Season previews for leagues
These teams would love to be playing in a conference and have the chance to battle for a league title or an opportunity to play on the national stage. Being an independent makes the former impossible but the latter a remote possibility and so, four teams play their non-conference schedules with the hope of impressing … Read more
Plymouth State has been the elite team in MASCAC over the past few seasons – winning the conference title but still in search of their first NCAA tournament game victory. This year the Panthers look to accomplish both but first things first – the MASCAC championship. “We were so close last year against UNE in … Read more
The UCHC continues to expand its membership with Alvernia joining the conference this season as the 11th team in the league. While the new team will be expected to be competitive, the top of the standings still looks like it will be a race among a handful of usual competitors. “There continues to be a … Read more
The University of New England carried the CCC banner all the way to the Frozen Four last season but will face strong challenges from the other teams in the conference. New coaches at Nichols (Alex Gacek) and Suffolk (Shawn McEachern) will bring new depth and excitement to this season’s battle for the conference championship. “I … Read more
SUNYAC has seen Geneseo win the last four conference championships contested and there is most definitely a bullseye on the Knights with several teams looking to unseat the defending champions. “We have a really good group with good chemistry,” said Oswego head coach, Ed Gosek. “This group is really fun to coach, and it really … Read more
In what many consider the most competitive conference on the D-III hockey landscape, the NEHC has emerged beyond just the top teams in recent years setting up great competition for the conference championship. This year will be no different as expectations for the level of play are higher across all the institutions leading to a … Read more
Since the 2016-17 season, four different teams have hoisted the championship banner in the NE-10 including Assumption two times, St. Anselm, Southern New Hampshire and Stonehill. With the departure of Stonehill to play in the D-1 ranks, the NE-10 now fields just six teams who will play each other four times each during the regular … Read more
It was an odd year for the WIAC as no team from the conference made the NCAA tournament. But that isn’t likely to be the case this year. UW-Eau Claire is the reigning champ in the league and closed out last season on a winning streak that was punctuated with a 6-2 win over rival … Read more
It’s difficult to predict what will happen in a college hockey season, but coaches and journalists try, issuing preseason polls and predictions at this time of year. It’s a difficult and usually futile effort, especially when it comes to Atlantic Hockey. Air Force coach Frank Serratore should know. His Falcons were picked ninth in last … Read more
New coaches at two of the league’s Boston-based schools, high expectations for the other, and the return of Frozen Fenway highlight the storylines heading into Hockey East’s 39th season. For the first time since almost fifty years, the Battle of Comm. Ave between Boston College and Boston University will feature neither longtime Eagles coach Jerry … Read more
Is this B1G Hockey’s big season? Finally? While Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin have 23 national championships among them, not one of those titles was captured as a member of the Big Ten. Since its inaugural season in 2013-14, B1G Hockey has sent teams to the Frozen Four seven times, and two B1G teams … Read more
The first season of the CCHA’s return to competition was nearly perfect. We’ll stress the word “nearly” there. Minnesota State came within a period of winning its first-ever national title, leading Denver 1-0 going into the third period of the NCAA championship game before ultimately losing 5-1. That, of course, wasn’t the way the Mavericks … Read more
You’ve clicked on a link to this conference season preview, so chances are you already know how strong the NCHC is. So does Heather Weems, who spent the last decade as St. Cloud State’s athletic director before being named in May as the NCHC’s new commissioner. She succeeds Josh Fenton, who previously accepted another NCAA … Read more
The past two years offered some of the most shape-shifting and chaotic times in college hockey. Conferences realigned, teams expanded and contracted, and new leagues formed. Future changes were thrust into a white-hot spotlight, and the bedrock emotional culture of the sport ranged from anxiety and fear to excitement and anticipation. Through it all, ECAC … Read more
Plymouth State has been the elite team in MASCAC the past few years and is poised to contend again among a host of challengers. Having won the title in 2019-20, the Panthers seek to repeat the feat post-COVID. The conference boasts two long-time coaches combining for over 1150 wins at the D-III level. Bill O’Neill … Read more
The UCHC brings something old (Utica – read more below) and something new (Arcadia joins the league) but expect the competition to be consistently tough among a growing list of challengers for the title. “We are old and big,” said Utica coach Gary Heenan. “This leadership group including our super seniors has won four regular … Read more
When the NCAA tournament was canceled in 2020 due to COVID, 25% of the 12 team field came from the NEHC. When the UCHC was the only conference contested during the 2020-21 season, it was Elmira that won the championship and now starts a new title chase as part of the NEHC this season. The … Read more
The SUNYAC has seen Geneseo win the last three championships contested prior to COVID and four of the last five so the pressure is certainly on the Knights who have high expectations and the most to lose. “I am really surprised that we were picked first in the coaches’ poll,” said head coach Chris Schultz. … Read more
This conference is truly wide open and the battle for just the four playoff spots will be intense. Coach Sean Walsh at SNHU thinks the spots could come down to the final weekend. “It is going to be interesting to see all of the rosters and how the teams on the ice shake out,” said … Read more
The CCC has again flexed in their conference make-up this season as Becker will no longer play in the league and Suffolk returns to the CCC as the eighth team. This year sees the teams playing 21 conference games which doesn’t leave a lot of room for non-conference opponents or tournaments. It therefore puts a … Read more