Meredith Roth, David Berard and Katie Lachapelle are enjoying their time coaching at Holy Cross (photo: Holy Cross Athletics).
David Berard did not mean to be Davey Downer.
He was just being realistic to one person he knew well about someone else he knew well.
The Holy Cross men’s head coach was starting his sixth offseason at the Hart Center. Katie Lachapelle was launching her third year there, and replacing the retired Peter Van Buskirk as the women’s head coach.
To fill Lachapelle’s old position as associate head coach, her one-person poll yielded a clear frontrunner: Meredith Roth.
“Can you even get her?” Berard remembers asking.
ROTH
This was coming from someone who had worked down the hall from Roth for nine nonconsecutive years at Providence College. Since their last overlap, Roth had taken her first collegiate head coaching job in the Midwest. She was approaching her fifth season with St. Norbert.
But Lachapelle, another former Friar, knew Roth well enough herself. In the former’s formative coaching years and the latter’s playing days, the two opposed each other eight times. They stood behind competing benches off and on for a decade and a half thereafter.
Over that time, Lachapelle said in a Monday conference call featuring all three coaches, she was sold on Roth by “Just watching how she always carried herself. Obviously the hockey part, but everything else about her.”
Roth’s addition would give HC three of the nine Division I hockey coaches with a Providence degree, but the colleges’ common threads run deep beyond the rink
Cooperation between New England Catholic schools means Holy Cross graduates are eligible for a PC-hosted two-year teaching program. Meanwhile, several other HC employees previously studied or worked at Providence. That includes first-year athletic director Marcus Blossom, who was hired six weeks after the dogged Lachapelle secured Roth on her staff.
Roth answered a sell similar to the one that brought the other PC-educated puck professors to Worcester’s “Hill.” From academics to athletics to aesthetics to the doorway downtown, Holy Cross exudes resemblance to Providence. For the women’s staffer who would be tasked with spearheading recruitment, it was easy to place herself in prospective players’ skates this past spring.
“Your student-athletes are going to be in a good place,” she said of the HC experience. “They’ll have a formative challenge in a smaller environment…you want them to be comfortable.”
All three know what constitutes comfort in a college experience, so much so that two repeatedly returned to their old haunts as professionals. For 24 out of 27 years between 1988 and 2015, at least one of Berard, Lachapelle, or Roth graced PC’s campus. Besides a dozen seasons as student-athletes, they combined for 19 as assistant/associate coaches.
Berard, a former goaltender, graduated in 1992, and was back by 1994 as part of Paul Pooley’s inaugural staff. After a surprise 1996 Men’s Hockey East championship, he went to Lake Superior State for two years, then logged another 13 at Schneider Arena. He later served as PC’s director of hockey operations in 2013-14 before the Crusaders summoned him.
David Berard enters his sixth season at Holy Cross in 2018-19 (photo: Holy Cross Athletics).
In Monday’s chat, the word evolution came from multiple mouths in multiple contexts. Among other topics, it applies to how Lachapelle and Roth alike saw Berard build his resume.
Lachapelle’s undergraduate days also coincided with the Providence Renaissance. Downcity developments such as the Providence Bruins, Rhode Island Convention Center, and WaterFire established their cultural moorings. She mildly laments graduating in May 1999, three months too soon to visit the Providence Place Mall.
Roth came a year later as one of the first crucial recruits in Bob Deraney’s 19-year tenure. Her tenacity on the blue line keyed PC to its last ECAC pennant in 2002, then the first two Women’s Hockey East titles.
Like Berard, Roth came back two years post-graduation for her first Division I coaching job, and first of multiple stints there. As coaches, Berard and Roth overlapped from 2006 to 2010, and again in 2013-14. The last of those seasons was Schneider’s first after a comprehensive round of renovations.
In between, Roth pursued her master’s at Cortland and volunteered with the program at Cornell. That move had her crossing paths with Lachapelle’s Boston University Terriers in back-to-back NCAA tournaments. In her second stint at Providence, the Friars fell to BU in two conference playoffs.
“Katie’s had tremendous success at BU and everywhere she’s been,” said Roth, referencing a 20-year career at five schools. “It’s way more fun to work together to build this type of program.”
Holy Cross women’s coach Katie Lachapelle gives instructions to her squad during the 2018-19 season (photo: Holy Cross Athletics).
The Crusader women have commenced their second season in Division I, joining PC in Hockey East. Around town, Lachapelle senses a budding regeneration of Worcester’s own, highlighting the city’s growing culinary scene. Worcester will also gain a high-end minor-league sports entity in 2021, ironically pilfering the Pawtucket Red Sox from Rhode Island.
Like PC, HC grants its residents the power to indulge in or ignore the locale’s louder establishments,
“You can get around anywhere on campus in 10 minutes,” said Berard, “and you just need to walk.” Depending on where you walk, distinctive features of the city’s skyline come into view.
With populations each hovering around 180,000, Providence and Worcester wage a perpetual footrace for New England’s second-largest city. But their compact Catholic campuses with undergraduate enrollments below 4,000 are conducive to community bonding and more meaningful exploration beyond one’s niche.
And then there is the precedent the three former Friars want their Crusaders to emulate in the arena. PC hockey is a strong second to basketball on the school’s sports hierarchy, and in the 1950s and ’60s, former Holy Cross hoopster Joe Mullaney coached the Friars to the national name recognition they have sustained since.
“I’m a Providence grad, but I bleed purple now,” said Berard, affirming his desire to reverse the school’s roles in another winter venue.
As he seeks HC’s first NCAA tournament bid since 2006, Berard cites Nate Leaman’s little-school-that-could storybook at Schneider as influence. Lachapelle and Roth have their roots and their live-in neighbor alike to ape.
“As the season goes on here, we’ll be picking each other’s brain a little bit more,” Lachapelle pledged.
This is the first season the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) will officially compete at the NCAA level. The conference is comprised of two Division I teams – Sacred Heart and LIU-Brooklyn – and four Division II teams – Franklin Pierce, Post, St. Anselm and St. Michael’s.
Per NCAA guidelines, the women’s hockey National Collegiate championship is a combined championship opportunity open to all Division I and Division II programs that sponsor the sport. Once NEWHA has had two years of competition with the same six teams, they can be eligible for the post-season and an auto-bid. NEWHA member institutions agreed to adhere to NCAA Division I recruiting rules and offering athletic scholarships this season.
St. Anselm won the conference tournament last season and were the preseason coaches pick. Both Sacred Heart and Franklin Pierce have the pieces they’ll need to compete with the Hawks, but it’s probably St. Anselm’s conference to lose.
Franklin Pierce
Last Season
20-10-1, -7-1 (third). Lost to St. Anselm in the NEWHA championship game.
Names to Know
Junior Haley Parker led the team in scoring last season. She was an all-NEWHA First Team selection as she led the conference in points (40) and assists (23). Both totals also set single-season program records.
Sophomore goalie Emme Ostrander had the majority of starts in the net. She was an all-Rookie Team selection after leading the conference with a .938 save percentage. Her 1.43 goals against average was second in the conference.
What to Watch For
Three of the four top scorers in the conference play at Franklin Pierce, but the team ended up third in total offense, averaging 3.42 goals per game.
They were 0-5 against St. Anselm and were out-scored 21-6 in those games. There’s so much to like about what Franklin Pierce does on the ice, but they have to find a way to take that next step and reach another level in their game.
Crystal Ball
I have Franklin Pierce finishing third.
Long Island University-Brooklyn
Last Season
This is the first year for this program.
Names to Know
Head Coach Rob Morgan most recently spent time in China as the head coach of the CWHL Vanke Rays. Prior to that he was an Associate Head Coach at Yale. Sam Faber and Nicole Renault join him as assistant coaches.
Morgan Schauer is the lone upperclassmen on the team. A transfer from Robert Morris, she brings much-needed experience and leadership to this team.
