Outside of a few blue-blood programs in the Midwest, New England might be the most loaded when it comes to the best players in women’s college hockey. This season, the region is stacked with Patty Kazmaier Award hopefuls, some of the best goaltenders in the nation and the NCAA’s next crop of stars. It’s not...
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Outside of a few blue-blood programs in the Midwest, New England might be the most loaded when it comes to the best players in women’s college hockey.
This season, the region is stacked with Patty Kazmaier Award hopefuls, some of the best goaltenders in the nation and the NCAA’s next crop of stars.
It’s not just those on New England’s best programs like Northeastern, UConn, and Quinnipiac — the talent is scattered across the region.
Here are the names to watch.
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Sedona Blair
New Hampshire | Senior Goaltender
The senior netminder has seen significant playing time in goal since arriving in Durham, N.H., as a freshman. Last season, Blair nearly matched her career high with a .926 save percentage and has recorded 12 shutouts in 86 career games.
Danika Botterill
New Hampshire | Senior Forward
After missing her entire sophomore season due to an injury, Botterill was excellent for the Wildcats as a junior. She finished second on her team in points with 28 (12 goals, 16 assists). The senior forward will don an “A” this season.
The Scituate, Mass. native excelled as a freshman for the Bulldogs, scoring 13 goals and tacking on 23 assists. She was named the ECAC Defender of the Year, Ivy League Rookie of the Year, and First Team All-ECAC. Boyle should assume more offensive responsibility as a sophomore with Yale losing its top two scorers to the PWHL.
Eloise Caron
Northeastern | Junior Forward
The Quebec native is exactly what you want in a lethal forward — fast and aggressive with a lethal shot. She’s missed games here and there with lingering injuries, but Caron is a can’t-miss player when she’s on the ice. As a sophomore, she recorded 16 goals and 10 assists. She’s a candidate to dominate Hockey East this season.
Violet Carroll
Holy Cross | Sophomore Forward
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Carroll — a Milton, Mass. native — led a surprisingly good Crusaders team in scoring last season as a freshman, recording 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists). She was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team last season and has what it takes to produce again as a sophomore.
Felicia Frank
Quinnipiac | Junior Goaltender
Frank was a finalist for the National Goalie of the Year award last season after posting a .942 save percentage with a whopping 10 shutouts. She was named the ECAC Goaltender of the Year, All-ECAC First Team, and Most Outstanding Player in the ECAC tournament. She’s a real threat to win National Goalie of the Year as a junior.
Lisa Jonsson
Northeastern | Junior Goaltender
The towering, 6-foot-tall Swedish netminder has been nothing short of outstanding for the Huskies in her first two seasons. As a freshman, she recorded a .938 save percentage with seven shutouts and a .939 with four shutouts as a sophomore. She was a semifinalist for National Goalie of the Year both years and has what it takes to win the award as a junior.
Lamarche was the Bobcats’ first Top 10 Patty Kazmaier Finalist in program history last season after exploding for a nation-leading 42 goals while tacking on 22 assists. Her 64 points last season are a program record. If she can repeat her success as a senior, she’s New England’s best shot at winning the Patty Kaz.
Josie Linn
New Hampshire | Sophomore Forward
Linn was effective for the Wildcats as a freshman, scoring nine goals and tallying 14 assists while playing major minutes. She wins face-offs at a reliable clip and is a valuable piece of New Hampshire’s special teams.
Monique Lyons
Brown | Junior Forward
The Bedford, Mass. native led the Bears in scoring as a sophomore with 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists). Her 39 points were the most by a Brown player in two decades. Lyons’ regular season production is crucial to the Bears’ success this season.
Noemi Martinez
New Hampshire | Senior Goaltender
Martinez didn’t see regular playing time until last season, but in her 16 appearances, she was excellent, posting a .927 save percentage with two shutouts. She’ll likely split time with Blair again in goal for the Wildcats, but she’s a starting-caliber netminder in Hockey East.
Claire Murdoch
UConn | Junior Forward
The Toronto, Ontario, native more than doubled her point production as a sophomore last season, scoring 12 goals and tacking on 27 assists. She was a consistent presence for the Huskies and is the team’s top returning scorer. She’s one of the best players in Hockey East.
Margot Norehad
Brown | Senior Forward
Norehad has seen an uptick in production in each of her first three seasons with the Bears. As a junior, the Glencoe, Ill. native recorded 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists) in 31 games. As Brown’s second-most-productive returning player, Norehad must play a crucial role for the Bears as a senior.
In her first season as a Husky after transferring from Boston College, Pellerin recorded 14 goals and 16 assists in 39 games. The Windham, N.H., native will need to carry more of the offensive load as a senior.
Stella Retrum
Vermont | Senior Forward
Retrum led the Catamounts in scoring last season with 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games. Vermont surprised most last season with its competitiveness, and if the Catamounts want to take another step forward this season, a lot is riding on Retrum.
Stephanie Stainton
Yale | Senior Forward
As a junior, the Oakville, Ontario-born Stainton was fourth on the Bulldogs in scoring, posting 15 goals and 17 assists in 36 games. She’s Yale’s top returning forward. With solid size, standing at 5-feet-8, Stainton should be a force in the ECAC this season.
Sammy Taber
Boston College | Senior Forward
The Tewksbury, Mass. native was second on the Eagles in scoring last season with nine goals and 21 assists in 33 games. A 30-point scorer in each of her first three collegiate seasons, Taber will look to eclipse the 40-point mark this season with more responsibility.
Ava Thomas
Boston College | Sophomore Forward
Thomas was shot out of a cannon as a freshman, leading the Eagles in scoring with 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 35 games. Already one of Hockey East’s most dynamic players, Thomas has another level that should scare the rest of the league.
Ainsley Tuffy
Harvard | Junior Goaltender
The Duxbury, Mass., native was the Crimson’s best player as a sophomore, recording a staggering .950 save percentage — the third-best mark in the country — in 21 games. One of the region’s best netminders, Tuffy is a dark horse candidate for the National Goalie of the Year Award.
Zablocki led an ultra-talented Huskies team in scoring as a freshman last season, dropping 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 39 games. She was named Hockey East Player of the Year and Hockey East Rookie of the Year. Even as a sophomore, she's one of the best players in the region and is a threat for major awards.
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