For the first time in the past few seasons, the same team took the regular season and tournament titles. Franklin Pierce won their second championship but earned their first bid to the NCAA Tournament. Five different schools have won the NEWHA Tournament in the eight years of its existence – Assumption will be pushing to add themselves to that list for the first time this year. This conference tends towards chaos and I mean that in the most complimentary way. Nearly every team has a shot at the win every time they take the ice. It probably makes coaches a little nuts and it makes predicting the outcome nearly impossible, but it also makes every it incredibly fun to watch.
Assumption
Last season I said the Greyhounds were looking to take the next step with their experienced roster and Assumption really delivered. They set new program records in wins and conference wins and earned a second place finish in NEWHA in just their third season as a program. Now in their fourth season they have been picked to win it all in the coaches preseason poll. It’s a phenomenal arc for this fledgling program. Some of their inexperience showed as the season wound down and in the conference tournament. But now they’ve been there before and return much of the roster that has built this from scratch and will be clamoring to cement their spot in program history by winning a title and earning an NCAA berth before they graduate.
Last Season
19-16-3, 17-8-2 (second). Lost to Saint Anselm in the NEWHA Tournament semifinals.
Key Returners
Senior forwards Kayla and Ava McGaffigan
Kayla led the team with 17 goals and 34 points. Ava was second in scoring and led the team with 27 assists. They were second and third in the conference in scoring, as well.
Key Departures
Defenders Annabel Ziskin, Mary McKiernan (graduation), Senior goalie Jadyn Weiser (not on roster)
Weiser was second in the conference with 1.81 goals against per game and was a big reason many expected this team to take another step forward. But she’s not listed on the roster and the team brought in fifth-year Bella Gould from Syracuse. Maria Suarez and Leila Fournier each started two games last season. Gould played in eight games in her time with the Orange. There are a lot of questions in net right now.
Most intriguing newcomer
Forward Allison Ryan
She averaged more than a point per game in her senior season at Minnetonka.
Prediction
First
Franklin Pierce
Because predictions are a losing battle, I’m always thrilled when I get something right. In last season’s preview I said of FPU, “Though they were picked fourth in the coaches poll, I feel like they’ve got a good shot at pushing for their second NEWHA title.” Thanks to the Ravens for making me look good. It was a special season for Franklin Pierce, earning their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Jill Hertl gave one last heroic performance, making 49 saves and holding Quinnipiac scoreless for nearly two full periods.With 11 new players this season, plus some returners from long injury and time away, there’s a lot of work to be done to find chemistry.
Last Season
23-12-2, 18-8-2 (first). Lost to Quinnipiac in the NCAA regional semifinal.
Key Returners
Junior forward Caleigh Murphy, junior goalie Rylee Eno, senior forward Anna Caumo
Caumo returns to the squad after taking a year off to compete with Team Italy in the 2026 Milan Olympics. She comes back as captain after becoming the first player in program history to play in the Olympics. Eno posted a .942 save percentage and a 1.98 goals-against average across nine games last season
Key Departures
Goalie Jill Hertl, senior Brynn Levinson (graduation), junior defender Bo Dean (Long Island)
The loss of Hertl is the biggest thing the Ravens will have to overcome if they’re going to be in contention this season.
Most intriguing newcomer
Sophomore forward Lily Erickson (St. Cloud State), forward Mia Kraut
Prediction
Second
Long Island University
After three straight regular-season conference titles, LIU had their worst-ever finish in NEWHA. They had graduated most of their foundational group, so it wasn’t surprising. Now they’re looking to get over that slump and prove that winning wasn’t just about that first class of recruits but is a feature of this program. They return their core of scorers, the base of the defense and are bringing in a class that looks to make an immediate impact. After a 6-12-1 start to the season, the Sharks turned things around, going 12-5 to close out the year and set a foundation they can build on this season. I always appreciate the commitment and resiliency that kind of turnaround shows and I like the position it leaves them in as they try to turn things around even more this year.
Last Season
18-17-1, 16-11-3 (fifth). Lost to Stonehill in the opening round of the NEWHA Tournament.
Key Returners
Senior defender Sam Mathe, senior forward Grace Babington
Babington was 1st-Team All-NEWHA and led the team with 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points. She will captain the Sharks this season. Mathe anchored the team on defense, putting up 75 blocks. However, both of these two led the team in penalty minutes.
Key Departures
Forward Paige Vreeman, defender Emma Mörtl (graduation)
Most intriguing newcomer
Forward Bo Dean (Franklin Pierce), forward Saga Odebrant
Dean was second on the Ravens in scoring with 15 goals and 12 assists. She has the experience of building to the championship last season and playing in the NCAA Tournament. She offers a big offensive boost. Odebrant has spent parts of the last three seasons in the SDHL and with those team’s development programs. She’s used to physical play and, at 20, experience and maturity.
Prediction
Third
Post
Brandon Brown had the interim tag removed and became the head coach by the end of last season and despite losing more than half their scoring, they ended up with roughly the same record and in the same place in the standings. This season, they’ve again lost their top scorers, this time as they transferred out to Division III schools. But they also need a new starting goalie after Hannah Saunders graduated. She took all of the starts the past two years. This is a team that’s already upside down on goals for and goals against and things are going to be even harder this year.