Grace Dima is a sophomore transfer from St. Lawrence.
Kenzie Harmison, Alva Johnsson, Linn Thomsen and Paula Bergström come in as 20-year-old rookies, bringing some maturity and experience that this young program will be able to benefit from.
What to Watch For
This brand new program is bound to have some growing pains with a roster that’s made almost entirely of freshmen, but they are also a unique college program in the heart of New York City. That will be a recruiting boon and puts the college game in a community that previously isn’t as familiar with it. They begin their program with games against Connecticut, Wisconsin and Yale. It’s likely to be a rough transition into NCAA play.
Crystal Ball
I expect LIU-Brooklyn to finish fourth, but we don’t really know what this team is capable of.
Post
Last Season
6-27-0, 1-15-0 (fifth). Lost to St. Michael’s in the first round of the NEWHA tournament.
Names to Know
Senior Kendall Fitzgerald led the team with 12 points last season.
Three goalies split time in the net for Post last season. Sophomore Kaitlyn Daly earned the most minutes, with senior Jenna Baumgartner just behind her. Freshman Kirstin Smith also earned nine starts.
What to Watch For
The Eagles have only had a program for a few years and the pains of growing a new program are still evident. Post has a lot of work today to be competitive with the rest of the conference, but being legitimized by the NCAA this season should help them raise their profile.
Crystal Ball
I think Post finishes sixth.
Sacred Heart
Last Season
20-8-4, 9-4-3 (second). Lost to Franklin Pierce in a NEWHA semifinal.
Names to Know
Senior Olivia Bryant was the NEWHA Defensive Player of the Year.
Sophomore Anna Klein was named Co-Rookie of the Year.
Senior Jayne Lewis led the Pioneers with 19 goals and 18 assists.
What to Watch For
The Pioneers graduated last year’s NEWHA goalie of the year. Junior Kayla Walewski and Sophomore Frankie Sanchez each saw minimal time in net last season, so this should be a wide open fight for starting time. There are four goalies on the roster, but this is a huge question mark for the Pioneers until the find someone that they can consistently trust back there.
Crystal Ball
I have Sacred Heart second. I think there’s the opportunity for them to push St. Anselm, but I won’t feel secure in saying that until we know how their goalie corps fares.
St. Anselm
Last Season
25-3-1, 15-0-1 (first). Beat Franklin Piece in the NEWHA championship game.
Names to Know
Junior Katy Meehan was the NEWHA Player of the Year last season. She led the league and her team in scoring.
Junior Amanda Conger was named Most Outstanding Player of the entire 2019 NEWHA Tournament after scoring three goals and tallying four assists in two games and scoring the game-winner in each contest to lead her team to the title.
What to Watch For
Nine of the top 15 scorers in the conference play for St. Anselm. Franklin Pierce and Sacred Heart have higher-individual scorers, but from top to bottom, St. Anselm absolutely overwhelms the competition.
Coach Kerstin Matthews is entering her 12th season leading the Hawks. She has seven 20-win seasons, including five in the last six seasons. Her teams have won five postseason tournament titles and finished as the runner-up on three other occasions.
Crystal Ball
It seems like St. Anselm is primed to repeat as NEWHA champions.
St. Michael’s
Last Season
7-17-1, 4-11-1 (fourth). Lost to St. Anselm in a NEWHA semifinal.
Names to Know
Senior Jordan Monbouquette led the team with nine goals.
Sophomore Maddie Gervais led the team with 14 points.
What to Watch For
This is an experienced Purple Knights team that returns their top four scorers and has just five freshmen this season. They use a goalie platoon and are a team that gets a lot of offense from their blue line. That being said, they aren’t very offensively prolific. They’ll need to find a way to get more pucks to net if they’re going to move up in the NEWHA standings.
Jerry York is once again behind the BC bench this season (photo: Jim Rosvold).
With eight first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll, Boston College as been picked to finish atop the Hockey East standings for the 2019-20 season.
Massachusetts (2) and Northeastern (1) garnered the other three first-place votes.
Senior goalie Kristen Campbell will help lead the Badgers this season. (Photo: David Stluka)
Bemidji State
Last season
13-21-2, 10-12-2, (fifth). Lost to Minnesota Duluth in the opening round of the WCHA tournament.
“Competing every year is a challenge in this league. The competition just keeps getting better and better,” said Coach Jim Scanlan. “We’ve got a deep group of forwards. You can tell the players have worked very hard in the offseason. We have a lot of experience returning.”
Names to know
Junior Clair DeGeorge is the team’s go-to player. The playmaker led the team with 22 points in her sophomore year.
Freshman Cheyenne Abear is a Minnesota native who was a late signing for the Beavers. Originally committed to Union, she chose to stay closer to home and brings another boost to the BSU team.
What to Watch For
Bemidji lost very few players in the offseason and return nine of their top-ten scorers – all of whom tallied double-digit totals – from last year. All three goalies are experienced, five defenders return and just one forward left the squad. The team should be able to start the season feeling weeks ahead of other squads who still need to find chemistry and trust.
They open conference play by running the gauntlet, hosting UMD, traveling to Wisconsin, hosting Ohio State and heading to Minnesota in succession. On the one hand, they get two of the toughest road trips out of the way early. But if this month-long stretch doesn’t go well, it could set the tone for the rest of their season.
Crystal ball
I expect them to finish fifth.
Minnesota
Last Season
32-16-1, 19-4-1 (first). Lost to Wisconsin in the NCAA championship game.
“I feel like we have a real nice team on paper, the question is just where that goes throughout the year,” said Coach Brad Frost. “We’re much more of a veteran team this year. We only have four freshmen, two of which are goalies. We should be able to hit the ground running.”
Names to know
Junior Grace Zumwinkle was named to the preseason all-WCHA team and is the Gophers’ highest returning scorer. She’s scrappy and dangerous in front of the net.
Redshirt senior Sarah Potomak took on a more secondary role last season, dishing pucks instead of scoring, but she has an incredible vision on the ice and her ability to anticipate her teammates’ moves is a huge advantage for Minnesota.
What to Watch For
The Gophers have been successful recently by relying on their depth and general high-level of play instead of one or two individual players standing out above the rest. Their highest scorer last season was 12th in the country, but they have 11 players with 20 or more points. It’s been an interesting pivot and has shown that often, their top line isn’t even their scariest or most dangerous.
Rookie Madeline Wethington is the reigning Minnesota Ms. Hockey and was named the coaches’ pick for preseason Rookie of the Year. She’s a big, strong defender in the mold of Lee Stecklein and provides a solid presence in front of the net. The Gophers return both goalies that split time in the net last year, but they did allow 1.77 goals per game and have a fairly porous power play – both things unusual for Minnesota.
Crystal Ball
I’m putting the Gophers second, but the margin between them and the Badgers will be razor thin.
Minnesota-Duluth
Last Season
15-16-4, 9-11-4 (fourth). Lost to Minnesota in the WCHA tournament semifinals.
“What I’m seeing on the ice right now is just a very prepared and experienced group,” said Coach Maura Crowell.
Names to know
Sophomore Gabbie Hughes led the team in scoring as a freshman, scoring 19 goals and tallying 18 assists. She’s the type of player that can take over a game and she seemed to play her best against rival Minnesota, scoring in each of the Bulldogs’ six games against the Gophers.
What to Watch For
The Bulldogs will use their experience to build on this season. They return all the members of their top three offensive lines and their top two defensive pairings, plus Rooney. Not only do the have a large class of players that are now sophomores, but they had seven different players participate in summer camps with Team USA and Hockey Canada. That elevates their game in terms of the level of play they skated at, but also means those players arrived in Duluth having spent most of August on the ice already. It’s impossible to quantify how important participation in those camps and U-22 series is for a player’s development and having a large portion of their roster come in with that kind of knowledge and experience will be a big boost for UMD this year.
