NESCAC women's hockey update

2013 NCAA runner-up Middlebury leads the NESCAC this year

We, as you can tell, focus exclusively on NESCAC men's ice hockey. But the women of the little ivies lace up the skates (besides Tufts), too, so it's about time we at least gave you an update on how their season is going so far. The women's game gets off to an even slower than the men with no team in the 'Cac having played more than four of their sixteen conference games yet. Also, with the odd number of teams (9) the ladies don't have travel partners for conference play. Instead, they either host or travel to one school and play two games against the same opponent.

Defending national runner-up Middlebury currently sits in first place with a 4-0-0 record in conference and a 6-1-0 record overall, with their only loss coming to the top ranked Plattsburgh Cardinals (Platty is number one in men's polls as well). The Panthers, led by Bill Mandigo, the winning-est coach in women's college hockey history, currently sit at number two in both the USCHO and D3Hockey.com national polls. Between Middelbury men's coach Bill Beaney and Mandio, the killer Bills have 1,061 career collegiate coaching wins.

If we combine men's and women's teams, Amherst has had the best hockey season thus far in the NESCAC. The Lady Jeffs are 3-0-1 in conference (2nd) and 4-2-2 overall. Their only losses have come at the hands of defending national champion Elmira and Norwich, both of whom are ranked in the top five nationally. Amherst also gave Plattsburgh (9-0-1) the only blemish on their record, a 1-1 tie at the Panther/ Classic hosted by Middlebury. The Lady Jeffs strength of schedule puts them at fifth in the D3Hockey.com poll but only tenth in USCHO. Let's hesitate to call it anti-Cac bias, but the USCHO men's poll also has Williams - one of only three undefeated D-III men's teams in the country - tied at seven with Babson, a team the Ephs beat and that just lost to UNE, whom Bowdoin beat 9-3 early in the season for coach Meagher's 500th win.

The biggest surprise this season in the women's game has been the slow start of the defending NESCAC tournament champion Bowdoin Polar Bears. Sound familiar, NESCAC men's hockey fans? Expected to compete with Middlebury for the conference crown, 2013 NESCAC Coach of the Year Marissa O'Neill's team has skated to an 0-2-0 record in conference (9th) and a 3-3-0 record overall. They were upset in an opening weekend sweep at arch-rival Colby, led by Mules alum and interim coach Mallory Young ('05). Colby, picked by D3Hockey.com to finish second to last in the 'Cac, hasn't played well since, but still sits at 2-2-0 in conference (3rd) and 3-4-1 overall.

Trinity also has a neophyte coach in four time Team USA Olympian Jenny Potter. The Potter led Bantams, picked by D3Hockey.com to finish third in the conference, currently sit at 1-2-1 in the Cac (5th) and 2-2-3 overall.

D3Hockey.com picked Hamilton to finish fifth, but the Conts haven't been able to replicate the program best 9-3-0 start they had last year and currently sit in eighth with a 0-3-1 record in conference and a 2-4-1 mark overall. The team they tied, Connecticut College, is fifth with a 1-1-2 record (4-2-2 overall). Wesleyan, picked by D3H to finish last, is in sixth (1-2-1; 1-4-2) and Wililams clocks in  at seventh (1-1-0; 3-5-0) to round out the odd numbered field.