.

What to Watch For

Twelve players on their roster have played in a Frozen Four. It’s impossible to replicate that experience or the drive it gives players to get back there and do better. UMD has been a team that’s been staunch on defense and picks their moments on offense. I think we’ll see them hold the puck more and be more aggressive up front. They’ve always chosen their spots and been very deliberate, but I’m excited to see what Hughes, Anna Klein and Naomi Rogge can do with a bit of time in the offensive zone.

They’re playing a tournament in Washington DC over Thanksgiving against St. Lawrence and Penn State and head to Harvard, where coach Maura Crowell was an assistant, for a series at New Year’s. Both should give them a good barometer of how they match up nationally, plus should be very entertaining.

Crystal Ball

I seem to be the minority, but I have them third and am considering moving them to second. This is a dangerous team.

Minnesota State

Last Season
7-12-1 (fifth). Did not qualify for the WCHA tournament.

Names to know

Sophomore Jamie Nelson was last season’s Rookie of the Year, a first for a Maverick player. She tied for the team lead in goals and assists.

Junior Calla Frank had a great season last year. She needs some more help from the defense so she’s not an island back there, but she’s great in the face of so many shots and kept a respectable 2.62 goals against average.

What to Watch For

The Mavericks have been slowly building a new culture and program and it’s showing on the scoreboard. The next step is to pull out more wins in close games – they’ve played to a lot of ties over the past seasons. Mankato seems to have built up the confidence to know that they can compete with the other teams in the conference. They’re often very dangerous for two periods and seem to lose steam in the final frame as the tire from keeping up with the top squads. They’ve had a lot of time to be together and focus on fitness. I expect them to surprise a few teams this year.

Crystal Ball

I have Mankato finishing fifth.

Ohio State

Last Season
13-7 (third). Lost to Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament semifinals.

Names to know

Transfer Clair DeGeorge was a dynamic player at Bemidji State that should really flourish with talented linemates at Ohio State. She’s quick and feisty and has great vision for the net.

Transfer defenders Emily Curlett, Lauren Bernard and Hadley Hartmetz are all proven blue liners that combine to make for a pretty scary back line for the Buckeyes. They are great defending the puck and aren’t afraid to step into the play on offense. Their addition gives huge depth to OSU on defense.

What to Watch For

I’ve joked a few times this off season that the Buckeyes could field two whole teams this season and that’s only the slightest exaggeration. By far the most active team this off-season, there are a slew of new members of this team and their only question might be how long it might take them to gel. It’s an impressive list. The team is missing their two big offensive threats from the last few seasons – Tatum Skaggs graduated and Emma Maltais is centralized with Canada. Skaggs often came up big in big situations, winning games in OT and being in the right spot at the right time. The Buckeyes will need to figure out what player is going to step into that role. But their lines have speed and depth and they’re going to give teams fits.

The Buckeyes will be without goalie Andrea Braendli for a little while as she plays with Switzerland in the Olympics. A lot of women’s hockey fans just discovered Braendli’s ability to shut down teams at the World Championships. Switzerland players won’t miss much of the season as the federation is counting on the college season to provide the training they need to be Olympic-ready. But they brought in Robert Morris goalie Raygan Kirk, who should be a good alternative while Braendli is gone.

Crystal Ball

I have them second, but I think it’s a toss up between Wisconsin, Ohio State and UMD as to who wins the league.

St. Cloud State

Last Season
6-12-1 (sixth). Did not qualify for the WCHA tournament.

Names to know

Transfer Chace Sperling is back on the ice just about a year after a horrific leg injury that was close to requiring amputation and left her wondering if she’d ever walk again. Instead, she brings a lot of determination and

Junior Klara Hymlarova led all WCHA rookies in scoring two years ago. She played with the Czech team at Worlds and brings a wealth of experience and a great shot to the Huskies’ offense.

