Two-time defending conference champions Colgate were given the vote of confidence for a three-peat in the coaches preseason poll, but there are plenty of talented teams here that will make that very difficult. The Raiders have some rookies that should make an immediate impact. With their mix of veterans and one of the best incoming classes this season, it feels like folks are wildly underrating Cornell at this point. Princeton gets Sarah Fillier back, Quinnipiac returns much of the roster that pushed Ohio State to the very brink in the NCAA quarterfinals and Yale graduated just four players. Elite rookies are joining Olympic and World Championship medalists on already impressive rosters to make this one of the best top to bottom outlooks for the ECAC, possibly ever. Seven conference teams were ranked in the first national polls of the year.
Brown
Last Season
6-18-5, 6-12-4 (ninth).
Names to know
Junior Kaley Doyle started the majority of games in net for Brown and her .932 save percentage put her in the top third of goaltenders nationally.
Brown’s top two scorers from last season graduated, but sophomore Anna Hurd was an immediately impactful rookie and was second on the team with seven goals. Madie Stockfish and Maya Mangiafico were contributing underclassmen that will need to fill a bigger role this season.
What to Watch For
The continued growth of Brown Bears hockey. It has been 13 years since the last time this team managed six conference victories and nine years since they last won six games in a season overall. There is not one single thing or player to point to and hang last year’s success on. Everything the Bears did was just a bit better last season. They allowed 30 fewer goals last season than they did two years ago. They scored a few more goals, took a few more shots, did a bit better on the power play. Six of their losses were by a single goal and they pushed Princeton, St. Lawrence, Cornell and Penn State to ties while winning games over the nationally ranked Bobcats and Yale.
Things surely aren’t where coach Mel Ruzzi wants them to be, but they are absolutely moving in the right direction in very clear and obvious ways. In a conference this tough, making significant moves up the standings won’t be easy, but Brown showed last season that they’re willing to do the work.
Crystal Ball
I’m picking Brown ninth.
Clarkson
Last Season
22-12-3, 13-8-1 (fourth). Lost to St. Lawrence in the ECAC Tournament.
Names to know
Sophomore Michelle Pasiechnyk won the starting job in her rookie season and ended up 10th in the country with a 1.68 goals against average, but Clarkson brings in sophomore transfer Holly Gruber from UMD and freshman Julia Minotti alongside sophomore Alexa Madrid, so the situation may not be as settled this year.
Defenders Haley Winn and Stephanie Markowski were strong pieces of the blue line. They aren’t afraid to block shots or get the puck to the net. They bring dimension to Clarkson’s game in both directions.
What to Watch For
The Golden Knights’ fortunes took a hit with both Laurence Frenette and Dominique Petrie suffering major, season-ending injuries before the season even started. They also will be without highly-touted recruit Sarah Swiderski, who was introduced as part of their incoming class but then not listed on their roster. I was told she “is not on our active roster at this time.” They were already going to have to replace the scoring and leadership of Caitrin Lonergan. They’ll be counting on the continued output of Brooke McQuigge, Gabrielle David and Nicole Gosling.
Clarkson is a fairly experienced team, with just four freshman skaters and a rookie goalie joining the lineup this year. The most recognizable names from the roster have moved on in the past two seasons, leaving a lot of room for players to fill new roles, take on leadership and lead the team.
The Golden Knights’ schedule will allow them to ease into the season, but they finish by running the gauntlet of all the other top ECAC teams starting at the end of January. Every point will matter there, but it should prepare Clarkson for the post-season and put them in good position to be playing their best hockey at the right time.
Crystal Ball
I have Clarkson sixth. They’ve taken a big hit via injuries and there’s just not a lot of wiggle room here.
Colgate
Last Season
30-8-1, 16-5-1 (first). Lost to Yale in overtime in the NCAA regional finals.
Names to know
Junior Kalty Kaltounkova and senior Danielle Serdachny tied for the team lead with 53 points each, which put them at seventh in the nation. Kaltounkova’s 28 goals were third best in the nation.
Freshman Elysse Biederman showed off her speed at the U-18 world championships, scoring a short-handed goal. On an impressive team, the way she moved with and without the puck stood out.
What to Watch For
The Raiders won the regular season and conference titles, missed out on the Frozen Four by virtue of an overtime loss and return their goalie and all of their top scorers while adding impressive freshmen. They are a solid, confident and impressive team that should be able to pick up right where they left off.
