NEWHA Preseason Coaches' Poll Announcement
EASTON, Mass. (September 22, 2023) – The Stonehill College women's ice hockey program has been picked to finish third in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) Preseason Coaches' Poll by the league's eight head coaches.
| Whaley ranked second on the team a season ago with 27 points (12 G, 15 A). (Photo Credit Mary Gettens). |
Stonehill, set to open its second NCAA Division I season in September, comes in behind reigning NEWHA Champion LIU and conference runner-up from last season Saint Anslem in the preseason coaches' poll. Earning one first place vote for the first time in the program's young history, the Skyhawks look to improve as conference semifinalists from a season ago.
Stonehill, competing in its inaugural season in 2022-23, finished third in the regular season standings and advanced to the semifinals of the postseason tournament. A roster loaded with young talent remains intact and a trio of sophomores including NEWHA Rookie of the Year and All-NEWHA first team honoree Alexis Petford, fellow NEWHA All-Rookie team member Sydney Russell, and second team All-NEWHA member Maeve Carey will undoubtedly play a role for first-year head coach Lee-J Mirasolo.
After a successful first season, Mirasolo and the new coaching staff of Kendall Wagner and Phillip Garcia are looking to build and continue growing the program with the addition of three first-year recruits in Peyton Wise, Makenna Slocum, and Pusle Dyring-Andersen.
Over two seasons playing with Toronto Junior Aeros of the Ontario Women's Hockey League (OWHL), Wise recorded 37 points (16 G, 21 A) over 53 appearances, while Slocum – a member of the Central York Panthers of the OWHL – comes to Stonehill after tallying 14 points (4 G, 10 A) over 73 games for the Panthers. Dyring-Andersen joins the Skyhawks after spending time last year playing for the Newark Ironbound 19U AAA team, where she registered 38 points (14 G, 22 A) over 81 appearances.
| Zukow earned NEWHA Goalie of the Week honors three times a season ago. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens). |
Returning in between the pipes this season is junior Hanna Zukow and sophomore Eve Stone. Zukow was named NEWHA Goalie of the Week three times and was also placed on the Hockey Commissioner's Association Goalie of the Year Watchlist last season after posting a 2.52 goals against average (GAA) and .913 save percentage. In addition, Stone saw significant minutes in net, appearing in 14 games, making 11 starts and allowing one goal or fewer in six contests throughout the year.
Senior Paige Whaley has been named captain for Stonehill for its second season, with senior transfer Grace Parker the alternate captain. Whaley ranked second on the team with 27 points (12 G, 15 A) and a +18 plus/minus rating last season, while Parker joins the Skyhawks from Boston University and the University of Maine where she appeared in a combined 92 games, recording six assists, and a +7 plus/minus rating.
Stonehill opens its 2023-24 schedule with an exhibition game at Boston College tomorrow at 1 p.m., before opening the regular season the following weekend with a two-game series at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on September 29-30. The Skyhawks home opener is the following weekend, October 6-7, against the University of Maine at 5 and 1 p.m., respectively. Stonehill opens its NEWHA season by hosting Post University on October 13-14. All Stonehill women's ice hockey home games are played at the Bridgewater Ice Arena and broadcast live on NEC FrontRow.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