Having Rooney in the net can only go so far if she doesn’t have support in front of her. The Bulldogs gave up 2.83 goals per game last season, which is nearly impossible for any offense to overcome. This is the area of the ice where UMD should most hope that the sophomores can really step up and make an impact.
Crystal Ball
I think they can give UW and UM a scare at times, but I have them finishing third.
Minnesota State
Last Season
9-19-7, 3-16-5 (sixth). Lost to Ohio State in the first round of the WCHA tournament.
“We’re in a position now where we have a lot of parts now that we haven’t had in previous years,” said Coach John Harrington. “Our seniors will be a big part of our success this year – or lack of it. We need their leadership not only in the locker room, but with their production on the ice.”
Names to know
Sophomore goalie Abigail Levy made an immediate impact for Minnesota State in net. She’s 6’1” and she handled herself well against the top teams in the country. Her .924 save percentage while facing 1069 shots was beyond impressive for a rookie. Having her in net means the Mavericks can be more offensive focused, something they’ve not been able to do much in the past. She allows them to be a much more dangerous team and she’s also really fun to watch. She moves well while covering a lot of the ice and net.
What to Watch For
This is a team on the upswing. Last season, they had five fewer conference losses and seven fewer losses overall. Most of those games ended in ties instead, but it was a step in the right direction for this program. They allowed 32 fewer goals last season than the season before and have a balanced roster that should help them consistently grow.
They close the season with Minnesota Duluth and Wisconsin at home before heading to the Twin Cities for the final regular season series. The plan is always to be playing your best hockey at the end of the season, but it will be incredibly important for the Mavericks to finish strong and push for postseason position over those final three weeks.
Crystal Ball
I have the Mavericks in seventh.
Ohio State
Last Season
20-13-2, 1210-2 (third). Lost to Wisconsin in the WCHA tournament semifinals.
“We three fantastic goalies an I just play whoever is the best. It’s a fight. Monday is a new tryout for every weekend we’re about to face. We’re going to play who is the best and who’s earned it,” said Coach Nadine Muzerall.
Names to know
Sophomore goalie Andrea Braendli won the starting role and had an absolutely stellar season. Her .939 save percentage was the second best single season save percentage for a Buckeye goaltender in program history. She also stepped it up when the pressure was on, making 92 saves in two games at Wisconsin to close out the regular season.
Redshirt senior Jincy Dunne is a strong, dominant blue liner that was also second on the team in scoring. She’s a dynamic player that can single-handedly start a momentum shift.
What to Watch For
It’s a bit of a refresh for Ohio State, who have eight freshmen on the roster this season. Braendli and Dunne provide a solid defense to build out from. Junior Emma Maltais led the team in scoring and Tatum Skaggs led the squad with 17 goals. They’re a fearsome offensive threat, so if the youngsters can step in to fill some of the gaps, OSU should be looking at an NCAA tournament bid.
They have one of the more interesting non-conference slates, starting the season against St. Lawrence and playing a stretch against Cornell, Colgate and Princeton to close out the first half. The Buckeyes were just outside of the NCAA tournament field this year and wins against other likely tournament teams would boost their quality points bonus.
Crystal Ball
Ohio State and Minnesota-Duluth feel like they’re basically interchangeable this season. I currently have OSU fourth because of their younger squad.
St. Cloud State
Last Season 10-25-2, 5-19-0 (seventh). Lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the WCHA tournament.
“We’re really pleased with where we’re at and we believe we’re headed in the right direction,” said Coach Steve MacDonald. “We want to play with as much tempo as we can, as much possession as we can.”
Names to know
Steve Macdonald was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after a nationwide search. He promptly promoted Jinelle Siergiej to associate head coach and hired former Wisconsin Badger and USA Hockey Developmental Scout Molly Engstrom as assistant coach.
Senior goalie Janine Alder and junior goalie Emma Polusny shared time in net last season and bring a wealth of both college and international experience to the team. They’re leaders on and off the ice for the Huskies. Alder has played in two Olympics with Team Switzerland and Polusny played with Team USA in the 2018 Four Nations and 2019 World Championships.
What to Watch For
St. Cloud isn’t a high-scoring team and they graduated their two top scorers – who accounted for 25% of the team’s points last season. The Huskies are going to need players to step up and find the back of the net. Senior Hallie Theodosopoulos has the skills and vision to be the top scorer, but she’ll need help.
St. Cloud has players on the roster from Finland, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic and Switzerland. It’s a unique mix of backgrounds and experience among WCHA teams.
Crystal Ball
I have SCSU sixth.
Wisconsin
Last Season
35-4-2, 18-4-2 (first). National Champions.
“It’s a new opportunity. It’s a new year. It’s going to be a very competitive league. We’re looking forward to the challenge that will be presented to us. Now it’s back to work,” said Coach Mark Johnson. “The most important thing is what’s in front of you (whether) that’s the next practice or the next game.”
Names to know
2018 Patty Kazmaier winner Daryl Watts transferred to Wisconsin this offseason. She is the only freshman to ever win the award. After putting up 42 goals and 40 assists as a rookie, she struggled to repeat the performance, putting up 22 goals and 26 assists as a sophomore on just 30 fewer shots on goal
Senior Abby Roque took a more secondary role last season, dishing passes to freshmen Sophie Shirley and Britta Curl (third and fourth on the team in scoring, respectively) and was still second on the team with 43 points. She was the WCHA Rookie of the Year and then led the WCHA in scoring as a sophomore. Her adaptability and leadership are going to be a big part of the Badgers’ title defense this season.
Goalie Kristin Campbell was a huge addition to the team two years ago, transferring from North Dakota when they shuttered their program. She somehow managed to follow up that stellar season with an even better one. She was the most outstanding player of the National Championship game and shut out every Badger opponent through the NCAA tournament. She allowed one goal or fewer in 29 of the team’s 41 games and led the NCAA in goals-against-average (1.03), wins (35) and shutouts (11). Her 35 victories (35-4-2) are the most wins in a single season by any Badgers goaltender in school history. With the goaltending history at Wisconsin, it’s not easy to make your mark. The Badgers will have a lot of adjustment with who they lost to graduation, but having Campbell in net gives them a lot of leeway to figure it out.
What to Watch For The Badgers got scoring from so many different places that I don’t see them struggling to replace the points from Pankowski, but they will miss her leadership. She led the team with seven game-winning goals, five unassisted goals, three short-handed goals and two overtime goals.When the team needed magic, she was the one that provided it. If they’re going to have a repeat of last season, younger players will have to take advantage of the opportunity to be the playmaker and difference-maker.
Best I can tell, no other national MVP has ever transferred schools after winning the award. This move is rather unprecedented and it’ll be incredibly interesting to see how it plays out. Watts has major skill, but her regression last year is obviously not what she or anyone else hoped to see. There’s an opportunity here for her to grow into herself and her game and flourish – the Badgers last two transfers (Claudia Kepler and Campbell) blossomed at Wisconsin.
Crystal Ball
I have the Badger finishing first, but as always, it’s going to be a tight race with Minnesota.
Nick Tomczyk has coached at the AAA, high school and college levels, in addition to scouting for the OHL (photo: St. Cloud State Athletics).
St. Cloud State announced Wednesday the hiring of Nick Tomczyk as the Huskies’ new director of hockey operations and video coordinator.
Tomczyk replaces T.J. Jindra, who recently took a new job with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
“We are very excited to have Nick join our staff here at St. Cloud State,” Huskies coach Brett Larson said in a statement. “He brings in a wealth of hockey experience and will be a valuable addition to the Huskies’ hockey program.”
Tomczyk joins the staff at SCSU after most recently serving as a scout for the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. Prior to his time at Omaha, Tomczyk was the American scout for three seasons with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack and served for two seasons as an assistant coach with the HoneyBaked AAA youth program out of the Detroit area.