What to Watch For

St. Cloud is another team looking to take that next step in the conference. They’ve been building up confidence and learning that they can play with the teams in the top half of the bracket. It’s difficult to replicate that kind of knowledge and confidence. They are hungry to improve and push back against Wisconsin, Ohio State, UMD and Minnesota.

They’re playing in the Battle of the Burgh tournament at New Year. They close out the regular season at Minnesota and at Minnesota Duluth.

Crystal Ball

I have St. Cloud finishing seventh.

St. Thomas

Last Season
This is the Tommies’ first year as a DI program.

Names to know

Head coach Joel Johnson is fresh off his stint coaching Team USA at the Women’s World Championships where they won silver. He may take time away this season to take the team to Beijing for the Winter Olympics. He spent the previous 16 years with the Minnesota women’s program as an assistant, winning six national championships.

Goalie Saskia Meurer shared time in the net with Ohio State’s Andrea Braendli for Team Switzerland at the most recent World Championships. Braendli got a bit more attention, but Meurer quietly held her own against the best teams in the world. She should be a great get for the Tommies.

What to Watch For

Coach Joel Johnson said he and his team expect to compete right away, but I’m not sure how feasible that lofty goal actually is. He fortified his roster with some transfers, but about half of the players were on the team at the Division III level and it’s going to take time for them to bring their game up to the pace and physicality of not just Division I, but the WCHA.

Johnson struggled with making adjustments as head coach at the World Championships and that makes me particularly interested to see how he is as St. Thomas’ bench boss. He certainly has the credentials, but head coach is an entirely different job. He’ll be balancing both roles in the Twin Cities this year and will be relying on his assistants to take the reins at St. Thomas.

Crystal Ball

The WCHA has long been a tough conference, but this is a particularly tough time to step into this league as Ohio State and UMD have joined Wisconsin and Minnesota as among the best teams in the country. I imagine it’ll be a rough few years of transition as they acclimate to Division I and the WCHA. Without having seen them play, it’s hard to know what to expect, but I think they’ll probably finish last.

Wisconsin

Last Season
17-3-1 (first). National Champions.

Names to know

Daryl Watts scored the game-winning goal in last season’s national championship – from behind the net. She’s a dynamic player who reads the ice incredibly well. She’s focused, deliberate, a good passer and a stellar shot. Having her back for a fifth year is a huge bonus for the Badgers.

Kendra Nealey transferred to Wisconsin from Cornell to close out her career. At 5’11”, she’s a big presence on a blueline that could use some shoring up. She’s a prolific shot-blocker and uses her presence well in front of the net. I’ll be watching to see how she gets involved in offensive play and works from the point.

Sophomore Makenna Webster was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament last season as a freshman after scoring two goals and adding an assist in the Frozen Four.

What to Watch For

The two-time defending national champions have an interesting roster for this season, with quite a few of last years’ seniors returning to take advantage of their extra year of eligibility. But they’ll also be missing Britta Curl, Lacey Eden and Natalie Buchbinder to centralization. How well they adjust to all these changes and find some chemistry will have an impact. On the plus side, there was a chance Watts and Sophie Shirley would also be gone, but instead they’ll be anchoring the offense.

The Badgers close out the regular season in Columbus against Ohio State. I imagine those games will decide the final standings in the league.

Crystal Ball

As defending champions, I have the Badgers finishing first, but I imagine it’ll be a tight race among the top three to four teams.

Longtime NCHC supervisor Schmitt named winner of 2020-21 Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award

By USCHO Staff

-

September 24, 2021

Mike Schmitt accepts his award and shares the day with his family last weekend in St. Paul, Minn. (photo: NCHC)

For his work and service in helping the NCHC through a difficult 2020-21 season, Mike Schmitt has been named the eighth annual recipient of the NCHC’s Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award.

Schmitt recently completed his eighth season as an NCHC supervisor of officials. He was presented the Mark Rudolph Award in person last Saturday in St. Paul, Minn., at a ceremony attended by NCHC referees, regionally based linesmen from Minnesota, North Dakota and Nebraska, and NCHC staff. The presentation was part of NCHC officiating camp and was also attended by members of Schmitt’s family.