Last Season
11-25-1, 10-17-1 (seventh). Lost to Assumption in the opening round of the NEWHA Tournament
Key Returners
Senior forward Jodie Rose, junior goalie Devyn Amundson
Amundson seems the most likely to take over the net. She’s started just 11 games over her first two seasons with Post. Her save percentage was much improved over more games last season, which is a good sign, but it’s still going to be a transition for her to take on more starts. The Eagles used a tandem with Saunders three years ago and I wouldn’t be surprised if they return to that this season. There were only six players that tallied ten or more points last season and Rose is the highest returning scorer.
Key Departures
Goalie Hannah Saunders (graduation), senior forward Emma Hoen (transfer to DIII)
Most intriguing newcomer
Forward Emma Hardwick
Was a Minnesota high school state runner up with Warroad last season. She was named to the Section 8A second-team and scored eight goals and added 19 assists on the season.
Prediction
Sixth
Sacred Heart
The Pioneers proved the point about unpredictability by going from finishing second and starting the season atop the preseason poll to finishing sixth. They had just four series wins all season, three of which happened in the final month of the season. That does seem to imply that things were coming together and gives some home for the upcoming season, but they need to find a starting goalie or tandem and more consistent scoring.
They did have seven players in double digits in scoring, but the team as a whole needs to be better 200-foot players. Too often there seemed to be an “either/or” air about them, with players either blocking shots or putting shots on net. This has to be a full team effort all over the ice if they are going to fight for a championship.
Last Season
13-21-2, 12-14-2 (sixth). Lost to Saint Anselm in the opening round of the NEWHA Tournament.
Key Returners
Senior forward Bria Holm
She led the team with eight goals and ten assists.
Key Departures
Goalie Jillian Petruno (St. Thomas), defender Olivia LaRoche (graduation)
Most intriguing newcomer
Czech goalie Barbora Dalecká
I’d imagine she’ll get at least a chance at winning the starting spot with Petruno’s transfer. There was a significant spike in goals against and drop in save percentage when Petruno wasn’t in net. Dalecká is 20 and looking to find a place to settle in and grow.
Prediction
Fifth
Saint Anselm
The university announced they would be moving to DIII and this is their final year playing in NEWHA. Thirteen players from last year’s team left via the transfer portal. And yet, they’re still not picked to finish last. But still, it’s going to be a chaotic season for the Hawks who are in massive transition. I can’t imagine there’s too much focus on this season and I can’t blame them. I think the hope here is to get through the season healthy and ready to take on what’s next.
Last Season
19-18-1, 16-11-1 (third). Lost to Franklin Pierce in the NEWHA Tournament finals.
Key Returners
Junior forward Eden Granley, goalie Julia Matyas
Matyas appeared in seven games last season earning a 1.55 goals against average and .959 save percentage.
Key Departures
Sophomore goalie Kayla Czukoski (LIU), junior forward Lucy DeCouteau (Mercyhurst), Brooklyn Schneiderhahn (graduation)
Schneiderhahn was not just the team’s leading scorer, but the highest scorer in the conference.
Most intriguing newcomer
Forward Lindsey Pontillo
Won a state championship with the Taft School and spent an extra year prepping at Lovell Academy.
Prediction
Seventh
St. Michael’s
It truly says so much that there’s a team in this conference that all but punted this season and that team is still picked to finish ahead of St. Michael’s. The Purple Knights have won just five games over the last three seasons and consistently sit at the bottom of every statistical category nationwide. They were the only team to average lower than a goal per game this season on offense (0.76) and the only team to allow more than five goals per game on defense (5.26). They were fourth in the country in penalty minutes per game, converted on just 6.32 percent of their power plays and were second to last with a 73.72% penalty kill. It’s difficult to be positive about the situation at St. Michael’s and I continue to feel bad for the student athletes.
Last Season
1-33-0, 1-27-0 (eighth). Lost to Franklin Pierce in the opening round of the NEWHA tournament.
Key Returners
Junior forward Brianna Jarvis, senior defender Maddie Quinn
Quinn racked up an insane 121 blocks last season, which was not quite double anyone else on the team. Jarvis was second on the team with nine points.
Key Departures
Goalie Annika Lavender (graduation), Sophomore Kyler Weatherred (DIII)
Most intriguing newcomers
Forward Jen Birolini
She set the school record for goals at Pembroke and was a four-time all-star and two-time Patriot League Fisher MVP. At Tabor Academy for her final two seasons, she had 26 goals and 19 assists in 55 career games
Prediction
Eighth
Stonehill
The Skyhawks enter their fifth season with an uphill climb after graduating the class that started the program in 2022. Not only do they have a ton of roster spots to fill, but they’ll be looking for players to take on leadership roles and help set the tone for the program moving forward. Turnover is a fact of life in the collegiate game, but this is the first big one for Stonehill and how they handle it will have direct bearing on where they finish this season.
Last Season
18-17-2, 16-10-2 (fourth). Lost to Franklin Pierce in the NEWHA Tournament semifinals
Key Returners
Junior defender Reagan Whynot
An All-NEWHA Second Team selection, she was third on the team in points and is the highest returning scorer. A defender ranking that high on the team in scoring doesn’t say great things about the offense and Stonehill has to find more power up front, but Whynot showed she doesn’t fit the traditional mold and can be effective in both directions. She set a single-season program record for a defender with 24 points on nine goals and 15 assists.
Key Departures
Goalie Eve Stone, forward Maddi Achtyl, forward Gracie Sacca, defender Sydney Russell, (graduation)
The Skyhawks graduated 11 players last year and will have a lot of work to do to replace some foundational players. But that just means there’s a lot of opportunity on this roster for players to step up.
Most intriguing newcomer
Forward Ella Nonweiler
Prediction
Fourth