While there is scoring up and down the roster, there are definitive drop offs in production from line to line. With the depth of so many teams in the ECAC, I’m not sure being reliant on one group will be enough. Adaptability has long been a key to the style of play at Colgate and I’d like to see players further down the line chart get the puck to the net a bit more.
Crystal Ball
The more previews I write, the more I waffle on this. In my preseason national poll voting, I had Quinnipiac, Cornell and Princeton ahead of them, so for consistency’s sake, I’ll put them third here with the full knowledge that they have all the pieces to prove me very, very wrong.
Cornell
Last Season
14-14-2, 12-8-2 (sixth). Lost to Colgate in the ECAC quarterfinals.
Names to know
The whole incoming class. But to play by the rules, I feel like people will immediately notice Sarah MacEachern on the ice. She is a strong, patient and calm defender who makes plays all over the ice and was also quick to jump into offensive play.
Sophomore Rory Guilday was something of a surprise addition to Team USA for the senior World Championships, but the 5’11” defender saw ice time in every game and tallied a goal and an assist. She uses her size to pinch off lanes and force the play to the outside.
What to Watch For
In addition to returning all their top scorers, the Big Red have possibly the best, but very definitely a top three incoming freshman class. That being said, rookies usually take some time to transition, Ivy schools take a little longer because of their delayed start and Cornell has struggled with this in the past. On paper, this is one of the most talented teams in the country and poll voters are either not prepared to give them credit until the prove it or are unconvinced the young talent will turn into successful college players quickly.
Like Wisconsin in the WCHA, Cornell does not have a clear frontrunner in net heading into the season, but with the team they have, I’m not sure how much that’s going to matter. This is a team that has always been very good on defense and, on paper at least, has a fully dynamic offense. They may simply be capable of outscoring most teams and figuring out the rest.
Crystal Ball
I apparently have a lot higher expectations for Cornell than most others. I have them fifth in my national poll, just behind Quinnipiac, so I’ll put them second here and quietly wait for the Big Red to surprise everyone, I guess.
Dartmouth
Last Season
9-19-1, 3-18-1 (eleventh). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.
Names to know
Junior Tiffany Hill is the kind of player you’ll find all over the ice. She’s as likely to be blocking opponents shots as she is to be taking them herself. She was one of three skaters that tied for the team lead with 14 points.
What to Watch For
The Big Green return six of their seven top scorers from an offense that was more prolific than it has been over the past few years. Just three points separated their eight top point getters last season, showing depth and the ability to spread the puck around. Unfortunately, they also gave up more goals per game than they had been. Last season’s team was young and coming off not playing for a season and still managed a win total that hadn’t been seen in Hanover since the 2014-15 season. They have more experience and comfort, particularly in net, and will look to make some more moves up the standings.
Last season, Dartmouth made a splash with early wins over Cornell, St. Lawrence and Vermont, but were not able to sustain that success throughout the season. They’ll have a chance for some early marquee wins again this season, but I’m much more interested in seeing how they hold up down the stretch, particularly when they run the gauntlet of ranked teams in late January and early February.
Crystal Ball
I have Dartmouth finishing tenth.
Harvard
Last Season
22-10-1, 16-5-1 (third). Lost to Minnesota Duluth in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Names to know
Senior Kristin Delle Rovere was first-team All-ECAC and All-Ivy and is the team’s top returning scorer. Her prowess on faceoffs allow the Crimson to set up their offense. She’s adept at dishing the puck and will need to become a bit more scoring-minded.
Senior Anne Bloomer comes up big in big situations. She led the team in power play goals and was second with four game-winning goals. She’s got a nose for the net and isn’t afraid to let a shot fly.
What to Watch For
There are currently only two goalies listed on Harvard’s roster. Daisy Boyton did not see any ice time last season and Alex Pellicci appeared in just three games.
There are 17 underclassmen on this team. The 12 sophomores helped carry the team to the NCAA tournament in their rookie campaign and now have that experience, but overall, this is still just a young team. I expect to see growing pains, particularly in the defensive end.
In November, they head to Minnesota to play two games in Duluth followed immediately by a Tuesday game against Boston College. That’s a really interesting non-conference run and I think will be a good measuring stick for all three of those teams.
Crystal Ball
I have the Crimson finishing seventh.
Princeton
Last Season
13-15-5, 9-10-3 (eighth). Lost to Yale in the ECAC semifinals.
