When people think of NCAA hockey, they usually think of the men’s teams. But women’s hockey has also been a part of NCAA sports since 1975. While it is still marginal compared to the men's teams, NCAA women's hockey has had its share of memorable moments and great players over the years. The 2021 season saw more than 80 Division I and III teams competing in NCAA women's hockey across the United States and Canada. It all began in 1975 when four Ivy League universities decided to form their own governing body for women’s ice hockey - the ECAC (Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference). This became the foundation for what would be known as Women’s Hockey East (WHEA).
Some of the greatest players in NCAA history have come from Women’s Hockey East, including Olympic medalists Angela Ruggiero (Harvard) and Julie Chu (Princeton). Other notable players include Hayley Scamurra (Buffalo) who the Buffalo Beauts drafted in the 2016 NWHL Draft and goaltender Katie Fitzgerald (Robert Morris University) who won two National Championships with Robert Morris between 2016 & 2018. The first-ever head coach at WHEA was Arlen Anderson (Providence College), who helped lead Providence to five national championships between 1985-1998. Some other great coaches include Shannon Miller (Minnesota Duluth), who led her team to five national championships between 2001-2012, and Dave Flint (University of New Hampshire), whose team won three consecutive national titles between 1998-2001.
Current players such as Nicole Hensley (Lindenwood University) continue pushing boundaries for what is possible for collegiate women's hockey. On February 10th, 2021 Hensley was named Patty Kazmaier Award winner for her outstanding performance during the 2020/2021 season with Lindenwood University Lions. NCAA Women's Hockey has come a long way since 1975, with many milestones along the way, including more than 20 divisions from D1 through DIII competing every year across America and Canada, many great players pushing boundaries on ice and off of it, as well as some incredible head coaches leading their teams to victory at both National levels & international competitions such as Winter Olympics & World Championships.
With increased attention on Women's sports overall, hopefully, NCAA will soon be given further recognition & investments which will result in even bigger success stories in the Women’s Ice Hockey world both on the collegiate level and beyond it in upcoming years! Watching NCAA Women's Hockey live is a great way to get the full experience of the sport. You can see all the action up close, hear the booming noises from every missed shot and cheer loudly for your favorite team. Plus, a live game provides plenty of opportunities for team spirit and camaraderie – something which simply cannot be replicated on television or online streaming. The atmosphere created when watching live is truly special and it’s an experience all sports fans should strive to enjoy at least once in their lifetime.
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