NCAA Hockey: Guide to the ECAC

The ECAC began sponsoring an invitational women's tournament in 1985. There was an informal regular season schedule played in the 1988–89 season. The conference officially began sponsoring women's hockey in the 1993–94 season. ECAC Hockey is the only hockey conference with identical membership in both its women's and men's divisions.

ECAC Tournament Champions

ECAC Hockey Twitter

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
Mascot: Bears
Rink: Meehan Auditorium, capacity 3,100
Coach: Bob Kenneally (1st season)
2014-2015 Record: 5-23-1
Frozen Four Appearances: 2002
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2002

Brown Bears games can be streamed via The Ivy League Digital Network. A monthly league pass is $15.95, while a four-month pass is $49.95, and a one-year pass is $119.95.

Player(s) to watch: Senior Kelly Micholson won the team's most improved award at the end of last season. She led the team in blocked shots. Sophomore Sam Donovan led the team in goals as a freshman.

Brown Women's Hockey on Twitter

Clarkson University

Potsdam, New York
Mascot: Golden Knights
Rink: Cheel Arena, capacity 3,000
Coach: Matt Desrosiers (2nd season)
2014-2015 Record: 24-11-3
Frozen Four Appearances: 2014
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015
NCAA Tournament Champions: 2014

Golden Knights games can be watched for free via ClarksonAthletics.tv
Select women's hockey games are available via radio. A list and links to the stations can be found here.

Player(s) to watch: Seniors Shannon MacAulay and Erin Ambrose have been on numerous U-18, U-22, and development team rosters with Hockey Canada. Goalie Shea Tiley made a big impact as a freshman and will only get better.

Team USA captain and Boston Beauts player Meghan Duggan is an assistant coach at Clarkson.

Clarkson Women's Hockey on Twitter

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
Mascot: Raiders
Rink: Starr Rink, capacity 2,246
Coach: Greg Fargo (4th season)
2014-2015 Record: 7-25-2

Player(s) to watch: Freshmen Shae Labbe and Olivia Zafuto have already had a strong start to the season. However, the duo will need to keep scoring for the Raiders to be successful.

Colgate Women's Hockey on Twitter

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
Mascot: Big Red
Rink: Lynah Rink, capacity 4,267
Coach: Doug Derraugh (11th season)
2014-2015 Record: 19-11-3
Frozen Four Appearances: 2010, 2011, 2012
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Cornell games can be streamed via The Ivy League Digital Network. A monthly league pass is $15.95, while a four-month pass is $49.95, and a one-year pass is $119.95.

Player(s) to watch: Cornell graduated their three top scorers who accounted for half their points last year. The top returning scorer is sophomore defender Erin O'Connor. Look for the younger players to step into bigger roles this season.

Cornell Women's Hockey on Twitter

Dartmouth University

Hanover, New Hampshire
Mascot: Big Green
Rink: Thompson Arena, capacity 4,500
Coach: Mark Hudak (13th season)
2014-2015 Record: 13-15-2
Frozen Four Appearances: 2003, 2004, 2005
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2011

Dartmouth games can be streamed via The Ivy League Digital Network. A monthly league pass is $15.95, while a four-month pass is $49.95, and a one-year pass is $119.95.

Player(s) to watch: Dartmouth returns with seniors Laura Stacey and Lindsey Allen and junior Kennedy Ottenbreit. The trio tied, leading the Big Green with 26 points.

Dartmouth Women's Hockey on Twitter

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Mascot: Crimson
Rink: Bright Hockey Center, capacity 2,850
Coach: Katey Stone (20th season)
2014-2015 Record: 27-6-3
Frozen Four Appearances: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2015
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015

Harvard games can be streamed via The Ivy League Digital Network. A monthly league pass is $15.95. A four-month pass is $49.95. A one-year pass is $119.95.

Player(s) to watch: Senior Emerance Mashmeyer is a force to be reckoned with between the pipes. Senior Michelle Picard played for Team USA in Sochi and leads a solid defensive lineup.

