UTICA, NY – The Utica University women’s ice hockey team begins gearing up for its 25th season as it hosts the first of two preseason exhibitions on Saturday, October 18th. The Pioneers will renew an old series from their ECAC West Conference days as they face SUNY Potsdam at 3 PM inside the Utica University Nexus Center. Admission remains free of charge.
Follow Along: Live video is available at https://www.empire8network.com/utica/ or on the FREE Empire 8 Network app available on participating mobile or tv-connected platforms. Live Stats are also available at https://uticapioneers.com/sidearmstats/whockey/summary.
Recapping Last Year: The Pioneers finished last season 19-8-0 overall, and 9-3-0 in UCHC play to earn the conference tournament’s second overall seed. They appeared in their third straight conference final, which ended in an overtime loss to Nazareth. The Pioneers were particularly good at home from beginning to end, with a 9-3-0 overall record inside the Nexus Center and neighboring Utica Memorial Auditorium. Home success has been a key ingredient in Utica’s results with a .500 or better record on home ice in each of the last five years. Signature wins for the program include a 3-2 overtime win over then-#5 Elmira in the Utica Kickoff Tournament, two home wins against Nazareth, and a 3-1 win over nationally-ranked Norwich University in Tampa, Florida. Departing forward Jordan Kowalski (Chicopee, MA/Westfield), and departing netminder Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) were selected as AHCA East All-Americans. Kowalski was the UCHC Co-Player of the Year, and Hawthorne finished her career as a three-time UCHC Goaltender of the Year. Head Coach Melissa Lomanto was picked as the UCHC Co-Coach of the Year by her peers across the conference.
The Current Totals: As the Pioneers approach their 25th season, they have achieved an overall mark of 366-222-37, good for an overall winning percentage of 61.7 percent. The team has been at .500 or above for 21 out of 24 seasons. Current head coach Melissa Lomanto was around at the very beginning as the team’s first captain, and contributed to 52 wins as a player to get the program off the ground. She was 19-8-0 in her first season as head coach, and now eyes a sophomore campaign as the program’s leader. Her predecessor, Dave Clausen, won 347 games in 23 seasons before shifting to a position coaching golf at St. Lawrence.
Model of Consistency: The Pioneers have become a recent fixture in the UCHC finals, with three appearances in the last three seasons. The Pioneers have three twenty-win seasons in the last four years, and are 84-21-5 over that span.
Back For Another Go: A dozen players return from last year’s roster, with senior Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/) posting the most prolific output last year. Ryder, a second team all-conference pick, had 20 points on seven goals and thirteen assists, and had the game-winning goal in both of Utica’s home wins over Nazareth last season. Kendall Best (Troy, MI/) should shine as a sophomore after logging 17 points and a +19 rating as a rookie, which earned All-Rookie Team honors in the conference. With three goals and thirteen assists last year, Tess Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/St. Mark’s) is the top returning point-earner from the defense position for Utica. Kelsey Elliott’s (Attleboro, MA/) production has slowly grown each year and that expansion of role should continue in 25-26 as she enters her senior campaign. Sophomore defender Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/) is also back in the fold after amassing UCHC All-Rookie honors a season ago. Other returners include Abby Cangemi (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy), Madison Wagner (Saukville, WI/Divine Savior Holy Angels), Angelina Garganese (Winter Springs, Fl/), Alex Cenning, Madison Richman (Scituate, MA/), Elliana Lasher (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), and Sophia Jimenez (Wilmette, IL/).
Happy Trails: Utica saw the departure of one of its most prolific senior classes in history, which included some five year players that won 90 games over that span, and collectively, the four-year and five-year seniors led Utica to three straight conference title games. A trio of transfer contributors will be among the most significant losses, with first team All-Conference honorees Allison Mish, Riley Calhoun (New Hartford, NY/Plattsburgh State University (NCAA DIII)), and Jordan Kowalski (Chicopee, MA/Westfield), the conference Co-Player of the Year, departing. Five year starter Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) departed the program as the most decorated goaltender in program history, as a three-time goaltender of the year and a five-time all-conference or all-rookie pick. Hawthorne had 21 career shutouts, was the winningest goaltender in school history by number of victories, and had the best save percentage and goals against average of anyone to play 900 minutes or make 300 saves in their career. Second team all-conference defender Madison Novotny (Wesley Chapel, FL/Northwood School) departs as the program’s most offensively productive defender in history, with 69 career points and 53 career assists. Like Hawthorne, she is a five time all-conference or all-rookie selection in the conference. Carly Stefanini’s (Framingham, MA/Brooks School) 130 career points, and Hailey Modlin’s (Phoenix, AZ/Boston Shamrocks) 90 career points will also be missed, with both totals ranking in the top ten in program history. For what it’s worth, Modlin and Novotny share the career games played record at Utica now, with 123 apiece, and Stefanini sits two games back of that at 121. Chatham transfer Ally Nolan (Westford, MA/Chatham University (NCAA DIII)) gave Utica a great campaign in the final year of her career with 19 points. Molly Pedone (Trinity, FL/Shattuck-St. Mary’s) rallied through an injury-riddled year to give Utica some huge goals at the end of the season. Sydney Mintz (Kelowna, BC/Okanagan Hockey Academy), Jordan Hancock (Albuquerque, NM/Belle Tire), Cameran Evans (Emsworth, PA/Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), Abbey Lendzyk (Carver, MN/Woodbury (Minnesota Ice Cougars)), Sophia Capone (Cumberland, RI/Portsmouth Abbey School), Faithe Harris (West Kelowna, BC/Manhattanville College (NCAA DIII)), Cordie Wemyss (Pittsburgh, PA/Pittsburgh Pens Elite), Emma Corbett (Rochester, NY/Adrian College (NCAA DIII)), and Lauryn Brown (Eden, NY/Syracuse Valley Eagles) also do not return.
