Nicole's NCAA Notebook: October 26, 2026

• It was kind of a light week for games and I'll admit that I'm all in on my hometown Milwaukee Brewers World Series run, so forgive me for my split attention.
• I continue to be impressed by this year's rookies, who are making immediate impacts on every part of the ice. Rookie goalies coming up big, forwards leading the way in goal scoring and among the most prolific in assists and defenders directing play and getting involved on offense.
• Princeton, Brown and Assumption (they have a tie but not a loss) remain our only undefeated teams.
• I remain stunned that RPI's lone win so far this year came against Northeastern.
• My goals of the week usually come from me watching games and picking them out, but with the WS I went searching social media to find videos and honestly this list could have been twice as long. I may have to find time more often to just spend an hour watching goal videos because quite frankly it was amazing. There's so much talent in the NCAA.
• It's too early to call it a trend, but it certainly feels like teams are scoring more goals so far. Particularly for teams that usually find themselves at the bottom of the standings, it's a good thing to see them finding offense. It's usually the last thing that comes for a team looking to build and the goal totals have me hopeful.
• With the US in camp this week and playing games Wednesday and Friday against Canada, plus a stop in the Women's Euro Hockey Tour, a number of teams will be without players again this weekend.
• I spent some time on the #PodKaz and in writing at USCHO talking about rules changes and areas of focus and again, I'll wait for some more data, but it feels like there have been a lot of early penalties. There is always some sloppiness early as everyone finds their stride again in the new season, but also Ohio State has 46 penalties in 10 games played, Princeton has 17 in four games played and Brown racked up 10 penalties through their first two games.
• Ohio State's Mira Jungåker added three more assists this weekend. She has 17 on the season - five more than anyone else in the country. No one is moving the puck and scanning the ice better than she is. She has been at an elite level for several years already, but she keeps getting better. I cannot wait to watch how that translates on the international stage.
• Goals of the week:

The speed with which Holy Cross' Violet Carroll steals this puck and puts it in the back of the net is super impressive.

This alley-oop pass from Jillian Klein and finish from Maxim Tremblay for Boston College

I love the confidence to just take the space and make it count from PSU's Grace Outwater in overtime

Another great steal and quick shot, this time from Connecticut's Peyton Anzivino

Two really great touches from Delaware's Katie Belk

Spectacular breakout from St. Lawrence's Rylan Haslem that Mae Severn never gives up on

A great touch from Cornell's Rachel Bishop to get her first career goal

I can't stop watching the speed and touch on this first career goal from Ohio State's Ema Tóthová