Coach Katey Stone led the 2014 US Women's hockey team in Sochi and is the winningest coach in the history of Division I women’s hockey.

Harvard Women's Hockey on Twitter

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
Mascot: Tigers
Rink: Hobey Baker Memorial Rink, capacity 2,092
Coach: Jeff Kampersal (20th season)
2014-2015 Record: 15-14-2
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2006

Princeton games can be streamed via The Ivy League Digital Network. A monthly league pass is $15.95, while a four-month pass is $49.95, and a one-year pass is $119.95.

Player(s) to watch: Senior goalie Kimberly Newell was something of a surprise pick in the inaugural NWHL draft, but she's an under-the-radar talent in net.

Princeton Women's Hockey on Twitter

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, Connecticut
Mascot: Bobcats
Rink: TD Bank Sports Center, capacity 3,386
Coach: Cassandra Turner (Interim Head Coach)
2014-2015 Record: 26-9-3
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2015

Player(s) to watch: Sophomore Taylar Cianfarano was in discussions for national Rookie of the Year last season. She led the Bobcats in goals and points as a freshman.

Quinnipiac Women's Hockey on Twitter

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

Troy, New York
Mascot: Engineers
Rink: Houston Field House, capacity 4,780
Coach: John Burke (13th season)
2014-2015 Record: 7-23-4

You can listen to RPI women's hockey games online at WRPI.org

Player(s) to watch: There are big questions in net for RPI. Swedish freshman Lovisa Selander played in last weekend's series against North Dakota, while senior Alexa Gruschow is the returning leading scorer.

RPI Women's Hockey on Twitter

St. Lawrence University

Canton, New York
Mascot: Saints
Rink: Appleton Arena, capacity 3,000
Coach: Christ Wells (8th season)
2014-2015 Record: 19-12-5
Frozen Four Appearances: 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012

St. Lawrence games can be watched for free via SaintsAthletics.com

Player(s) to watch: Junior Brooke Webster led the team in points last season. On defense, Amanda Boulier brings experience and an eye for assists.

St. Lawrence Women's Hockey on Instagram

Union College

Schenectady, New York
Mascot: Dutchtwomen
Rink: Frank L. Messa Rink at Achilles Center, capacity 2,225
Coach: Claudia Asano Barcomb (9th season)
2014-2015 Record: 4-22-8

Player(s) to watch: Senior Kathryn Tomasselli is the returning leading scorer. Freshman Sloan Sullivan was a force in high school. If she can transition quickly to college, she'll have a big impact.

Union Women's Hockey on Twitter

Yale University

New Haven, CT
Mascot: Bulldogs
Rink: Ingalls Rink, capacity 3,500
Coach: Joakim Flygh (6th season)
2014-2015 Record: 15-15-1

Yale games can be streamed via The Ivy League Digital Network. A monthly league pass is $15.95, while a four-month pass is $49.95, and a one-year pass is $119.95.

Player(s) to watch: Swiss National Team player and junior Phoebe Staenz is a former national Rookie of the Year. Senior Jamie Haddad led the team in scoring and tied for team lead in goals.

Yale Women's Hockey on Twitter

Harvard broke through to the national title game last year and held their own with seemingly-unstoppable Minnesota. They lost a solid senior class that had built an impressive four-year run, but the presence of Maschmeyer in net gives them the edge.

Clarkson's defense of their national title didn't go the way they'd hoped last season, but they've had time to replace some important players and find ways to fill the holes.

Quinnipiac could be the young upstart, while Cornell has a lot of points to find before I'll be convinced they can contend.

Predicted finishes:

1. Harvard
2. Clarkson
3. Quinnipiac
4. Cornell
5. Princeton
6. Dartmouth
7. St. Lawrence
8. Colgate
9. Yale
10. Union
11. RPI
12. Brown

Check out all of Nicole's 2015-16 NCAA previews:

• Intro to the NCAA
• CHA Conference
• ECAC Conference
• Hockey East
• WCHA Conference