By the Numbers: The Pioneers sported the nation’s third-ranked scoring offense last year with 4.40 goals per game. That was aided by a 24 percent power play unit, which ranked seventh nationally last season, but is now missing some of its most important components, such as Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School). Stefanini’s net front presence was a contributing factor to scoring 20 power play goals in her career, which sits just one off the program record. On defense, the Pioneers ranked sixth nationally at 1.07 goals per game, and the penalty kill unit was 11th at 93.9 percent.
A Family Affair: Assistant coach Lora Ardoin departed for a head coach opportunity with Roger Williams University, and the Pioneers will continue a family tradition with her replacement. Rachel Corbett just finished her college career at Oswego, where she helped spearhead a program renaissance under Mark Digby in recent years. She will be the third member of her immediate family to be part of the Pioneers’ program. Twin sister Emma just wrapped up her career in Blue and Orange after transferring from Adrian, and older sister Katie was the Director of Hockey Operations at Utica as an undergraduate.
The Global Game: This year’s Pioneers roster features players from four countries. As is customary, the majority of the roster is from the United States and Canada, but the roster will also welcome two newcomers from Europe this season. Norwegian defender Nora Pollestad (Stavanger, Norway/) signs on as a transfer from Castleton, where she had six points across two years. She has suited up in IIHF World Championship competition at the 18U level for Norway. British defender Chloe Needham-Potts (London, United Kingdom/) joins the fold after skating for the Lawrenceville School and East Coast Valkyries. She also has international experience on the IIHF World Championship scene, playing for Great Britain in a total of four World Championships. She has a total of 20 World Championship caps at the 18u and Senior levels.
Who Else Is New: Beyond the two European newcomers, the Pioneers also welcome thirteen additional new faces. By way of transfer, two skaters enter the program from perennial national contenders. Forward Olivia Marcinkowski (Peabody, MA/) joins the squad after two seasons playing for Adrian College, where she appeared in sixteen games. Grace Joscelyn (Loudon, NH/) played in 40 games across two years for the Norwich University Cadets, contributing a goal and six assists during her time in Northfield, Vermont. Eleven others are freshmen. The forward group includes Camryn Behonick (Vestal, NY/), a Binghamton-area product. She enters from the Rome Girls’ Hockey organization, continuing a great local pipeline to the program. Dylan DiGrazia (Scottsdale, AZ/) was a team captain last season with the Arizona Kachinas, and will reunite with former teammate Brooklyn Higgins (Gilbert, AZ/) from that organization. Higgins had 23 points in 68 games last year for Lovell Academy in her final pre-collegiate campaign on a squad laden with Division I players. Maddi Vitali (Downington, PA/) spent the past year with the JWHL Junior Flyers, and reunites with teammate Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/) at Utica. Dobrzynski had 7 points in 21 JWHL games last year. Skylar MacLean (Port Hood, Nova Scotia/), a Nova Scotia product, was 51st in total points among JWHL skaters last year with ten points across 24 appearances, and also tore up the Canadian Scholastic Ranks with the fifteenth-highest point total at that level. Cate Hart (Norfolk, MA/Proctor Academy) rounds out the newcomer forward group out of Proctor Academy. On defense, two other rookie defenders are in the mix alongside Needham-Potts. Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA/) joins after a multi-year career with Newark Ironbound, where she had 31 points across her two most recent seasons. Molly Rybarczyk (Toledo, OH) will shore up the blue line as a graduate of one of the nation’s elite AAA programs – Little Ceasars. In net, two newcomers are in the hunt to claim the starting job against returner Alex Venning (Courtice, ON/). Isabella Boehm (Framingham, MA/) had an eye-popping 96 percent save percentage at Lovell Academy last year while winning 24 games, and previously played under Trevor Gilligan at Northwood School in Lake Placid. Katie Sheahan’s development path was also a strong one as she spent two years with the North American Hockey Academy, and previously was with Team Illinois.
About Potsdam: The Bears were 6-13-4 last season, and 2-12-4 against SUNYAC competition. A season ago, they were led by graduate student Rebecca Holmes (6-6-12). Rebecca Cain (3-7-10) and Jalynn Castro (6-3-9) are the top returning scorers for the Bears. In net, Magalie Parent also returns on the heels of a season where she posted a .942 save percentage across twelve appearances. Utica is 11-2-5 against the Bears all-time, and has won the last four meetings, but the two sides haven’t played a regular season game in almost a decade now.
What’s Next: An old conference matchup gets re-ignited to wrap up Utica’s exhibition schedule as the Pioneers battle the William Smith Herons on Friday, October 24th. Puck drop is set for 7 PM.