His coaching resume also includes coaching stints with Michigan high schools De La Salle and Notre Dame Prep. Tomczyk also served as the associate head coach for Oakland’s ACHA Division I program and helped start the ACHA D-I program at Rochester College, where he also coached.
A 2004 graduate of Northern Michigan with a degree in physical education and health, Tomczyk earned his master’s degree in school administration from Saginaw Valley State in 2010. At NMU, Tomczyk served for four years as a team manager for the Wildcats hockey program.
AIC coach Eric Lang has his team primed to show 2018-19 was no fluke (photo: Omar Phillips).
With 10 of 11 first-place votes, defending Atlantic Hockey regular-season champion American International heads up the 2019 conference preseason coaches poll.
Bentley tied with Sacred Heart for third and garnered the other first-place nod.
Sarah Fillier and Maggie Connors will look to lead Princeton to a championship this season. (photo: Princeton Athletics)
Heading into the final weekend of regular season play, the ECAC was so close that four different teams had a chance to win the crown. Though we knew which eight teams would make the conference tournament, not one team had a seed locked down. Over the course of the long season, the final standings came down to the difference between a win and a loss or a tie. In the ECAC, it is no cliché to say that every game matters because every point matters.
Clarkson was picked as the coaches’ preseason favorite, but there is very little separating them from Princeton and Cornell. Each team in this conference has questions and concerns heading into this season and for the Ivy League schools, they won’t be able to begin answering them for nearly a month. The conference has had two teams in each of the last two Frozen Fours and will look to continue to build on their national resume.
Brown
Last Season
5-20-4, 2-16-4 (eleventh). Did not qualify for the ECAC Tournament.
“I really don’t know what to expect. This is our second year. It’s really going to depend on how the team responds. It’s not new. It’s the girls understanding what they’re capable of,” said Coach Carisa Zaban Wahlig. “We peaked too early (last year). Winning is great, but it’s also a learned response. I don’t think as a team we were ready for that. I hope that this year it’s a bit more of a slower burn so that the end of the season we can hit our stride.”
Names to know
Senior Calla Isaac and Sophomore Haley Kliczko split time in the net last season. Most of their numbers are similar, but Isaac was far more successful in terms of wins, earning four of the team’s five successful outings. It’ll be interesting to see how this duo shares time this season and if the year of experience makes a difference for Kliczko, who showed promise last season but couldn’t quite put it all together.
What to Watch For
It’s about the small steps here and Wahlig led the team to a number of them last season. They won three more games overall and both conference wins were over ranked opponents – on back-to-back days. They allowed 25 fewer goals and junior Sena Hanson was an Honorable Mention All-Ivy pick.
They play a brutal schedule in February, running the gamut of the top teams in the conference with games at home against Princeton, Cornell and Colgate and playing on the road at Clarkson, Princeton, St. Lawrence and Quinnipiac
Crystal Ball
I’ve got Brown finishing 11th, but I’m hoping for more movement for them.
Clarkson
Last Season
30-8-2, 16-5-1 (third). Lost a national semifinal to Wisconsin.
“All team dynamics are different every year. At the beginning of the year it’s really important to get our leadership in place,” said Coach Matt Desrosiers. “We think we have some pretty good pieces in place with our returning players and we’re excited about the incoming players.”
Names to know
Senior transfer Caitrin Lonergan joins the Golden Knights from Boston College, where she had a prolific career. She was on our All-USCHO Rookie team in 2017 and was a Patty Kazmaier top-ten finalist in 2018. She tallied 39 points on 14 goals and 25 assists as a junior, but totaled 147 points on 59 goals and 88 assists in 112 games played in three seasons at BC. She played for Team USA in the Four Nations Cup last November.
Clarkson graduated 2019 Patty Kaz winner Loren Gabel, but Lonergan will join junior Elizabeth Giguère to once again give the Golden Knights a major offensive one-two punch. Our Player of the Year last season, Giguère led the country with 73 points and 47 assists. She tallied five short-handed goals and had three overtime game-winners, including in the NCAA quarterfinal. A Patty Kaz top-ten finalist
Redshirt senior Rhyen McGill was instrumental in the 2017 and 2018 National Championships for Clarkson and they missed her when she was out with an injury last season. She returns for her final year and brings a ton of experience and leadership to this team. She comes up big in big situations and serves as a really underrated foil to the flashier forwards.
What to Watch For
Clarkson has become the team to watch every offseason to see which transfer players they pick up and this year was no different. Lonergan joins junior goalie Amanda Zeglen moves over from Ohio State where she had 12 starts over two seasons. She’s the second straight net minder to make the move from Columbus to Potsdam. Kassidy Sauvè’s graduation left room for a starter at Clarkson and Zeglen will be competing with rookie Marie Dedert and sophomore Marie-Pier Coulombe for the starting role.
Giguère and Lonergan will make an imposing front line, but it stands to reason that the Golden Knights still need to find some more scoring depth. Gabel and TT Cianfarano accounted for 40% of the team’s goals last season between the two of them and both have since graduated. Four players accounted for 103 of the team’s 143 goals last season and accounted for more than half their shots. The next highest goal-scorer had six tallies.
Crystal Ball
I have Clarkson finishing second, but think they could finish anywhere from 1-3. I’ll feel more solid on where they stand when we know more about who’s in net and how the rest of the offense lines up.
Colgate
Last Season
23-10-4, 15-4-3 (second). Lost to Clarkson in the ECAC semifinals.
“With our young group, the big focus is to really take advantage of every day we have together and continue to make progress. I think when you do that, you end up where you want to be,” coach Greg Fargo. “I think one of our strengths this year is the depth that we have at every position. I don’t know if we’ve ever been this deep.”
Names to know
Senior Liz Auby hasn’t had much chance to start in net, but she’s risen to the challenge whenever it presented itself. She’s 14-1-1 over 21 games played with six shutouts.
Sophomore Taylor Kirwan is a transfer from Lindenwood, where she tallied 14 points as a blue liner in her rookie campaign.
Freshman Danielle Serdachny scored three goals, including the semi-final overtime game-winner, en route to a Gold Medal with Canada at the IIHF 2019 U-18 Women’s World Championships.
What to Watch For
Their recruiting class was ranked the best in the country, so look for their rookies to have a big impact.
There are just two seniors on this team – Auby in net and defender Caroline Ross. Leadership will be important for their big freshman class.
They lost their two top scorers, who accounted for a third of the team’s points. Junior Malia Schneider will look to lead the offense, but the Raiders will look to their rookies with international experience to acclimate to the college game quickly.
Crystal Ball
I’ve got Colgate fourth. There seems to be a bit of separation between the top three and the next tier and the Raiders have a lot of questions to answer this season before we know if they can compete.
Cornell
Last Season
24-6-6, 17-3-2 (first). Lost to Minnesota in the national semifinals.
“We’re really excited about the way we performed last year. We feel we have a strong group coming back and added a good class in our freshman. Our senior class is ready to lead the way,” said Coach Doug Derraugh. “You need to keep improving throughout the year in order to have a chance to compete with the best of the best at the end of the year. I think if we can stay focused on being the best team we can possibly be in the end, I think that’s going to be very important. Quite honestly, there’s a bit of luck, as well.”
Names to know
Maddie Mills followed up her Ivy League Rookie of the Year season with another solid performance, leading the Big Red with 39 points. She isn’t as flashy as some other leading scorers, but brings poise and vision to Cornell’s offense.
Senior Micah Zandee-Hart is as unflappable a blue liner as exists in women’s college hockey right now. As the goalie situation gets settled, she’ll be an important part of keeping the defense calm and being the leader the Big Red need. Cornell was third in the country on defense last year, allowing just 1.69 goals per game.
