The BROWN Bears bring back their top 12 point-getters from last season, including Sam Donovan at the top. Bridget Carey (Weymouth, Mass.) was third on the team in scoring last season with 13 points. Sophomore Veronica Alois (Andover, Mass.) could have a strong season after adding eight points in her rookie year. Incoming freshman Maddie Fouts has been invited to U.S. developmental camps and could contribute to the Bears from the get-go. On defense, junior Cara Najjar (Stoneham, Mass.) is back after playing in every game the past two seasons.
After winning the national title last season, CLARKSON is looking to make noise again despite losing some top talent. The top two leading scorers, Cayley Mercer and Genevieve Bannon, graduated. Juniors Loren Gabel and Savannah Harmon will be relied on to carry that load. Michaela Boyle (Reading, Mass.) should contribute immediately after a fantastic final high school season. Shea Tiley is back in net after posting a 1.58 goals-against average. The Golden Knights should still be one of the top contenders in the ECAC.
A junior trio returns for the COLGATE Red Raiders after taking command of the offense last season as sophomores. Jessie Eldridge led the team with 37 points last year. Shae Labbe and Bailey Larson are back in the fold after finishing second and third in scoring, respectively. Senior Annika Zalewski will be another offensive leader. Julia Vandyk is back between the pipes after posting a 1.88 goals-against average last year.
Last season, CORNELL was knocked out in the NCAA semifinals by eventual champion Clarkson, and the Big Red return this season with a vengeance. The team will be looking to make its eighth trip to the ECAC title game in the past nine seasons. Gone is Hanna Bunton, but sophomore Kristen O’Neill is ready to step up after posting 26 points as a freshman. Junior goalie Marlene Boissonneault will take over in net with the departure of Paula Voorheis.
With two of its top two pointgetters gone, DARTMOUTH will turn to sophomore Christina Rombaut to pick up the slack. Sophomores Alyssa Baker and Caroline Shaughnessy (Duxbury, Mass.) also will need to carry the brunt of the offense with four seniors gone from the top six point scorers. The departure of goalie Robyn Chemengo also leaves the Big Green with a hole in net, with junior Christie Honor largely inexperienced. Dartmouth also needs to improve on a low-scoring power play and in third-period play, as the Big Green gave up 27 goals in the third period last season.
Lexie Laing (Marblehead, Mass.) is the leader again for the HARVARD Crimson, but the losses of Sydney Daniels (Southwick, Mass.), Briana Mastel and Brianna Laing (Marblehead, Mass.) in net will be difficult to overcome. Val Turgeon also will be relied upon after showing some spark as a freshman. Harvard had its moments last season but struggled to score, and losing Daniels will hurt the offense. Molly Tissenbaum (Middletown, R.I.), the Crimson backup, also has graduated, leaving sophomore Beth Larcom as the likely starting goalie with very little experience. A weak power play and penalty kill, along with an inability to score goals late in games, need to be rectified for Harvard to find a way to contend this season.
Kelsey Koelzer is gone, but the PRINCETON Tigers have plenty to build on. Karlie Lund had an impressive 44 points as a sophomore and will be looked at to lead the team again. Carly Bullock also was a 20-goal scorer as a freshman. The offense got stronger as games went on last season, and even with Koelzer gone from manning the point and Molly Contini graduated, that attack should still be proficient. Goalies Alysia DaSilva and Steph Neatby played well last season and the tandem is back.
After a strong campaign last season, the QUINNIPIAC Bobcats return quite a bit, starting with their two leading scorers. Melissa Samoskevich (Sandy Hook, Conn.) heads into her junior season after posting 29 points last season, and senior Taylar Cianfarano added 26 points of her own. Sophomore Mackenzie Lancaster posted 10 goals last season and could make a big leap this year for the Bobcats. Abbie Ives takes over in net after showing some flashes last season by allowing only one goal on 59 shots. With a plus-43 margin last season, the Bobcats look strong on both sides of the puck.
RPI struggled last season, and the loss of Laura Horwood doesn’t help. The Redhawks struggled to score as it is, and Horwood’s 19 points led the team. Senior Shayna Tomlinson (Gilford, N.H.) will be needed to pick up that lost production, along with Sabrina Repaci in her sophomore season, who has shown some flashes. Jamie Grigsby and Makenna Thomas also have expectations to boost their scoring production. For the Engineers, however, allowing goals was the biggest issue last season, giving up 5.36 goals a game.
The ST. LAWRENCE Saints looked fantastic last season before a 6-0 loss in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. The upperclassman-heavy team lost a bit but boasts a few juniors who can elevate their games this season. Kennedy Marchment tallied 56 points last season, trailing only the departed Brooke Webster with 57. Hannah Miller, also a senior this year, had 48 of her own. The Saints were one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation last season, and even with Webster gone, they should continue to find the back of the net.
UNION is hoping to eclipse last season’s five-win total. Four players were tied with the team lead with 11 points last season, but sophomore Haley Shugart could be the cog to the offense. Cheyenne Harris is another player who could make a mark, along with incoming senior Caitlyn McLaren. Three freshman goalies split the bill last season, and Kate Spooner should see the most time again this year. With only 28 goals scored all season and 111 allowed, there’s a lot for the Dutchwomen to improve upon.
The YALE Bulldogs had some struggles last season, going 10-17-4, and they lose quite a bit of scoring. Senior Eden Murray returns, but the next three scorers have graduated. That leaves juniors Jordan Chancellor and Julia Yetman to take their places, alongside senior Mallory Souliotis (Acton, Mass.), a defender who was drafted to the NWHL. Sophomore goalie Tera Hoffman elevated her game last season and should improve on her 2.56 goals-against mark. The Bulldogs were a minus-14 in goal differential last season and will look to rebound from five straight losses to end the season.
