The College Hockey America Women’s league opens play this season with a bang, and instant credibility thanks to a Frozen Four entrant last season in Niagara and another rising power in Mercyhurst. Craig Roberts breaks down the new league’s prospects for 2002-03.
Optimism abounds at Mercyhurst, where preparations are well under way for the program’s fourth season. Head coach Michael Sisti’s first recruiting class comes into its senior season having won 61 games; the group makes up half of the team’s 24-player roster. “It’s been a fun ride,” Sisti said. “It’s been fun watching them grow and … Read more
After a 9-4 exhibition win over Windsor on Sept. 28, Findlay head coach Adam Brinker knew his young team still had some work to do. “We saw a lot of early-season mistakes,” Brinker said. “They were mistakes that are typical of young teams. But we’ve had a couple of weeks to correct those things. I … Read more
Competition is the name of the game for Wayne State this year. When few women’s teams carry more than 23 players, the Warriors will start the season with 28 players on the roster, a move head coach Tom O’Malley hopes will improve his team. “It’s created some interesting competition in training camp,” he said. “When … Read more
After reaching the NCAA Frozen Four last season, Niagara returns 15 players and brings plenty of optimism for success to the 2002-03 season. First off, however, they have to find a way to replace a couple of big holes. The Purple Eagles lose just six letterwinners but four are significant. Gone are all-time leading scorer … Read more
Niagara, coming off a third-place finish at last year’s NCAA Championship, and Mercyhurst were selected as co-favorites in the first-ever CHA Women’s preseason coaches poll. Both teams received two first-place and one second-place vote (coaches did not vote on their own team) for eight points. Findlay and Wayne State tied for third with four points … Read more
College Hockey America announced the formation of a new four-team Division I women’s hockey league to serve as the counterpart to the men’s league created in 1999. The league will begin play immediately in 2002-03. The inaugural members of the women’s CHA are current men’s CHA members Findlay, Niagara, and Wayne State, as well as … Read more