What to Watch For
The Big Red lost very few of the pieces that made them a Frozen Four team last season. Marlène Boissonnault was a big presence for them in net, but junior Lindsay Browning stepped up in a big way in the postseason when they needed her to. She has limited overall experience, but showed she can handle the pressure and be the goalie they need.
Cornell ends the season with five games against teams that did not qualify for the ECAC tournament. They’ll need to stay sharp and work on ramping up for the postseason outside of their game schedule if they’re going to be at the caliber they’ll need to advance through the postseason.
They scored six short-handed goals last season. This is a smart team that sees the ice well and has the vision to know when to jump on those opportunities. They’re dangerous because they’re good on the puck, but they might be even better without it.
Crystal Ball
I have Cornell third, but I also think the top three spots are up for grabs and any of those teams could push past the others.
Dartmouth
Last Season
5-21-3, 4-16-2 (tenth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.
“I’m super excited about the upcoming year. Last year we ended up showing that we can be a more competitive team. Moving forward this year, our goal is to become a winning program again. I think we’re in a really good place. The girls themselves felt like they were more competitive,” said Coach Laura Schuler.
Names to know
Sophomore Sara McClanahan was second on the team in scoring and brings a ton of creativity to Dartmouth’s offense.
What to Watch For
This will be Schuler’s third year leading the team and the Brown Bears should more easily settle into their systems and be able to play the game trusting their instincts instead of thinking through every step. How they see the game and are able to be reactive – and thereby speed up their game – should make a big difference in their ability to hand with teams.
Last year, they were a young team that showed a lot of promise. There were a number of players with individual talent, but this year I’ll be looking to see how they can all play together as more of a unit. They cannot rely on one or two players to carry the offense and this is a situation where I think the sum of the parts becomes far more valuable than they are individually. If they can find some line chemistry and trust, they’ll be a lot of fun to watch.
Crystal Ball
I have Dartmouth finishing ninth.
Harvard
Last Season
12-15-5, 9-9-4 (seventh). Lost to Colgate in the opening round of the ECAC Tournament.
“We’re anxious and looking to take a step forward. We have some good depth in different spots and hopefully that will pay dividends for us. We have a serious focus on getting depth at every position,” said Coach Katey Stone. “They believe. They know they can play with anybody.”
Names to know
Sophomore Lindsey Reed was fourth in the country with a .940 save percentage as a rookie. She was a difference-maker for Harvard and kept them in games throughout the season. Having her solid presence in net should allow them to be more creative and take more risks on the offensive side of the ice. It seems like the defense is shored up and solid. It’s time for them to figure out how to score some goals.
Sophomore Kristin Della Rovere led the team with 12 goals in her rookie season. She and junior Becca Gilmore should be the offensive catalysts and I think Gilmore could be primed for a big season.
What to Watch For
This continues to be a young team with seven freshmen and seven sophomores making up the bulk of the roster. A number of rookies stepped up and made a big impact for the Crimson and they’ll need that to happen again.
It’s a bit odd to think of a program as venerable as Harvard with a coach as successful as Stone as rebuilding, but this does feel like a time we may look back at as a turning point. One of the reasons the team struggled in the past few years is large graduating classes left a big void. How the Crimson can mitigate that and end the cycle a bit would definitely change how they’re able to compete year after year.
Crystal Ball
I’ve got Harvard sixth. They will be jockeying for position with St. Lawrence, but a good run could see them pushing Colgate for fourth, as well.
Princeton
Last Season
20-8-5, 15-4-3 (fourth). Lost to Minnesota in the opening round of the NCAA tournament
“We have a lot of young talent; we have some great senior leadership. (We need to focus on) how to keep getting a little bit better every year, every week, every day and every time we get together as a team,” said coach Cara Morey. “(Last season) was a big learning experience getting as far as we got and really competing in that NCAA game. We learned a lot about ourselves. We can take some of those lessons and maybe have a little more confidence going into the playoff stretch this.”
Names to know
Princeton returns its entire top line and lost just two of its eight top scorers. The prolific combination of sophomore Maggie Connors, sophomore Sarah Fillier and senior Carly Bullock are a force to be reckoned with. All three were among the top 15 scorers in the country.
Fillier had a breakout season. She was National, ECAC and Ivy League Rookie of the Year as well as Ivy League Player of the Year and second-team All-American. She led the country with 1.97 points per game
What to Watch For
The Tigers made a huge jump last season. They tallied six more wins – four of them in conference – and were in contention for the regular season title until the final game, finishing three points out of the top spot. They did so largely on the back of some stellar freshmen. Back as sophomores, they have to take on a leadership role and find a way to be as powerful and prolific now that they have the spotlight and focus of opponents’ defenses. They also had the luxury of playing very free, with little expectation. Now that they are expected to lead and score, they have to be able to be able to play that free when everything in their head is telling them to overthink it.
Three years ago, Steph Neatby was the USCHO Rookie of the Year. She stepped up in a big way and is a big reason the team was able to develop enough over recent seasons to be a contender this past year. She missed about half the season to injury and junior Rachel McQuigge was very good between the pipes in her absence. They shared the ice the rest of the way and now Morey has a goalie battle on her hands. It would be ideal for Princeton if Neatby can return to her former form. A lot of teams have successfully employed goaltending platoons in recent years, but Morey sounded like she’d like to have this situation resolved one way or the other instead.
Crystal Ball
I have Princeton finishing first. I imagine it’ll be a tight race, but this young team gained a lot of experience last season.
Quinnipiac
Last Season
12-18-6, 9-9-4 (sixth). Lost to Clarkson in the opening round of the ECAC tournament.
“We’re really proud of the work our team has put in (in the offseason).Our practices haven’t been this physical in years. The freshmen are already making an impact. It’s so good for our team,” said Coach Cassie Turner. ”I look at what our team wants and there’s no doubt they want to compete for championships. We want to improve how we’re playing and get ourselves playing our best hockey – a little bit more difficult to play against and be a little bit more gritty with the puck. I’m pretty excited about our (defense) corps. From top to bottom, we have a lot of experience which we haven’t had in a while.”
Names to know
Senior Sarah-Ève Coutu-Godbout had a stellar second-half for the Bobcats, tallying nearly all her points after the winter break. She
Senior Kenzie Prater has been absolutely solid on defense for Quinnipiac and serves as an important leader on the blue line. She has good vision and sees the ice well and that helps her build plays from the back and dish the puck well.
Senior Abbie Ives seemed to find her comfort zone in the net last season. There was a change in the offense when they realized they could trust her and be a bit more aggressive with the puck. At 5’10” she’s an imposing site in the net and she allows the Bobcats to build the game from the back and worry less about making mistakes.
What to Watch For
Quinnipiac graduated their top three scorers. A team that’s already more defensive-minded than offensively overwhelming, they’ll need players to step up and assume a more aggressive offensive role.
With seven rookies, a transfer and two redshirts returning to the ice, this feels like a brand new roster. There’s an opportunity to set a new course here, but there’s also the chance that it’s too much inexperience on one roster. How well this team gels and can begin to work together and trust each other, the more likely we’ll see Quinnipiac out-perform expectations.
Crystal Ball
I have them seventh, but think Harvard, Quinnipiac and St. Lawrence are pretty interchangeable right now.
RPI
Last Season
14-8-5, 10-11-1 (eighth). Lost to Cornell in the opening round of the ECAC tournament.
“We’re young this year. We have 10 freshmen and a transfer. It’s going to be a little bit of a building process to start. We’re looking to take another step as a program this season. There’s going to be a lot of growth,” said Coach Brian Vines. “Everything changes as soon as you drop the puck and play for real. We’re learning. We’re going to lean on (the new players) a lot.”
Names to know
Senior Blake Orosz saw an expanded role last season and took advantage. She led the team in points and goals. It was
Rookie Ena Nystrøm was the IIHF Division 1A Women’s World Championships Best Goaltender the past two years with Team Norway.
