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Tag: womens-college-hockey

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College Hockey Recruiting Women's College Hockey

Understanding the NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey Transfer Portal

The NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey Portal, commonly referred to as the “Transfer Portal,” is a centralized database that allows student-athletes to explore transfer opportunities between NCAA schools. Since its creation in 2018, the portal has become a vital tool for athletes, coaches, and administrators, transforming how transfers are managed in collegiate sports.

What Is the Transfer Portal?

The transfer portal is an online platform where athletes can formally declare their intent to transfer from one NCAA school to another. Once a player enters the portal, they signal to other programs that they are available for recruitment. This system applies to all NCAA sports, including Division I women’s hockey, and was designed to provide greater transparency and flexibility for student-athletes.

How Does It Work?

  1. Player Declaration: Athletes wishing to transfer notify their current school’s compliance office. Within 48 hours, their name is entered into the portal.
  2. Recruitment Process: Coaches from other schools can view the athlete’s information and reach out to discuss transfer opportunities.
  3. No Contact Restrictions: Once in the portal, the player is free to communicate with coaches from other programs without requiring permission from their current school.

Why Is the Portal Important for Women’s Hockey?

The transfer portal has significantly impacted the competitive landscape of NCAA women’s hockey. With only 42 Division I teams, roster spots are limited, and the portal allows players to find schools that better suit their academic, athletic, or personal goals. Similarly, coaches use the portal to address roster needs quickly, especially when looking for experienced players.

Key Benefits

  • Athlete Mobility: The portal empowers athletes to explore their options and make moves that align with their career aspirations.
  • Team Flexibility: Coaches can recruit seasoned players to fill gaps in their lineup, such as replacing injured athletes or graduating seniors.
  • Transparency: Both players and schools benefit from an open, centralized system where transfer intentions are clear.

Challenges and Considerations

While the portal offers new opportunities, it also presents challenges:

  • Roster Uncertainty: Teams may face unexpected departures, disrupting roster planning.
  • Increased Competition: With more players transferring, finding the right fit can be highly competitive.
  • Eligibility Rules: While the NCAA allows one-time transfers without penalty, additional transfers may require a waiver.

How It’s Changing Women’s Hockey

The NCAA Division I women’s hockey portal has reshaped the sport, offering more pathways for athletes to reach their goals. For instance, players from emerging programs may transfer to more established teams, while others might seek a school with better academic or playing time opportunities. Coaches are now incorporating the portal into their recruiting strategy, often balancing incoming freshmen with transfer students to build stronger teams.

Final Thoughts

The transfer portal is a game-changer for NCAA Division I women’s hockey, offering athletes and programs more flexibility than ever before. Whether you’re an athlete considering a transfer, a parent supporting your player’s journey, or a coach navigating roster management, understanding the portal is essential for success in today’s collegiate hockey environment.

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2024 Women's College Hockey

NEWHA vs. the Rest of NCAA DI Women’s Hockey

First off, congratulations to Joe Grossman and the Assumption Greyhounds for their first non-conference win in program history (via shoot out) against UNH this past weekend.  Joe predicted that the team might surprise some folks during our podcast.

Last season, I wrote about the NEWHA conference in relation to playing DIII women’s hockey. As a follow-up, I wanted to track how the NEWHA teams competed at the start of the season when playing their non-conference games.  Clearly, St Michael’s is not competitive with Top 20 teams like Clarkson and Providence. As for the others, you can judge for yourself the overall level of play of the NEWHA against the other conferences.  In my opinion, these results reinforce the takeaways from the previous post about making a thoughtful decision when considering NEWHA vs. DIII women’s hockey. Hopefully, some of the NEWHA teams with the necessary resources can continue to raise the level of play of the conference over the next few years to be truly competitive out-of-conference.

