Tonight, the women’s hockey team will open its season in Watson Arena against Colby (0-2-0) at 7 p.m. The Polar Bears are defending the NESCAC title this season, which they captured in a 2-1 victory over Middlebury last year—the team’s first NESCAC championship since 2004 and the third in school history.
“Winning NESCACs was a great end result to a season where we slowly progressed and peaked at the right time,” said Head Coach Marissa O’Neil.
The Polar Bears are led this season by captains Chelsea MacNeil ’15, Maddie Lane ’14 and Emily Tang ’14.
Bowdoin welcomed seven first years to the team this season. The new talent will fill spots vacated by seven graduates and two injured players. The Polar Bears gained defenders Jamie Ptacek, Marne Gallant, Kimmy Ganong and goalie Lan Crofton, while forwards Maddy Hall, Jessica Bowen and Aliya Feroe hope to strengthen the team’s offense.
Although rookies now make up almost a third of the roster, O’Neil said she expects the same quality of play as last year.
“Each of the freshmen were dominant players on their respective high school or club teams,” said O’Neil. “They have fit in ability-wise from the start because their skills and work ethic are exactly what we are looking for in a Bowdoin hockey player.”
“[Although] we graduated a big class last year with key players, we have a hard-working and talented group of girls ready to step up and fill those gaps,” said MacNeil. “A lot of honor comes with playing hockey at Bowdoin and our returners have done a great job leading by example.”
Unfortunately, the team will begin its season without three key players. Rachel Kennedy ’16—the team’s top scorer—along with Colleen Finnerty ’15 and Kimmy Ganong ’17will be absent from these early matchups as they compete for an NCAA D-III National Championship in field hockey this weekend in Virginia.
O’Neil also lauded the work her players put in with Head Coach of Strength and Conditioning Neil Willey during the pre-season.
“[Our team’s] level of condition is incredible and our players are the fittest they have ever been,” she said. “Our three captains have always been great in the gym.”
Given its dominance in the NESCAC last year, the team knows it will be playing with a target on its back and is prepared to be tested at every turn.
“[There is competition] across the board of the NESCAC,” said O’Neil. “There is not a single weekend you can take off.”
In the most recent preseason D-III poll conducted by U.S. College Hockey Online, Bowdoin and Middlebury were ranked No. 8 and No. 2, respectively. Middlebury and Amherst have historically been Bowdoin’s toughest NESCAC opponents.
The Polar Bears will head to Colby tomorrow after tonight’s season opener.