“I’ve known ‘Schmitty’ longer than both of us might like to admit,” NCHC director of officiating Don Adam said in a news release. “We grew up in the WCHA together as referees and instructed together in USA Hockey’s national officiating program. Mike was a great college and international referee and instructor, and he’s been equally good as an NCHC supervisor. Mike is passionate about college hockey and the NCHC specifically. He does whatever is asked of him while maintaining his own high-level standard of professionalism and dedication. We’re very fortunate to have Mike in the NCHC.”

During the 2020-21 season, Schmitt’s service to the NCHC was invaluable as he served on two different committees, both of which were directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to last season’s start, he was a member of the NCHC’s pod steering committee, helping plan the ‘pod,’ as well as the conference’s health and safety competition committee. In addition, Schmitt was present in Omaha, Neb., for the NCHC’s ‘pod’ at Baxter Arena, where he supervised multiple games. Schmitt has also been a consistent contributor to the NCHC’s Movember movement, an effort that has raised over $70,000 to date for men’s health.

“We are very fortunate to have Mike Schmitt as one of our officiating supervisors,” noted NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton. “He’s been with us since we began play and has helped establish our officiating program and the high level of officiating we expect from our staff. Mike’s knowledge of the game and experience as a referee across several levels and leagues is very valuable to our officials. And the dedication he showed to the conference last season during a very challenging, pandemic-filled year was outstanding. From serving on committees to attending the pod and making sure all games were properly staffed, Mike played a big role for us last season.”

The NCHC’s Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award is named in honor of Mark Rudolph, a longtime official and distinguished administrator who resides in Colorado Springs and established USA Hockey’s national officiating program, among many other accomplishments. The award was officially established prior to the 2014-15 season.

Criteria for the award recipient shall be an individual who, through dedicated effort and service, both on and off the ice, has achieved a distinguished accomplishment during the previous NCHC season, and who by his actions has significantly enhanced the NCHC and its officiating program.

Women’s Division I College Hockey: 2021-22 ECAC season preview

By Nicole Haase

-

September 24, 2021

Only four ECAC teams competed in the abbreviated season last year, so there is a lot of unknown in the conference to start this season. Many of the squads have two years – half the roster – of new players to acclimate. There are some very intriguing rookies that seem to be a bit under the radar, but if they get going quickly, could easily shake up the standings. For me, the top six teams are far closer than the pre-season poll would suggest. There are also a couple of teams ranked about 6-9 that not only could cause problems in individual games, but could be poised to unseat one of the perennial top teams.

Brown

Last Season

Ivy League schools did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 3-23-3, 2-18-2 (eleventh). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.

Names to know

Senior Shay Maloney was the team’s most valuable player her freshman and sophomore years. She led the team in points the last time they hit the ice.

Senior Hayley Kliczko is the only goalie on the roster with collegiate experience.

What to Watch For

New coach Mel Ruzzi is embracing the history of women’s hockey at Brown and looking at the past to inform and inspire the future. The team is getting renovated digs at the rink and Ruzzi said it’s fortuitous timing – there’s a full changing of the guard happening, symbolically and literally. Ruzzi has a lot of experience and it will be fun to see how that all informs her stint as head coach.

Crystal Ball

I’m picking Brown 10th

Clarkson

Last Season

8-10-0, 5-3 (third). Lost to St. Lawrence in the ECAC Tournament.
19-20 results: 25-6, 14-4 (third). Lost to Princeton in the ECAC semifinal. Was scheduled to play Wisconsin in the NCAA quarterfinal.

Names to know

Fifth year returner Caitrin Lonergan has been waiting a long time for a full season. She transferred to Clarkson two years ago and was almost immediately injured. She looked great in last season’s abbreviated season. With the transfer of Elizabeth Giguere, Lonergan should be the offensive leader of this squad. Watch her speed, her puck handling and how she reads the ice.