Updated 10/26/2024

As of the end of October, the NEWHA teams have been outscored by a 10:1 ratio. Even scoring a single goal has been a challenge in many games. These match-ups pad the stats of their opponents and help the NEWHA goalies set records for saves. However, it seems that playing non-competitive games where teams are winning by 7 or more goals does not encourage attracting top talent to the conference.

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2024 Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

How does the level of DI NCAA women’s hockey compare to U Sports and Girls Hockey

A couple of questions many folks have are:

  1. What’s the difference in level of play between NCAA DI and U Sports (Canadian University) hockey?
  2. How different is NCAA DI women’s hockey from top U22 Canadians (or U19 in the States) girls hockey? 

Well, the NCAA DI pre-season provides an opportunity to do a little triangulation to compare these different leagues.  This month several Canadian U Sports and U22 Girls teams play exhibition games against DI women’s hockey teams.  Here are the results:

2023-24 RankNCAA DI TeamNon-DI Team2023-24 Rank
25 Boston University41Concordia (U Sports)1
27Merrimack23Concordia (U Sports)1
26Vermont13Concordia (U Sports)1
18Mercyhurst
40Stoney Creek (U22)12
36Syracuse60Windsor (U Sports)4th in Ontario West
16Northeastern40Durham West (U22)4
8St Cloud State41U of Manitoba (U Sports)6th in CanWest
12Minnesota State62U of Manitoba (U Sports)6th in CanWest
20St Thomas91U of Manitoba (U Sports)6th in CanWest
11Yale51McGill (U Sports)Last in RSEQ
17Brown60McGill (U Sports)Last in RSEQ
Updated 10-15-2024

A few notes to keep in mind – since the data may not be exactly comparable to real games:

  • Keep in mind that these are the first games for the NCAA DI teams, while all the U Sports teams have already played at least a couple of games beforehand. So , the NCAA teams might be still adjusting to each other and new systems
  • These may or may not be the regular season line-ups for the NCAA DI teams, because this is the first time to watch their freshmen in action.  So the NCAA line-ups may be below their regular season quality
  • Games vs U22 teams may not be a full 60-minutes – so the goal differential may be less than a normal game
  • U of Manitoba played St Thomas 15 hours after their game vs. MSU. Their 3rd game in 43 hours.

The data is only directional, but a couple of trends:

  • Given how strong Concordia has been the last few years, it seems the top U Sports teams would be in the middle of the pack (15-25) if they played a DI NCAA schedule
  • There is still a pretty big gap between a good DI team and a top U22 Canadian girls junior team

As more games are played, the final scores will be added to this post.

Updated 09-29-2024

Categories
2024 2025 College Hockey Recruiting Men's College Hockey Women's College Hockey

The NCAA’s New Scholarship Model: A Double-Edged Sword for Women’s Ice Hockey

As part of a recent settlement agreement, the NCAA will be expanding scholarships across all sports, replacing previous scholarship restrictions with roster size limits. This new structure option will take effect in the 2025-26 academic year, coinciding with another significant change: the sharing of revenue with student-athletes.

Old Model: 18 Flexible Scholarships

Under the current model, Division I ice hockey teams can offer up to 18 scholarships, which can be divided among as many players as the coaching staff sees fit. There is no limit on the number of roster spots, allowing teams to carry an unlimited number of non-scholarship players.

New Model: 26 Fixed Scholarships

The new option presents a different approach: teams must roster exactly 26 players, each of whom will receive a full scholarship. No partial scholarships are allowed, and teams are required to maintain 26 players throughout the entire season. If revenue-sharing dollars are available, they would be distributed among these players.

The Dilemma for Men’s and Women’s Hockey

For men’s ice hockey, where the average roster size last season was around 30 players due to frequent injuries, limiting the roster to 26 spots could be problematic. Teams may find it difficult to maintain a full squad throughout a grueling season.