What to Watch For
There is no replacing Lovisa Selander, who graduated as the NCAA Division I record holder for career saves with 4167. They bring in two freshmen to compete with junior Jenn Gregg, who has not seen any ice time for RPI yet.
This is one of the most experienced rosters the Engineers have had in a while with a lot of minutes played. The senior class that just left was small and while they have to replace Selander and Jamie Grigsby, the rest of the team should have a fairly seamless transition.
Crystal Ball
RPI will finish tenth.
St. Lawrence
Last Season
14-15-7, 9-7-6(fifth). Lost to Princeton in the opening round of the ECAC tournament.
“The best thing about this job is you get to reinvent yourself every August,” said Coach Chris Wells. “(10 new players will bring) a big change in terms of the energy around the team. The expectations are to continue on with what we’ve done well in the past. The quicker we can do that, on and off the ice, we’ll start reaching what our maximum potential will be.”
Names to know
Senior Kalie Grant is the highest returning scorer from last season. She seemed to grow into her role and her skills a bit last season and the team will be looking for her to lead them this year.
Senior Skylar Podvey is on the small side, especially for a defender, but she uses her speed to chase down opponents and the puck, is gritty in the corners and adds an offensive threat for the Saints from the blue line.
What to Watch For
The Saints graduated three of their top four scorers from last year. They have the advantage that scoring is more of a team effort than focused in on one or two players, but there are still a number of leadership roles that need to be filled on the offensive side. Ten new players on the roster means a lot of turmoil and uncertainty as the team tries to figure out how to work together and how their lines will shake out.
They also lost three of four goalies to graduation. The only goalie on the roster with any game experience is sophomore Jaimie Rainville, who tallied 25 minutes as a backup last season. It’s a wide open battle between her and freshmen Caitlin Whitehead and Lucy Morgan. St. Lawrence deployed a platoon last year and who will earn minutes for them this season will be interesting to follow.
Crystal Ball
For now, I’ve got St. Lawrence finishing fifth, but Harvard will be coming for them.
Union
Last Season
4-28-2, 2-19-1 (twelfth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.
“We really want to take another step forward again this year in terms of how we’re building our culture, how we’re continuing to perform on the ice, how we play the game and a big thing that our team wants to do is continue to raise our standards and develop a new set of standards for what it means to be a Union women’s hockey player. That was a really big focus in the spring. We want to be playing for a championship. It’s more than just a playoff spot,” said Coach Josh Sciba.
Names to know
Senior Katelynn Russ has led the team in scoring in each of the last two seasons.
Freshmen Emma Michalicka and Olivia Groulx were teammates before attending Union. The team could use some help with chemistry and players who already trust each other will be a boost for the Dutchwomen.
What to Watch For
After showing a ton of improvement two seasons ago, last season did not continue the upward trend and appearance of growth. There are 14 upperclassmen on the roster and their experience should be important to carrying this team ahead.
They end the season on the road at Cornell and Colgate, two teams that were susceptible to upset last season. That could be an emphatic way to close out the regular season and make a statement about how far the program has come and what they might be capable of.
Crystal Ball
I’ve got Union 12th right now.
Yale
Last Season
8-18-3, 7-12-3 (ninth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.
“We’re all at the same starting point, from players to coaches. The players are able to reset. There’s energy around the group,” said Coach Mark Bolding. “We’ve got to be most focused on becoming a great team as quickly as we can so we can keep up with this tough league. This is a great challenge for (the coaching staff). We’re going to set expectations and benchmarks more than goals. Goals are nice, but we have to set some standards and benchmarks for this team.”
Names to know
New coach Mark Bolding comes to Yale from Norwich University where he amassed 266 career wins, reached the Division III Frozen Four on seven separate occasions and was named American Hockey Coaches Association National Coach of the Year four times.
New assistant coach Danielle Blanchard was a part of seven national championship teams at Plattsburgh State as a player and assistant coach. In 2008, she earned the Laura Hurd Award as the top Division III women’s hockey player in the nation.
What to Watch For
There’s a lot of upside for this Bulldog team where four of their five returning top scorers were freshman last season.
Senior goalie Tera Hofmann has been a strong presence in net for the Elis and gives them a solid base from which to build. Opponents scored 3.00 goals per game against Yale and Hofmann had a career high with 639 saves last season. The Bulldogs have to stop pucks getting to the net and provide a more solid foundation in front of her.
They have a brutal eight-game stretch to end the season in which they’ll face Princeton and Quinnipiac twice, plus games against Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell and St. Lawrence. The one positive is that most of the games are at home. They’ll need to build to the end of the season and play their best hockey at the end to be able to survive that stretch.
New Hampshire announced Monday that the Wildcats have named 2001 UNH graduate Ty Conklin as the team’s volunteer assistant/goaltending development coach.
“Ty is the most successful goalie in program history and we are lucky to have him as our goaltending development coach,” said New Hampshire coach Mike Souza in a news release. “He brings playing, coaching and goaltender development experience from his time in the NHL, which will be a tremendous asset to our program. I’m very excited for our goaltenders to have someone that has excelled at the highest level to mentor them.”
Conklin most recently served as the goaltending development coach for the St. Louis Blues for four seasons.
Conklin had a stellar career as a Wildcat recording a 57-23-12 record. He is the career record holder in GAA with a 2.18 mark. In 1998-99, Conklin posted a program-record 1.84 GAA and tallied a 18-3-1 record as the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA tournament championship game. He was named an All-American in 2000 and 2001 and was the Hockey East Co-Player of the Year in 2000. The two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist (2000, 2001) and the 2001 co-winner of the Walter Brown Award, Conklin was also a 2008 inductee into the UNH Athletics Hall of Fame.
After his career at UNH, Conklin went onto play in nine NHL seasons, posting a 96-67-1 record with 17 shutouts over 215 games with Edmonton, Columbus, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Detroit and St. Louis.
RIT goalie Terra Lanteigne returns as the reigning CHA player of the year (photo: Omar Phillips).
The CHA has never been more competitive than it is right now. Three different teams received first-place votes in the conference’s preseason poll, though Mercyhurst was tabbed the early favorite. Robert Morris and Syracuse were within three points and Penn State was voted a close fourth. The conference feels as wide open as it’s ever been.
Syracuse are the reigning conference tournament champions, winning their first-ever title and first-ever NCAA berth. Robert Morris won their third-straight regular season title, with Mercyhurst three points behind and Syracuse four points behind them.
Lindenwood
Last Season
7-22-4, 3-14-3 (sixth). Lost to Syracuse in the opening round of the CHA tournament.
Names to Know
Lindenwood begins this season with a new head coach. Shelley Looney may be best known to women’s hockey fans as the gold-medal game-winning goal scorer of the 1998 Olympics. This is her first NCAA women’s hockey head coaching job, though she brings a wealth of coaching, development and program directing experience through work with USA Hockey as well as a number of girls hockey programs. Additionally, she was the head coach of the 2017 and 2019 World University Women’s National Team and coached the Buffalo Beauts during the first season of the NWHL. Kristi Kehoe is joining her as an assistant coach alongside second-year assistant Greg Haney.
Sophomore Sophie Wolf was a revelation for Lindenwood in goal last season, where she finished with a .897 save percentage, which was tied for third in the conference. She’ll be the base the Lions build off of this season.
Jada Burke led the Lions with 11 goals last season as a freshman. She’s 6’0” and she uses her size well in front of the net and in the faceoff circle. Expect her to break out even more as one of the team’s offensive targets. She was named to the conference All-Rookie team and was the conference Scholar Athlete of the Year
What to Watch For
The Lions will be without last season’s leading scorer, but otherwise graduated just four players. Their eight sophomores have a year of experience to build on and will need to make a step up if the team is to find success this season.
They have just three home series after the winter break. They start the season at home against reigning National Champions Wisconsin.