Sophomore Anne Cherkowski is a transfer from Minnesota that has two years of experience with Canada’s U-18 World Championship team. She’s a strong forward with a good shot that should be a good addition to the Golden Knights’ offense.

What to Watch For

Clarkson was the Elizabeth Giguère show for the past four years for good reason, but now the team will need to find a new identity. There are plenty of talented skaters on this squad and it will be interesting to see who steps up and fills some of that role. It’s expected that Lonergan will, but Gabrielle David has a chance to come out of the shadows a bit.

The Golden Knights have been flashy on offense in recent years, but this team used to be more well-known for their defense. Avery Mitchel transferred out, but Olivia Hanson is transferring in. The blue line is young and new. Clarkson generally leads their opponents in puck possession, which should give the defense more chance to ease in and learn each other.

Crystal Ball

I have Clarkson second to start the season.

Colgate

Last Season

15-7-1, 8-4 (first). Lost to Minnesota Duluth in overtime in the NCAA quarterfinals.
19-20 results: 17-15-7, 11-8-3 (sixth). Lost to Clarkson in the opening round of the ECAC Tournament.

Names to know

Junior Danielle Serdachny was Colgate’s first first-team All-American last season and was also named ECAC player of the year. She led the team in points and is poised to have an even better season this year.

Sophomore Kayle Osborne was league Rookie of the Year and had a great first season in net for the Raiders. She held her own against the league’s best teams on rotation and should continue to grow.

Sophomore Kalty Kaltounkova was one of the best players on the team as a rookie and coach Greg Fargo said there isn’t much to change with her. She played for the Czech team in the recent World Championships and Fargo said she’s shown a bigger commitment to strength and conditioning, so she’s even leaner, faster and stronger than last season, which should scare her opponents.

What to Watch For

The Raiders graduated a single goal from their roster. They won the league and tournament titles last season and return nearly all the players from that roster. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to expect them not to continue to lead the way in the ECAC. That being said, there’s nothing more difficult than holding the top spot from start to finish and there are a lot of threats in the league this year.

Their schedule definitely eases them into the season, but they also play Minnesota in late October just before their ECAC schedule starts. They should sweep through those early series, but seeing how they match up against the Gophers will help give us a sense of the national picture.

Crystal Ball

Starting them off first, but it’s not going to be easy!

Cornell

Last Season

Ivy League schools did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 28-2-3, 19-0-3 (first). Lost to Princeton in overtime in the ECAC Championship game. Was scheduled to play Mercyhurst in the NCAA quarterfinal.

Names to know

Sophomore Ashley Messier is a strong skater with great hockey IQ. She reads the play well, has a great first pass and is someone I’m excited to finally get to see play.

Cornell is lucky to bring back Lindsay Browning for a fifth year. A 2020 Patty Kaz top-10 finalist, she’s the first Cornell goalie to be named an All-American and she broke all the goalie single season records in 2019-20.

What to Watch For

The last time Cornell left the ice, they were the number one team in the country. They’ve had some roster turnover since then and the women’s hockey landscape has changed as a whole, so it’s a little unclear where the Big Red will fit into it. They return a lot of pieces, but will need their younger players to step into big roles early on both ends of the ice. However, missing out on that opportunity has left the program disappointed, but motivated.

They do have a fairly easy early schedule, not facing a top-half ECAC team until late in November. All the teams that didn’t play last year have the task of getting half their roster up to speed after so long off the ice, but having those extra weeks before facing a tougher challenge is definitely an advantage. Of course, they can’t overlook any of those early teams, but there’s a lot bigger margin of error.

Coach Doug Derraugh is well-respected and long-tenured, but he spoke of learning and evolving in his time coaching with Hockey Canada this past year. It’s nice to hear someone in his position talk of learning even more.

Crystal Ball

I have them fourth for now, but I think they have a lot to prove after graduating so many big pieces in the past few seasons.

Dartmouth

Last Season

Ivy League schools did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 7-19-3, 4-15-3 (tenth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.