On the women’s side, the new structure might offer more scholarships than necessary. Last season, Division I women’s teams averaged about 25 players, a number slightly inflated by graduate students taking advantage of a fifth year of Covid eligibility. Most coaches suggest their ideal roster size is between 24 and 25 players, including three goalies. Typically, teams only need 20-22 skaters and two goalies for the season unless a significant number of injuries occur.

Key Considerations

1. Financial Viability: Many programs, especially in women’s ice hockey, may struggle to afford 26 scholarships. Women’s hockey is not a revenue-generating sport for most schools, and increasing scholarships from 18 to 26 could significantly raise operational costs.

    2. Top Programs’ Advantage: Schools with large athletic budgets, like Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, are most likely to consider adopting the new scholarship model. These programs benefit from substantial revenue streams from TV deals and their football and basketball programs.

    3. Optimal Roster Size: Most women’s teams only require 22-24 players, making the new 26-player requirement potentially excessive. Even last season’s national champions, Ohio State, had just 24 players, while runner-up Wisconsin primarily utilized 22 players.

    4. Playing Time Concerns: Elite players might opt for programs where they are more likely to play, rather than sitting in the stands as the 24th, 25th, or 26th player on a top team. This trend has already been observed with the current transfer portal, and it may intensify under the new scholarship model.

    5. Impact on Ivy League and Smaller Programs: Ivy League schools, which do not offer athletic scholarships, and other programs unable to afford 26 scholarships, could find it increasingly difficult to compete for top talent. This could further widen the gap between the elite and less-funded programs in women’s hockey

    The Road Ahead

    While the new scholarship model has the potential to increase opportunities for women’s ice hockey players, the actual impact will depend on how many schools can and will adopt it. The coming months will reveal which programs opt for the expanded scholarships and how this change will shape the future of collegiate women’s hockey.

    Learn More on CHAMPS+

    CHAMPS+ Subscribers can watch former DI coach, Harry Rosenholtz from College Hockey Showcases discuss the new scholarship rules during the August CHAMPS+ Webinar:

    Categories
    2024 College Hockey Recruiting Girl's Showcase Girls Hockey Women's College Hockey

    Labor Day Weekend Tournaments: How Important are they for Recruiting?

    Labor Day weekend tournaments can be a bit of a conundrum for aspiring women’s college hockey players. On one hand, these events, such as the PIP Labor Day Girls Fest and the NAHA Labor Day Tournament, attract dozens of college scouts. On the other hand, these are often the first games of the season for many teams, so there are bound to be mistakes as players adjust to new teammates and systems.

    So, how should a prospective college student-athlete approach this first weekend of hockey from a recruiting standpoint?

    The answer depends on where you are in the recruiting process.

    If You’re a 2027 High School Grad or Later

    If you’re a 2027 grad or younger, the pressure is relatively low. While you’ll certainly be scouted during this first weekend, most Division I schools will also attend two or three additional high-profile events in September and October. These include the Stoney Creek Showcases, the RUSH Hockey Two Nations College Prep Series and the popular Minnesota Girls Elite NIT Tradition Tournament.

    If you’re a DI-caliber player, as long as you perform reasonably well over Labor Day weekend, you’ll have multiple opportunities to showcase your skills at an even higher level in these future events. For example, if you’re a goalie and your team’s defensive structure isn’t quite solid yet, causing you to let in a few goals, don’t stress too much. Coaches understand that early-season games come with challenges, and there’s no need to be overly concerned about hitting peak performance in your first tournament.

    If You’re a 2025 or 2026 Grad

    For 2025 and 2026 grads still looking to secure a college spot, the stakes are higher. Many 2026 players were contacted after June 15th but haven’t received offers yet; they’ve started conversations with schools and have been told by coaches that they’ll be watched “in the Fall.” Well, these are the games where you’ll be closely evaluated.

    If you’re already in talks with some teams, or at least contacting schools with open spots, this could be one of your last chances to make a strong impression. Scouts will expect uncommitted players to have worked hard over the summer and to be ready to prove they’re capable of playing at the DI level. The margin for error is smaller for players in this group, so it’s important to demonstrate that you’re ready to take the next step in the recruiting process.

