The Simple Guide to Women’s College Hockey

Melissa Burgess from The Ice Garden (TIG) here, and while I normally talk a lot about the PWHL, there’s much more to the women’s game than just the pro league. The NCAA Division I season is beginning, and there are a lot of great teams and players to watch – many of whom will likely end up playing in the PWHL someday, too.

There are currently five Division I women’s hockey conferences in the United States, which is where my focus today lies. Some of the top players in the world have suited up for these collegiate teams – from Marie-Philip Poulin at Boston University to Hilary Knight at Wisconsin – and many of these teams house true superstar powers, Olympians and national team members who are on the rise.

(Shoutout to some of my fellow writers from The Ice Garden, including Emma Sullivan and Giselle Velazquez, who assisted in picking out some of the players to watch and notable alumnae!)

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Atlantic Hockey America

Teams: Delaware, Lindenwood, Mercyhurst, Penn State, RIT, Robert Morris, Syracuse
Commissioner: Michelle Morgan
Defending Champion: Penn State
Season Preview | Preseason Poll | FloHockey Preview
How to Watch: FloHockey ($)

Notable Alumnae: Sam Isbell (Ottawa Charge), Nicole Hensley (Minnesota Frost), Shiann Darkangelo (Montréal Victoire), Allie Munroe (Toronto Sceptres)

Several teams start their regular season this weekend, as Lindenwood faces #13 St. Cloud State and Mercyhurst hosts #6 Minnesota Duluth. Syracuse also hosts the Kingston U22 team in an exhibition game on Saturday, while Robert Morris hosts an exhibition against Durham.

Oh, and Penn State? They’ve been champions of this conference (formerly called College Hockey America) for the past three seasons, having beat Mercyhurst each time.

Players to Watch: Tessa Janecke (Penn State), Julia Schalin (Mercyhurst), Rowyn Ringor (RMU)

Here’s Atlantic Hockey America’s media day:

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ECAC

Teams: Brown, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Quinnipiac, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Union, Yale
Commissioner: Doug Christiansen
Defending Champion: Cornell
Preseason Poll
How to Watch: ESPN+ ($)

Notable Alumnae: Sarah Fillier (New York Sirens), Danielle Serdachny (PWHL Seattle), Allyson Simpson (New York Sirens), Lexie Adzija (PWHL Seattle), Kristýna Kaltounková (New York Sirens)

Rensselaer (RPI) starts its season this weekend, hosting non-conference opponent Minnesota State for a pair. Exhibition games are on the slate for St. Lawrence and Colgate; Connecticut and Quinnipiac; and Clarkson (vs. Bishops).

Cornell is the defending champs, breaking a four-year streak that saw Colgate top the conference from 2021-2024. It was Cornell’s first conference title since 2014.

Players to Watch: Issy Wunder (Princeton), Elyssa Biederman (Colgate), Kahlen Lamarche (Quinnipiac), Annelies Bergmann (Cornell)

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Hockey East

Teams: Boston College, Boston University, UConn, Holy Cross, Maine, Merrimack, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Providence, Vermont
Commissioner: Steve Metcalf
Defending Champion: Boston University
Preseason Poll
How to Watch: ESPN+ ($)

Notable Alumnae: Kendall Coyne Schofield (Minnesota Frost), Alex Carpenter (PWHL Seattle), Elaine Chuli (Toronto Sceptres), Aerin Frankel (Boston Fleet), Alina Müller (Northeastern)

There are five exhibition games on tap this weekend in Hockey East, all on Saturday afternoon. Check out Boston College hosting Stonehill, Merrimack hosting Stanstead and UConn visiting Quinnipiac. Elsewhere, Maine visits New Hampshire and Vermont hosts St. Michael’s.

BU is the defending champs after winning their first conference title since 2015. Northeastern has made the championship game in each of the last nine seasons and won six straight from 2018-2023.

Players to Watch: Julia Pellerin (UConn), Sammy Taber (BC)

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NEWHA

Teams: Assumption, Franklin Pierce, Long Island, Post, Sacred Heart, Saint Anselm, Saint Michael’s, Stonehill
Commissioner: Robert DeGregorio, Jr.
Defending Champion: Sacred Heart
Preseason Poll
How to Watch: Varies by team

Notable Alumnae: Mikayla Lantto, Julia Wysocki (Budapest JA), Katie Sonntag (UNE, assistant coach)

Post kicks off the regular season this weekend with two games against St. Thomas. In exhibition play, Stonehill visits Boston College, while Saint Michael’s visits Vermont.

This conference has had four different tournament champions over the last four seasons! In addition, there are several relatively new teams – Assumption joined in 2023, and Stonehill the year prior. LIU joined in 2019.

Players to Watch: Isabella Chaput (Sacred Heart), Maggie Korneta (Franklin Pierce), Hannah Saunders (Post)

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WCHA

Teams: Bemidji State, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, Ohio State, St. Cloud State, St. Thomas, Wisconsin
Commissioner: Michelle McAteer
Defending Champion: Wisconsin
Preseason Poll
How to Watch: B1G+ ($)

Notable Alumnae: Taylor Heise (Minnesota Frost), Sophie Jaques (PWHL Vancouver), Cayla Barnes (PWHL Seattle)

Plenty of action this weekend in the WCHA! Minnesota Duluth is in Erie for two games against the aforementioned Mercyhurst, while Minnesota State visits RPI for the weekend. St. Cloud State hosts Lindenwood as well. St. Thomas kicks off its season on Sunday against Post. Finally, Ohio State hosts Durham for an exhibition game.

This is truly a powerhouse conference – a WCHA team has been the national champion in each of the last five seasons: three times Wisconsin, and twice Ohio State.

Players to Watch: Laila Edwards (Wisconsin), Joy Dunne (Ohio State), Caitlin Kraemer (Minnesota Duluth), Taylor Otremba (Minnesota State), Jojo Chobak (St. Cloud State), Chloe Primerano (Minnesota)

Here’s the WCHA’s media day:

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Further Reading