Names to know

Assistant coach Nina Rodgers is believed to be the first female Black coach in women’s college hockey history.

Juniors Catherine Trevors and CC Bowlby led the team in points two years ago as freshmen. The Big Green

What to Watch For

Dartmouth is another program with a whole new coaching staff that’s looking for a complete turnaround and culture change. Liz Keady Norton said it was a deliberate choice to have an all-female coaching staff. She admitted it will likely be a long road, but that there’s excitement around the rink and the program and she wants to see what that excitement can develop into. The goal right now is to give teams a tough fight. She wants the team to overachieve and be relentless.

Overall, they need to be more aggressive and prolific on offense. They have to get better on the power play and capitalize on those advantages when they have them. They also took a lot of penalties in the past and they really don’t need to be giving their opponents all that extra time with the puck. I imagine better discipline is high on Norton’s list as the team prepares for the season.

Crystal Ball

I have Dartmouth finishing ninth.

Harvard

Last Season

Ivy League schools did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 18-14-1, 15-6-1 (fourth). Lost to Cornell in the ECAC semifinals.

Names to know

I’m a big fan of junior goalie Lindsay Reed. She’s tall but moves well and gives the Crimson a solid base to build out from.

Seniors Becca Gilmore and Dominique Petrie are the anchors of the offense. Petrie was a preseason all-ECAC pick. They both move with and without the puck well.

What to Watch For

Coach Katey Stone is likely to join Mark Johnson and Mike Sisti in the 500-win club this season.

The Crimson have looked very good on paper over the past few seasons, but haven’t seemed to quite live up to their potential. I’m very high on their newcomers and what it seems like this team should be able to do, but I felt that way three seasons ago and that didn’t play out, so I’m pretty skeptical. They were good but not great two seasons ago and showed improvement from the previous season, but didn’t advance past the semifinals of the conference tournament.

We should know pretty early on how Harvard matches up as their first four conference games are against Cornell, Colgate, St. Lawrence and Clarkson.

Crystal Ball

I’ve got Harvard sixth right now, but think there’s a lot of potential for them to do better. I’m higher on a few of the other teams at this point.

Princeton

Last Season

Ivy League schools did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 26-6-1, 17-4-1 (second). Won their first ever ECAC Tournament Championship. Was scheduled to play Northeastern in the NCAA quarterfinal.

Names to know

Senior Sharon Frankel is small, but feisty and aggressive and uses her stature to her advantage, especially when it comes to finding space in front of the net. ‘

Freshman Dominique Cormier uses her size well as a defender, but is still smooth on her skates and active in the offensive zone. Don’t be surprised to see her invited to Hockey Canada senior camps in the future.

What to Watch For

Having the Tigers tied for fourth in the preseason poll seems overly cautious and low. Princeton is returning many of the pieces that helped them win their first ECAC tournament two seasons ago. Yes, Sarah Fillier is centralized with Canada, but Maggie Connors is still on this squad and there are a lot of intriguing newcomers. Annie Kuehl was overshadowed by some more prolific players, but is a solid contributor and adds depth to the offense.

Their non-conference matchup against Northeastern over Thanksgiving weekend is probably the non-league series I’m most excited about. It should give both teams a good barometer of how they’re progressing and give all of us some good context for how to compare teams in the polls.

Crystal Ball

I’m higher on Princeton’s potential than the league poll voters seem to be. I’m putting them third. They feel more dynamic to me.

Quinnipiac

Last Season

10-6, 4-5 (fourth). Lost to Colgate in the opening round of the ECAC tournament.
19-20 results: 20-14-3, 11-9-2 (seventh).Lost to Princeton in the opening round of the ECAC playoffs.

Names to know

You should probably get used to seeing the names of freshmen Ann-Frédérik Naud and Maya Labad. The two grew up together and have played paired together for years. Their easy familiarity gives them an advantage in transitioning to the college game. Adding these two is a huge boon for the Bobcat offense.

