The UConn women’s ice hockey team is the preseason favorite to win Hockey East for the second straight year. Coaches voted the Huskies No. 1 in the Hockey East Association Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released earlier this week.
UConn has won back-to-back Hockey East regular season championships in the last two seasons under head coach Chris MacKenzie. The Huskies have also put together two consecutive 19-win seasons in Hockey East play. Before the 2023-24 season, the Huskies only had one season with 15+ wins in conference play in the 26-year history of the program.
The Huskies reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever in 2024 after winning the Hockey East regular season and tournament titles. But after winning the regular season crown again last year, they were upset in the conference tournament semifinals by Northeastern, ending their season.
UConn returns many key players to this year’s roster from a season ago, including two of Hockey East’s top individual award winners, Goaltender of the Year, Tia Chan, and Rookie of the Year, Claire Murdoch. Chan started in 24 games a season ago, recording 632 saves and posting a .945 save percentage, which was top among active Hockey East goaltenders and third nationally. Chan was a 2024-25 HCA Goalie of the Year finalist. Murdoch is coming off a sensational rookie campaign in Storrs where she played in all 36 games and led the Huskies in points (29), finishing among the top point leaders in Hockey East. Murdoch finished with 13 goals on the season, three being game winners.
UConn opens the 2025-26 season on September 26 & 27 with a two-game series against St. Cloud State at the Toscano Family Ice Forum.
1. UConn – 86 (5)
2. Boston University 82 (5)
3. Northeastern 76
4. Boston College – 64
5. Providence – 61
6. New Hampshire – 44
T7. Maine – 41
T7. Vermont – 41
9. Holy Cross – 27
10. Merrimack -18
First place votes in parentheses
