The CNE will have something old and something new as part of the conference for the 2025-2026 season. Former member of the CCC, Johnson & Wales returns to the league along with the new NCAA program started by Roger Williams College in Rhode Island. That brings the total to nine teams for this season along with a plan to bring back Salve Regina (sole independent club in the east this season) for the 2026-2027 season on both the men’s and women’s schedules.
On the coaching front Chris Hall is the new head coach at Roger Williams while Matt Smith replaces Jay Punsky at Western New England.
The Favorite
Curry enjoyed a magical season last year winning the conference and many post-season accolades including the national Player of the Year Award (Sid Watson Trophy) to sophomore goaltender Shane Soderwall. Soderwall has transferred to D-I Clarkson where he has continued his larcenous ways in the net and now the Colonels will look to find the replacement behind a very strong lineup. Coach Peter Roundy has an abundance of talent including Ryan Prewitt and Matt Connor on the blueline as well as a balanced attack led by Gage Dill, Killian Rowlee, Karim Gayfullin and Manny Cabral. The Colonels play hard and fast and will be tough to beat with their consistent effort and execution on the ice.
The Dark Horse
UNE may have taken a brief break from the national stage but coach Kevin Swallow’s roster is more than good enough to contend for the CNE title. It would be hard to match the firepower of the Nor’easters which includes forwards Drew Olivieri, Dominic Murphy and Jayden Price but the depth and leadership from the team comes from the blueline and tr-captains Chip Hamlett, Kevin O’Keefe and David Wilcox. Stefan Carney emerged as a solid netminder in his first season and with all three areas of the ice producing results UNE could go far in league play.
Players to watch:
Curry: Ryan Prewitt – defense; Killian Rowlee – forward
Endicott: Primo Self – forward; Brad Zona – defense
Johnson & Wales: Harout Torosian – forward; Jake Inzirillo – goaltender
Nichols: Aaron Hamel – forward; Brendan Schmidt – defense
Roger Williams: Chris Hall – coach; Max Chagovets – forward
Suffolk: Ryan Webb – forward; Thomas Dempsey – defense
University of New England: Chip Hamlett – defense; Dominic Murphy – forward
Wentworth: Desmond Johnson – defense; Nikolas Sombrowski – forward
Western New England: Matt Smith – coach; Matthew Dougherty – forward
USCHO Predicted finish:
- Curry
- UNE
- Endicott
- Suffolk
- Nichols
- Wentworth
- Western New England
- Johnson & Wales
- Roger Williams
Opening weekend will see Roger Williams host Massachusetts-Dartmouth in its inaugural game as an NCAA program while UNE will travel to face Plymouth State and Wentworth heads to Saratoga Springs, NY and a date with Skidmore on Friday before facing VTSU-Castleton on Saturday. Endicott will face Salem State on Sunday while Nichols competes in the Woo Cup against Anna Maria and either Assumption or Worcester State with a trophy on the line.