It’s the midway point of the season, and all but a few teams are done with their schedule until after the new year. As the students prepare for finals and we all head into the holidays, I’ve prepared a letter to Santa to let him know what I wish for each of the Division I … Read more
Candace and Nicole take a look at Ann-Renee Desbiens setting a new shutout record, the strengths of Wisconsin and Minnesota, what the Boston College-Boston University split portends in Hockey East, St. Lawrence’s continued early success, and the parity in the CHA.
When the Union Dutchwomen left the ice on Saturday afternoon, it was as winners for the first time since December 12, 2014. The first win in 56 games was a big moment for the players and the program, but new coach Josh Sciba has never highlighted “win games” as a goal for the team or … Read more
In the first Wednesday Women column of the year, former USCHO women’s columnist Arlan Marrtila discusses the surprises out West with our new columnist, Nicole Haase. They also look at St. Lawrence, preview this weekend’s big games, and discuss scoring. Arlan will periodically appear going forward, as will women’s editor Candace Horgan.
Last year saw a transition in the ECAC, as the league which had often been dominated by Ivy League teams like Harvard and Cornell saw two non-Ivies, Quinnipiac and Clarkson, finish 1-2 in the league and then advance to the NCAA tournament. Colgate also seemed to come out of nowhere and make a challenge, defeating … Read more
Defending regular-season and playoff champion Quinnipiac was selected the team to beat in the ECAC women’s preseason coaches poll that was released Tuesday. The Bobcats earned six first-place votes, while Clarkson (four) and Princeton (two) also garnered first-place nods. In addition, the conference also announced its preseason All-League Team.
Colgate women’s assistant coach Josh Sciba has been named the new women’s head coach at Union. Sciba had been at Colgate since 2012 and inherits a Union team that went 0-28-6 during the 2015-16 season. In his playing days, Sciba skated for Notre Dame from 2003 to 2007 after two seasons with the U.S. National … Read more
Union women’s coach Claudia Asano Barcomb will not be returning next year, the school announced Friday. Barcomb has served as the head coach of the Dutchwomen since the 2007-08 season. A national search for the next coach will commence immediately. “We thank Claudia for her efforts and work with the student-athletes both on and off … Read more
Candace and Arlan ponder Minnesota’s sweep of Wisconsin, whether Boston College can maintain its perfect record, the various playoff matchups in the first round, the retirement of Dartmouth coach Mark Hudak, and the players and rookies of the year in each conference.
With one weekend left in the season, Candace and Arlan ponder Boston College winning the Beanpot and Hockey East, Wisconsin winning the WCHA, likely winners in the other two conferences, the likely first round playoff pairings in each conference tournament, and the probable Patty Kazmaier Award nominees.
Union’s home arena, Messa Rink, will soon be undergoing $10 million in renovations, according to the Daily Gazette. The college has approved fundraising to renovate the nearly 41-year-old facility, Union athletic director Jim McLaughlin told the paper. There is no timetable yet for the project. “It will be all fund-raised, just like the majority of … Read more
Late in the season, teams get a little stale. Writers do too. In my case, I was probably stale long before the Ivies got started, but enough about me. Teams have three weeks left in the seasons of a handful, a month for most, and for a lucky quartet, seven more weeks. For just a … Read more
Candace and Arlan look at teams like North Dakot and Bemidji State, which sit just on the cusp, ponder whether Princeton and Northeastern can maintain winning streaks, and consider which teams have surprised positively and which have surprised negatively.
Candace and Arlan discuss Minnesota’s tough series with Minnesota State, North Dakota’s sweep of Minnesota-Duluth, the CHA, ECAC, and Hockey East races, and prognosticate on likely Patty Kazmaier Award nominees.
Candace and Arlan talk about the lessons learned from Minnesota’s sweep of Bemidji State and Ohio State’s win over North Dakota, preview the first clash of Alex Carpenter and Kendall Coyne, look at home ice candidates in the ECAC, what Penn State’s series win over Robert Morris does to the CHA, and the use of four-on-four OT in Hockey East.
Candace and Arlan ponder whether new top 10 team Princeton can return to the NCAA tournament, what North Dakota’s win over Minnesota means, Wisconsin’s defense, whether anyone in Hockey East can push Boston College and Northeastern, and the Four Nations Cup.
Traditional powers like Mercyhurst and Boston University are struggling after one month, Cornell and Harvard are winless after one weekend CHA teams are heading toward mediocrity, several squads are trying to figure out their goaltending, and the second tier of the WCHA is in a battle. Candace and Arlan look at teams searching for answers.
Candace and Arlan ponder the state of defense and goaltending on some teams, compare this year’s iteration of Clarkson with the championship team of two years ago, wonder about Boston College’s offense, who has the inside track in the CHA, and look at Bemidji State and North Dakota.
After a few weeks of play, Candace and Arlan take a look at which teams are looking good and which have some work to do in their first Wednesday Women of the year.
Union Dutchwomen USCHO prediction: 12th Coaches’ prediction: 11th Last season: 11th (4-22-8, 1-16-5 ECAC) The names Coach Claudia Asano Barcomb says this is the most talented group of seniors she has seen at Union as she enters her ninth season. As juniors, Kathryn Tomaselli and Jessica Kaminsky gave her two players with at least 20 … Read more