Senior defender Zoe Boyd missed last season due to injury, but she’s come back strong and is game-ready before the coaching staff thought she’d be. She’s an assistant captain and it’s a big deal for the Quinnipiac defense and leadership to have her back.

What to Watch For

This team feels significantly undervalued in the preseason poll. Of course it’s all a guess right now and none of us have any idea, but their incoming class has a huge ceiling. They’ll have to prove themselves, but they see it as an opportunity.

Long a team that prided itself on being solid defensively, look for the Bobcats to be more offensive-minded this season. That’s partly because of the players joining the team and partly because winning the ECAC is difficult as a passive, defense-first team. Quinnipiac is shored up and strong at the blue line, so coach Cass Turner said the focus has been on the offense – keeping the puck and winning it back quickly if they lose it. There’s an attacking mentality that hasn’t been at the forefront for them before.

The fight for the net will be interesting. They were already fairly solid in net and they brought in Corinne Schroeder from BU as a grad transfer.

Crystal Ball

It’s all a guess, but I think they’re better than everyone is preparing for. I’m putting them fifth.

RPI

Last Season

RPI did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 0-33-1, 0-22 (twelfth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.

Names to know

Junior transfer Marah Wagner joins the team from Robert Morris. Coach Bryan Vine called her a gritty two-way player, but emphasized how quickly she’s taken on a leadership role with the team. He has high hopes for her.

Junior Amanda Rampado is the only returning goalie on the team this year. She had a respectable .912 save percentage. She also averaged about a shot saved every 90 seconds of playing time.

What to Watch For

Well there’s nowhere to go but up for RPI after they suffered a winless season in 2019-20. Vine said his team has something to prove and that the returning players are determined to not feel like the did during that last season. They’re a young squad who was not allowed to be on the ice together last year, so they’ve got a lot of catching up to do. It won’t be an easy road for them, but the team is trying to get better every day and take small steps that add up.

Crystal Ball

I have RPI finishing 12th.

St. Lawrence

Last Season

6-7, 5-5 (second). Lost to Princeton in the opening round of the ECAC tournament.
19-20 results: 13-16-7, 8-10-4 (eighth). Lost to Cornell in the first round of the ECAC tournament.

Names to know

Junior goalie Lucy Morgan won the starting role as a rookie and really settled in last season as she was tested over and over by three of the best teams in the country. She faced it down and has come out stronger for it.

Transfer Nara Elia was a captain at Boston University. She brings a lot of experience and leadership as well as some creativity to St. Lawrence.

What to Watch For

The Saints aren’t going to overwhelm anyone, but they’re sort of the embodiment of slow and steady wins the race. They stick to their plan and they execute it well. They take advantage of their chances and do a great job stifling opposing offenses.

They have three players that are centralizing for Canada and China for the Olympics, so they’ve had to do some position shuffling to cover those roles. It could take some time for everyone to settle in and get comfortable.

They’re a team that’s going to upset some of the squads above them in the standings and make it a really tough trip to the farthest reaches of New York when teams have to play them and Clarkson on back to back nights.

Crystal Ball

I have them seventh, but that has more to do with the teams I’m high on than thinking they are a bottom-half team.

Union

Last Season

Union did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 5-24-5, 5-14-3 (ninth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.

Names to know

Senior Grace Heiting is a two-sport athlete at Union, also competing for the lacrosse team. You can see how that influences her physicality and how she takes up space on the ice. She led the team in points two years ago.

Junior defender Emily King isn’t afraid to challenge for the puck or get in front of shots. She needs to take fewer penalties, but she’s a fearless blueliner that the new players can look to.

What to Watch For

Union went from a winless season in 15-16 to their highest-ever ECAC finish in 19-20. It’s been a slow and steady development for the program. Coach Josh Sciba knows they have talent and depth, but said the program and players need to develop a winning mindset. An important step is learning how to manufacture wins. The team lost four games by one goal and an additional five games by two goals last season. They also had five ties. They had plenty of larger losses, but the next step of improvement for Union is to be able to pull wins out of close games. Getting wins out of even half of those games would have put them close to .500.