Crystal Ball
I see improvement for the Lions this season, but unfortunately for them, the rest of the conference has made big strides recently, as well. It’s possible that the top four beat each other up a bit and leave an opening, but even with a better year, I think Lindenwood still finishes fifth.
Mercyhurst
Last Season
15-14-5, 12-6-2 (second). Lost to Syracuse in the CHA Tournament semifinals.
Names to know
Senior Emma Nuutinen has been an offensive force for the Lakers since joining the program after North Dakota cut their women’s hockey team. She led Mercyhurst with 16 goals and 28 points last season and was third in the CHA in scoring. A 2018-19 CHA first team All-Conference selection, she will need to once again be the driving scoring force.
The Lakers graduated seven seniors, including Sarah McDonnell, who took half the team’s starts in net. Will Kennedy Blair earn the starting job or will one of the other three goalies on the roster push her for time in the net? The team gave up nearly three goals per game, something they have to improve on if they are going to return to the top of the CHA and earn a berth into the NCAA tournament.
What to Watch For
Mercyhurst led the country with 11.50 penalty minutes per game. Their 391 penalty minutes are equal to more than 19 periods of hockey. It’s simply something they have to become more disciplined on. Their already weary defense is being put at a disadvantage way too frequently.
They perennially play one of the tougher non-conference schedules in the country, which can really help prepare them for the post-season, but can also sometimes knock them off their game. They open the season with Colgate and also play Clarkson, Minnesota Duluth and Cornell over the course of the season.
Crystal Ball
After years of conference domination, the rest of the CHA has been giving Mercyhurst a run for their money recently. They finished just three points outside the top slot last season and will be looking for places to make up those points. In my opinion, the top three teams in the CHA are indistinguishable right now and the championship is up for grabs for whoever steps up and takes it. For now, I’ll go with Coach Mike Sisti’s experience and put the Lakers first, but I’ll not be surprised if they finish third.
Penn State
Last Season
13-14-9, 6-9-5 (fifth). Lost to Robert Morris in the CHA tournament semifinals.
Names to know
Junior Natalie Heising is the offensive spark for Penn State. She is just the third Nittany Lion to be named to All-CHA First Team. She led the team in scoring.
Freshman Rachel Weiss won gold with Hockey Canada at the 2019 IIHF U-18 Women’s World Championships while Mallory Uiehlein won silver with Team USA.
Penn State has one of the tallest blue line corps in Division I, but they’re adding 5’10” Mikayla Lantto as a forward. She’s shown a prolific scoring touch in prep hockey and should be a good option to help Heising out up front.
What to Watch For
Over the past two seasons, Penn State has played 25 overtime games and has just one win. They also only have five losses, but those twenty ties in two seasons are a huge missed opportunity for the Nittany Lions. They finished five points out of third place last season. Converting just a portion of their ties to wins would be a huge step forward for them.
Four of their final six series are on the road.
Crystal Ball
Penn State is currently solidly the fourth team in the conference, but there’s room for them to move up. They are not that far off from the top three teams and as those teams focus on each other, the Nittany Lions could find a window of opportunity.
RIT
Last Season
12-18-5, 8-11-1 (sixth). Lost to Penn State in the opening round of the CHA tournament.
Names to know
Senior goalie Terra Lanteigne was CHA Player of the Year after leading the country with a .944 save percentage. Her 1245 shots faced and 1175 saves were both second in the nation. The 1,175 saves are a RIT single-season record and her 2,389 stops in three years are the most in program history.
Freshman Rachel Goff is tiny, but knows how to use her size to her advantage. She could be the spark the Tigers’ offense needs.
What to Watch For
RIT improved massively last season. Their goal differential improved by 82 and they won seven more conference games than they did last season.
The Tigers graduated nine seniors and lost their second-leading scorer to transfer, which accounts for 55% of the team’s scoring last season. They only averaged 1.91 goals per game – though that was .71 more goals per game than two seasons ago – so there has to be immediate impact from some of the rookies to help this team score. Lanteigne can’t do it all and the team has to give her some goal support.
Crystal Ball
I have RIT finishing sixth, but that says more about the talent in the rest of the league than my lack of belief in them. Langteine gives them so much upside that if any of the freshman step up and push the offense, both Penn State and Lindenwood will need to watch out for them.
Robert Morris
Last Season
16-14-6, 13-4-3 (first). Lost to Syracuse in the CHA Tournament final.
Names to know
Senior Jaycee Gebhard and junior Lexi Templeman led the CHA in scoring last season. Gebhard set a new program record with 51 points (19g, 32a) and was a first team All-Conference selection. They are the
Freshman goalie Raygan Kirk was the MVP of the 2019 IIHF U-18 Women’s World Championships and a gold-medal winner with Hockey Canada.
Junior Emily Curlett was third on the team in goals (11) and fifth in total points (21) as a defender.
What to Watch For
The Colonials won their third regular-season crown in a row last season before being upset by Syracuse in the conference tournament championship game. They graduated their starting goalie, but are bringing in Kirk. Sophomore Arielle DeSmet played ten games for RMU last season, so the goaltending battle could be a very interesting one.
They open against Union, but then have a six game gauntlet of Minnesota, Clarkson and Cornell – all Frozen Four participants last season. They also play three of four series on the road to close the regular season.
Crystal Ball
With questions at goalie, I’m putting Robert Morris second. I expect RMU, Syracuse and Mercyhurst to be in a close raise for the top spot all season.
Syracuse
Last Season
13-22-3, 10-8-2 (third). Lost to Wisconsin in the NCAA quarterfinal.
Names to know
Sophomore Abby Moloughney is the team’s highest returning scorer. She was third on the team last season as a rookie. She also led the team with five power play goals.
Junior Jessica DiGirolamo was second on the team with 70 blocks and was a threat from the blue with 11 assists and 18 points.
What to Watch For
Don’t expect last season’s success to be a fluke. They once again return 13 upperclassmen and seven of their nine leaders in points from last season.
Syracuse brings size to the ice. There are nine women on this roster that are 5’9” or taller and the Orange are talented at using their height to shield the goal mouth. They are also one of the most penalized teams. If they can find a way to balance that out and use their size without bowling over opponents, they could be even more difficult to face.
They start the season with nine games against NCAA tournament teams – Clarkson, Boston College, Northeastern, Colgate and Princeton. They had a tough road to start last season and didn’t get a win against any of those top teams. If they want to show they’re moving forward as a program, they have to get some points from that incredibly difficult slate of games.
Crystal Ball
I’ve got Syracuse third for now. I’d like to see what they might have learned from their post-season experience and how they handle themselves through that opening stretch.
Holy Cross has announced that Peter Roundy has been promoted to associate head coach and Jon Lounsbury has joined the staff as a volunteer assistant coach.
“I am happy to announce the promotion of Peter Roundy to the position of associate head coach,” said Holy Cross head coach David Berard in a statement. “Over the last four years, he has made a tremendous impact on our program and has developed into an outstanding coach and recruiter. Peter is an elite person, a trusted confidant, and an invaluable member of our coaching staff. He is universally respected for his knowledge of the game, his ability to connect with people, and his professionalism. We are fortunate to have him at Holy Cross.”
“I am honored and grateful Coach Berard has entrusted me to be his associate head coach,” added Roundy. “Over the past four years, David has been a great friend, mentor and person who has greatly helped my development as a coach. The vision and passion that David arrives to the rink with every day is infectious to the players and staff, and I am excited to continue to be a part of it. We have built this program on accountability, commitment and passion, and we have a group of student-athletes who believe in the process and want to achieve at the highest levels.”
Lounsbury comes to the Crusaders with a strong background, having focused his coaching career on player development. Lounsbury sent over 200 players into the collegiate playing ranks while he held positions at Bridgton Academy and the Walpole Express. In 2016, he worked with the Florida Panthers as a development coach.
