The girls prep hockey scene is chock-full of talent once again.
There are plenty of Division 1 commits to note, especially among the Preseason All-Stars, and many more prospects will be high on recruiting radars this season.
Defending champion Loomis Chaffee has its fair share of representation among the All-Large School teams below, as do Phillips Andover and Nobles.
Still, there are also other key teams to watch this season with players earning a nod in our preseason honors.
Let’s dive into our preseason girls First and Second Large School teams.
First team
Lindsay Stepnowski | Loomis Chaffee | F
The reigning Elite 8 MVP is poised to run it back as a senior with the Pelicans. Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.) is prep’s leading returning scorer after she had 44 points in 27 games. The Harvard commit’s 25 goals were good enough to tie her for second best in the region. Stepnowski is coming off a ridiculous playoff run that featured seven points (six goals) in three games en route to the title.
Maria Gray | Phillips Exeter | F
One of New England’s most dangerous goal scorers over the past two seasons, Gray is poised for a big senior year on an upward-trending Exeter squad. The Vermont commit had 40 points (18 goals) in 25 games last season and will be a key piece to a potent top line again.
Sarah Powers | Phillips Andover | F
Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.) enters her senior year as a go-to option for the Big Blue again. The Boston College commit had 26 points (14 goals) in 26 games last year as she helped Andover reach the Elite 8 final. It marked a career year after she had 24 points (15 goals) as a sophomore. She'll be a big part of a key group of four seniors leading Andover's forward group.
RANKINGS: Who leads the first girls prep top 10 entering 2025-26? | Which teams outside of the top 10 could contend?
Ava Decourcey | Nobles | D
Decourcey (Rockland, Mass.) is primed for a monster season at Nobles, coming off an 11-point, four-goal debut season for the Bulldogs. The Yale commit is coming off a strong summer, and she’s not far removed from a 16-goal, 24-point season on Tilton’s blue line in 2023-24.
Chloe Cleaves | Deerfield | D
Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.) was one of the best defenders in prep last winter with 28 points (16 goals) in 28 games in her debut season at Deerfield, helping the Big Green to a Large School title. The Yale commit figures to be a dynamic, do-it-all presence again.
Evelyn Lacey | Tabor | G
Lacey (Braintree, Mass.) comes to Tabor from Tilton, where she set the program record for single-season saves (1,114), posting a .956 save percentage while facing the most shots in prep (1,165). The Brown commit will repeat her junior year and fortify the Seawolves’ crease.
GIRLS PREP BREAKOUT CANDIDATES: 24 forwards | 22 defenders | 8 goalies
Second team
Gretta Hulbig | Nobles | F
The spotlight will be on Hulbig (Foxboro, Mass.) as she leads the way in Nobles’ forward group this season. The Yale commit had a career year with 38 points (17 goals) in 30 games, and the Bulldogs will rely on her powerful 200-foot game.
Evelyn Doyle | Dexter Southfield | F
One of the best two-way centers in the NEPSAC, Doyle (Needham, Mass.) is in position for another strong season as a senior at Dexter. The Yale commit has back-to-back 20-point seasons under her belt. Last winter, she helped Dexter reach the Elite 8 as she posted 21 points (11 goals) in 25 games last winter, which followed 26 points (14 goals) the year prior.
Erin Flaherty | St. Paul’s | F
Flaherty (Boston, Mass.) continues to ascend for the Big Red, coming off a career season as a sophomore with 25 points (11 goals) in 29 games to lead St. Paul’s in scoring. It came after an impressive freshman season for the Boston University commit, who had 17 points (14 assists) in 27 games.
Maddie Lahah | St. George’s | F
In our magazine, Lahah was listed under our Small School Second Team, as St. George's was a Small School squad last season. NEPSAC's 2025-26 classifications came out after we made the teams, so we're adding her to the Large School's Second Team instead.
A skilled, powerful forward, Lahah (North Attleboro, Mass.) has established herself as a top producer in prep over the past two seasons at St. George’s. The Yale commit had 34 points (17 goals) in 23 games last season as the Dragons reached the postseason, following 37 points (19 goals) the year prior.
PREP PREVIEWS: Nobles | Exeter | Cushing | Tabor | Groton | New Hampton | Andover | Dexter Southfield | BB&N | Williston Northampton | Loomis Chaffee | Thayer
Maggie Averill | Phillips Andover | D
Averill (Wayland, Mass.) will step into an even brighter spotlight for the Big Blue, who graduated top blue-liner Molly Boyle (Scituate, Mass.). Averill, a Princeton commit, has a high-end skillset to complement her size. She had 22 points (12 goals) on the blue line last winter, helping Andover to the Elite 8 final. She helps make up a key group of four juniors on the Big Blue's blue line.
Abby DeAnzeris | Thayer | D
The Tigers will rely on DeAnzeris (Needham, Mass.) again, coming off a career season with 30 points (five goals) on the blue line. The Saint Anselm commit consistently has produced on the back end for Thayer. She's entering her second season as a captain.
Adeline Roper | Loomis Chaffee | G
Roper (Kennebunkport, Maine) was nails for the Pelicans last season. In her first season as the starter, she stepped into the full-time gig and posted a strong .949 save percentage. The Williams commit was terrific in the playoffs, as well, carding a .942 save percentage in three Elite 8 contests. She's back to hold down the crease for Loomis once again.