Names to know
Yes, Sarah Fillier is only a junior and she returns to Princeton after leading Canada to their latest World Championship August. Her five goals and 11 assists led the team. Before that, her eight goals at the Beijing Olympics were second among all skaters. It was a truly impressive year away and now she’s back to wreak havoc in the NCAA.
Senior Mariah Keopple and junior Stef Wallace anchor a defense that will be called upon to give the young goaltenders a chance to get settled in. Rachel McQuigge was an imposing, calm presence in back for the Tigers. They’re one of several teams looking to a set of inexperienced options to take over the starting job.
What to Watch For
It’s going to be a question for a lot of players that returned to the NCAA this year, but feels like it might be most poignant here with the way her play has placed even more expectations on Fillier. It was a busy, exhausting past year for players that were centralized. They played two World Championships and an Olympics in about 13 months and now jump back into their college teams with very little time having passed since they were in Denmark. Fillier has the bonus of the late start to the Ivy calendar, but that schedule is absolutely going to wear on them mentally and physically. There are a lot of hopes and expectations pinned to Fillier and how she – and the team – manage that will be crucial to whether they are ultimately successful or not.
In her rookie season, Fillier and Connors were a potent one-two punch and I’m excited to see them play together again.
Princeton will play Northeastern in Nashville on Black Friday, which should be the best non-conference game of the season.
Crystal Ball
Ranking ECAC teams right now feels impossible. Just assume that on any given day 1-5 are completely interchangeable and that putting Princeton fifth has no meaning.
Quinnipiac
Last Season
26-10-3, 15-7-0 (fourth). Lost to Ohio State in 2OT in the NCAA Regional Final.
Names to know
Grad student Logan Angers was the starting goalie two seasons ago and then started a third of the Bobcats’ games last year, with transfer Corinne Schroeder taking the bulk of the time in net. Now Angers is once again the presumptive starter. A tall but agile goalie, she matched Schroeder’s goals against average and puts Quinnipiac in a much better position than most programs who have to replace a standout goaltender.
Junior Kendall Cooper is a bit of a sleeper as an offensive defender. She reads plays well on the breakout, dishes the puck and is a good option for a shot from the blue line. Her 20 assists put her in the top 20 among defenders nationwide.
Freshman Madison Chantler tied for the Team Canada lead in goals and tied for second in overall points at the U18 World Championships in June. She picked up confidence as the tournament progressed and if she can be a little more pointed in her shots, I think she’ll be another immediately impactful rookie for Quinnipiac.
What to Watch For
Quinnipiac is the reason I feel so confident in saying teams like Cornell are not getting the attention they should. Last season, they were overlooked in preseason polls and were a breath away from eliminating Ohio State on their home ice and advancing to the Frozen Four.
Like Colgate, this is a successful team that’s icing nearly the same roster as last season that should be able to pick up right where they left off. I said last season that the ceiling was high and while the Bobcats had a great year, I still don’t think they’ve reached their peak.
Quinnipiac alum Melissa Samoskevich is one of the best players the program has produced in recent memory and she is back in Hamden as Director of Player Development and Operations after spending two seasons as an assistant coach with Penn State. This is one of a number of former player hires across the country this year and we really love to see it. It’s important in terms of creating and growing a coaching pipeline for women, but it’s also incredibly impactful for players to have someone close in age who’s been successful to connect with on and off the ice.
Crystal Ball
Using my above logic, I had them ranked highest in my national poll, so I’ll stick with it here.
RPI
Last Season
9-23-0, 5-17-0 (tenth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.
Names to know
Freshman Nina Christof played for Germany in the most recent Women’s World Championship and tallied a goal for her country. The small, crafty forward should be a good complement to senior Marah Wagner, who led RPI in scoring last season.
Senior goalie Alyssa Rampado was the backbone of many of RPI’s close games this season and her 945 saves were the third most in the country. She improved her save percentage over the previous season and faced an absolute barrage while sitting eighth among goalies for minutes played. Having her experience gives the Engineers so much confidence to be more aggressive on offense.
What to Watch For
The Engineers bounced back last season after their winless 19-20 campaign and had a strong showing against a number of ranked and top-of-the-table teams, including wins over #9 Providence, Clarkson and Boston University and narrow losses to Cornell, Colgate, Princeton and Harvard. It is clear that this is a team capable of making waves and pushing for a berth in the ECAC tournament.