“I am excited to welcome Jon Lounsbury to our coaching staff for the upcoming season,” said Berard. “Jon brings a wealth of coaching experience to our program, not only as a head coach at the junior and prep school levels, but also as a skill development coach at the NHL and AHL levels. As we continue to look for new and innovative ways to make our players better, Jon will be at the forefront of that development process. He is an outstanding communicator and teacher of the game. He is a great addition to our staff.”
“I am beyond excited to join the coaching staff at Holy Cross,” added Lounsbury. “I want to thank Coach Berard for this great opportunity. I’m eager to work with such a knowledgeable staff, highly motivated student-athletes, and make a positive impact on the team.”
Lounsbury was a four-year letter-winner at Southern Maine, where he was a four-time selection to the ECAC All-Conference Team, an All-American, and the all-time defensive scoring leader at the school. He followed his collegiate career with six years of professional hockey in the SPHL and EPHL.
The GFL Memorial Gardens is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and was formerly named the Essar Centre (photo: Wikipedia).
Lake Superior State will host Alabama Huntsville on Feb. 15, 2020 at the GFL Memorial Gardens.
This will be the first game played by the university in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. that night at the home of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
The game will be part of the LSSU-UAH series already scheduled for that weekend and will count in the WCHA standings. Game 1 of the series will be played on campus at LSSU’s Taffy Abel Arena on Friday, Feb. 14.
“Laker hockey is very excited to partner with the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and the GFL Memorial Gardens for this event,” said LSSU coach Damon Whitten in a statement. “It is great to be involved in an event that can connect the storied hockey history that these sister cities share. We hope to continue to build this relationship and there’s no better way to do it than through the great game of hockey.”
“All of us at the Western Collegiate Hockey Association are excited to see Lake Superior State and Alabama Hunstville take our game north of the border,” added WCHA commissioner Bill Robertson. “I want to congratulate David Paitson, Damon Whitten and the athletic department staff at Lake Superior State for their work to make this unique opportunity a reality. This is a great day for the WCHA and collegiate hockey.”
Soo Greyhounds season ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets for this event beginning Sept. 23 at 10 a.m. until October 7 at 5 p.m. at the GFL Memorial Gardens box office only.
Lake Superior State season ticket holders will be issued tickets for this event as part of their ticket package and will be assigned a seat location similar to their seat in the Taffy Abel Arena. Their tickets will be available for pickup at the Norris Center ticket office beginning mid-October.
Tickets go on sale to the public on Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at the GFL Memorial Gardens box office, online at www.gflgardens.ca, or by calling 866-775-9422.
Marc Michaelis posted 42 points in 42 games in 2018-19 for Minnesota State (photo: Shelley M. Szwast).
Defending WCHA regular-season and playoff champion Minnesota State is the favorite to repeat as league champions, garnering nine first-place votes in the 2019 preseason coaches poll and all 10 votes in the preseason media poll.
COACHES POLL
School (First-place votes)
Points
1. Minnesota State (9)
90
2. Bowling Green (1)
82
3. Bemidji State
63
4. Northern Michigan
61
5. Michigan Tech
59
6. Lake Superior State
58
7. Alaska
39
8. Ferris State
38
9. Alabama Huntsville
30
10. Alaska Anchorage
20
MEDIA POLL
School (First-place votes)
Points
1. Minnesota (10)
100
2. Bowling Green
89
3. Northern Michigan
72
4. Michigan Tech
68
5. Bemidji State
62
6. Lake Superior State
57
7. Ferris State
37
8. Alaska
27
9. Alabama Huntsville
26
10. Alaska Anchorage
12
In addition, Minnesota State senior forward Marc Michaelis is the coaches’ and media pick as preseason Player of the Year, while Mavericks freshman Nathan Smith was the choice for preseason Rookie of the Year.
The coaches and media also selected identical preseason All-WCHA Teams.
Sacred Heart has announced the hiring of Victoria Blake as the team’s new assistant coach for the upcoming 2019-20 season.
“[I am] so happy that Victoria is joining our SHU women’s hockey family as a member of the coaching staff,” said SHU head coach Tom O’Malley. “Victoria brings a wealth experience as a former NCAA women’s hockey player and she has made a great transition into her chosen profession bringing with her valuable experience as a coach, a role model, and a person with a great personality, which will contribute greatly to helping our players, and our program get better every day.”
Blake comes to SHU from the Pro-Vision Hockey Academy in Knoxville, Tenn., where she served as the academy’s skills and development coach.
She also serves as the women’s sports director at Athletes Advantage where she is responsible for engaging with high school client athletes and promoting them to the college level.
Blake is a graduate of Oswego where she played on the women’s hockey team for four years. While at Oswego, she was named the 2018 NEWHL playoff MVP and made the 2015-16 All-Academic Team. As a defenseman, she played in 87 games and tallied five goals and 12 assists for 17 points.
Off the ice, she was a student trainer at Oswego where she was responsible for practice and game preparations for Oswego athletes. She also ensured that all setups were complete and organized. and worked with the student-athletes to provide therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries.
Olivia Spellmire has been named an assistant coach on the Maine women’s staff.
Spellmire joins the Black Bears after a well-decorated playing career at Lake Forest and one year of professional hockey in the Swedish Women’s Professional League.
At Lake Forest, Spellmire played in 110 career games and tallied 132 career points (53 goals and 79 assists).
The Bloomington, Minn., native left the Foresters program first all-time in assists, second all-time in points, and third all-time in goals and game-winning goals.
Hannah Brady has been named assistant coach for the Canton women’s hockey team.
Brady, a 2019 graduate of Canton, was a four-year member for the Roos women’s hockey team, appearing in 103 contests and totaling 27 points on 10 goals and 17 assists.
The Jeannette, Pa., native helped lead the team to four straight CHC playoff berths.
“I am extremely excited to have Hannah join our staff,” Canton head coach Dave LaBaff said in a statement. “Hannah is one of the most respected players to have ever been a part of our program both on and off the ice. She brings a wealth of knowledge about the game of hockey, and she will no doubt continue to have a positive impact on the family that is SUNY Canton women’s hockey.”
“I am honored to continue to be a part of the SUNY Canton women’s hockey program,” Brady added. “I am excited to bring my playing experience and now shift to a role behind the bench. I have learned a lot while volunteering at the Hockey Training Institute over the past few summers and I cannot wait to help build this program and work alongside Coach Labaff.”
Brady graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in nursing from Canton in May 2019.
Abby Ostrom played and coached at Trinity and is now the women’s director of hockey operations at BU (photo: Trinity Athletics).
Abby Ostrom has been hired as the Boston University women’s program’s director of hockey operations.
Ostrom comes to Boston after spending four seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Trinity.
“We are excited to welcome Abby Ostrom to Boston University and our hockey program,” BU coach Brian Durocher said in a news release. “She has done a fantastic job during her time at Trinity College and will bring many great qualities to this institution. I believe that her hockey knowledge, organizational skills and understanding of how to work with elite student-athletes will allow her to make a seamless transition to BU. We are all excited to get her up to speed with the team, athletic department and staff.”
In her role with the Terriers, Ostrom will help with the day-to-day operations of the program, including video breakdown and team travel.
A 2014 graduate of Trinity with a bachelor’s degree in American studies and a master’s in public policy and law, Ostrom was a two-sport star on the ice and on the softball diamond.
Ostrom was the director of men’s hockey operations and an assistant softball coach at Skidmore during the 2014-15 campaign. She was a coaching intern with the USA Hockey National Development Camp in Minnesota for the U-15 and U-18 squads in the summers of 2015 and 2016 before working as a skills coach for the U-18 group at the camp in 2017.
A native of Carlisle, Mass., Ostrom totaled 21 goals and 17 assists in 80 games and is tied for second in the Trinity record book for game-winning goals in a single season.