The roster is now made up fully of recruits Sciba brought in. They are looking at three rookie goalies, but they have had a full year of practice and one-on-one time to develop them and their skills. They won’t start the season playing like rookies.

Crystal Ball

Union finishes eleventh

Yale

Last Season

Ivy League schools did not participate in the 20-21 season due to the pandemic.
19-20 results: 17-15, 13-9 (fifth). Lost to Harvard in the ECAC tournament.

Names to know

Junior forward Charlotte Welch is a high-impact player that can be successful everywhere on the ice. She was second on the team in scoring while taking half the shots of the other top scorers. Her vision and shot selection has only improved and she’s a leader for the Bulldogs.

Freshmen Anna Bargman and Kate Shaughnessy look to have an immediate impact on the offense. Bargman might be the goal-scorer, but Shaughnessy has great vision on the ice and will be the one dishing her the puck.

What to Watch For

Some other ECAC programs are starting a rebuild, but Yale is already a few steps into theirs. After winning just eight games in 2018-18, they finished with a 17-15 record their last season on the ice, including six more conference victories. The players want more, but it won’t be easy. There’s a definite divide in the ECAC and climbing into the next echelon means displacing a very good team.

The Bulldogs are ready to take the next step into the top half of conference teams. Coach Mark Bolding described the season as a big long rope and said his players each have a handle. One of the bonuses of the bigger roster is the team has been able to recreate more game scenarios and have scrimmages. They’re working on finer details.

In terms of timing the schedule, it doesn’t get much harder than Yale has it. They run the gauntlet of top teams to start and end their season. Every point they can earn will matter.

Crystal Ball

Like St. Lawrence, where I have Yale has more of a reflection on the teams above them than on them. I have them eighth mostly because I can’t see moving any of the teams above them down.

Zannella promoted to men’s hockey associate coach at Elmira, also named admissions liaison

By USCHO Staff

-

September 24, 2021

Elmira has announced that Mike Zannella has been promoted to the position of associate head men’s hockey coach, in addition to being named the department’s admissions liaison.

Zanella, who has served as an assistant coach since 2017, has helped guide the Soaring Eagles to a 56-31-9 record during his four seasons, including a UCHC championship during the abbreviated 2020-21 season.

In addition to his hockey responsibilities, Zannella has served as the men’s golf coach since his arrival in Elmira.

In his position as admissions liaison, Zannella will now be responsible for communicating and relaying athletics updates to the admissions department on Campus.

Zannella is a 2014 graduate of Buffalo State and a four-year member of the men’s hockey program.

Elmira women’s hockey assistant Montgomery adds compliance assistant to job duties with Soaring Eagles

By USCHO Staff

-

September 24, 2021

Elmira announced earlier this month that current women’s hockey assistant coach Mandy Montgomery will now add compliance assistant to her assigned duties within the athletics department.

Montgomery, who enters her fourth year with the department, will now be responsible for the monitoring systems which assist the college in complying with all institution, conference, and NCAA rules and regulations governing the intercollegiate athletics operations.

Montgomery graduated summa cum laude from Sacred Heart in 2014 with a degree in English after playing two years for the Pioneers.

Hockey East 2021-22 Preseason Coaches Poll

Hockey East 2021-22 Men’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll

2021-22 Big Ten Preseason Poll

2021-22 Preseason All-Big Ten Hockey Team

2021-22 NEWHA Preseason Coaches Poll

Boston College

Boston University

Connecticut

Holy Cross

Merrimack

New Hampshire

Northeastern

Providence

Vermont

Bemidji State

Minnesota

Minnesota-Duluth

Minnesota State

Ohio State

St. Cloud State

Wisconsin

Brown

Clarkson

Colgate

Cornell

Dartmouth

Harvard

Princeton

Quinnipiac

RPI

St. Lawrence

Union

Yale

Latest Stories from around USCHO