One place they made big advances was on offense, nearly doubling the number of goals they scored their previous season. They’re solid on the defensive end and added a scoring threat in Wagner that completely changed how they approach a game. I’m hoping we see them take that even further this season.
Crystal Ball
I have RPI finishing eleventh.
St. Lawrence
Last Season
15-15-7, 10-8-4 (seventh). Lost to Yale in the ECAC Tournament quarterfinals.
Names to know
Junior Julia Gosling is a 5’11” forward that was the youngest player to centralize with Canada prior to the Beijing Olympics. She didn’t make the final roster, but traveled to Beijing as part of a taxi squad and
Senior Lucy Morgan was one of the top goalies in the country, finishing seventh with a .939 save percentage. But St. Lawrence has brought in Denmark national Emma-Sofie Nordström this season and may want to get her some experience. Nordström was on Denmark’s Olympic squad and uses her size to cover a lot of the net. Morgan played more minutes than any other goalie last season, so we may see her get some more rest this year.
What to Watch For
Can St. Lawrence break through to the top? The competition is fierce, but sitting in the middle of the pack isn’t what they want to accomplish. They’re a solid team with a number of returners and a dynamic forward in Gosling that I’d like to see a bit more from. With six one-goal losses and seven ties, they seem to be falling just short of being able to break through and close out games. That being said, they also lost five games by three goals or more. There’s a lack of consistency that keeps them as a mid-table team and with an uphill battle come the postseason.
An early season set of non-conference games against Providence, Minnesota Duluth, Penn State and Syracuse should help gauge where the Saints measure up to the rest of the country as a whole.
Crystal Ball
I’d love to see them move up, but it’s rough going at the top of this table, so I have them eighth.
Union
Last Season
5-28-1, 2-20-0 (twelfth). Did not qualify for the ECAC tournament.
Names to know
Junior defenders Allison Smith and Meredith Killian combined for 135 blocks – 35% of the team total. They sell out their bodies over and over again to stop the puck, consistently getting themselves in position to shut down opposing offenses.
Senior defender Emily King led the team in shots. She’s not afraid to get the puck to net and hope for deflections or second-chance opportunities. On a team that has to be more offensive-minded, she’s dishing the puck from the blue line to try and jump start the team.
What to Watch For
Last season goaltending duties were split between Sophie Matsoukas and Olivia Rinzel, who has since transferred to DIII Hamline. First year goalie Emily Evans and junior Hope Crisafi will be looking to earn time away from Matsoukas.
Union will also be without Grace Heiting, who was a leader for the team on and off the ice, as well in goals. Her combination of sharp shot and physical play were central to the team and they’ll need to find another player that can step into that role. As always, this is a team in need of more offense, sitting at the bottom of the field with just 1.24 goals scored per game.
Crystal Ball
Union finishes twelfth.
Yale
Last Season
26-9-1, 16-5-1 (second). Lost to Ohio State in the NCAA semifinal.
Names to know
Junior Ella Hartje broke the Yale single season record with 35 assists and her 51 points were the second most by a Bulldog ever. She led the ECAC in points per game while leading her team with 46 blocks. It was a total performance in which she doubled her output from the 19-20 season.
Sophomore Vita Poniatovskaia was second among ECAC blueliners in goals with nine goals and was named to the ECAC All-Rookie team. A strong skater with deceptive speed, she is great in transition, not afraid to let loose with a shot and is always a threat for a short-handed tally.
What to Watch For
The Bulldogs’ goal for last season was to move into the top half of the conference and they did it in a big way, making their first Frozen Four appearance and finishing second while obliterating the previous program record for wins in a season. They are returning all but one of last year’s top scorers, but will need to fill the very capable skates of goalie Gianna Meloni. Pia Dukaric started about a third of Yale’s games last season, so isn’t coming in cold, but will still need to step it up. The Bulldogs were third in the nation in team defense and Meloni was a large part of that.
They were good in every part of the game and part of what worked for them is that they didn’t have one single standout player they relied on. Sure Hartje had a stellar year, but they had eight skaters with 20 or more points and were able to count on all of their lines to be impactful. Yale plays a very complete style of hockey that’s just really fun to watch as they wear down opponents, move the puck well and involve every player to earn a win.
Crystal Ball
It feels like it makes no sense to say Yale is fourth, but I also don’t know where I would move anyone above them down. I’m looking forward to all of these teams somehow proving me very wrong.