    Additionally, be prepared to see many DI coaches that have already made offers to players to be talking to them in the lobby. After games, DI coaches will find their potential recruits and their parents to connect. Many times they will leave the rink together to go out for a meal. Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t approached by a DI coach, many times they have their own agenda at these events – sometimes it is scouting, sometimes it is just to close players with existing offers.

    The Bottom Line

    In any situation, you always want to be playing at your best. If you’re on track to play DI hockey, it’s unlikely that anything that happens this weekend will drastically change your trajectory. At worst, you’ll remain on a team’s radar, but some areas for development might be noted. However, if you’re already in discussions with schools and they’re trying to decide whether to make you an offer, there’s definitely pressure to perform. You need to show that you can be a top player at a tournament against strong competition, even this early in the season.

    Ultimately, Labor Day weekend is an important milestone in the recruiting process, but it’s just one of many opportunities to prove yourself. Play hard, stay focused, and remember that this is just the beginning of the season.

    To learn more about Planning for the 2024-25 Season, attend our CHAMPS+ Recruiting Webinar with Harry Rosenholtz from College Hockey Showcases – Thursday, August 22nd at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT). Free for CHAMPS+ Subscribers.

    Categories
    2025 Development Camp Girls Hockey Player Development Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

    Insights on Preparing for the USA Hockey Girls 15’s and 16/17’s Camps

    I have paid close attention to the USA Hockey development camps for the last 3 years and written quite a few posts on the subject.  As the USA Hockey Girls 16/17’s Camp kicks off this week and the 15’s Camp starts next week, I thought I would put together some information and links that might be helpful to players who might be going for the first time.

    Expectations for Development Camp

    By now, all players have been training to prepare for their week of development camp.  Some parts are more important than others.  After you arrive, you are being evaluated by all the coaches, all the time.  At the same time, unless you show careless disregard for others or basic unprofessional behavior, basic interactions with coaches won’t make much of a difference.  Focus on having fun and learning and not just trying to butter up to the coaches. 

    Off-ice testing has little to no impact on your evaluation. The only way it may impact you is if you are significantly above or below the standards for your age group.  Even at the NHL level, little correlation has been found between combine testing results and performance. The only commonly accepted metric is that some of the vertical and horizontal jumping measurements can be connected to on-ice speed.  But that is just one contributing attribute in the making of a professional hockey player.

    “Based on just results, the combine has little to no bearing on how successful a player will be in the NHL or elsewhere.”

    How you play in the games is the most important element in how you will be evaluated. Do the best you can with your on-ice performance.

    Another item to keep in mind, is that many of the coaches working the camp definitely have dual objectives. Of course they want to be involved in USA Hockey and have their personal coaching development agenda – at the same time, many recruiting relationships are formed at these events that continue on after the camp.  It is quite common to hear how the recruiting journey of a player started when they met their future college coach at one of these events.

    For 15’s Camp Players:

    The Girls 15’s Camp is the first introduction for most players to the USA Hockey National Development Camp process. I wrote about attending the camp as a parent back in 2021:

    What I learned attending the 2021 USA Hockey 15’s Girl’s Development Camp Part I

    What I learned attending the USA Hockey 15s Girls Development Camp Part II

    What I learned attending the USA Hockey 15s Girls Development Camp Part III

    Unfortunately, there is no way to make the 18’s camp from the 15’s camp.  If you didn’t make the 18’s camp straight from District Camp, then you will need to wait to next year to be considered again for 18’s no matter how well you perform at the 15’s camp. The only exception might be for a goaltender – but that is highly unusual.

    Secondly, keep in mind there is about a 60% chance a player for the 15’s camp does not get invited back next year to either the 16/17’s or 18’s camp.  It’s just how the numbers work as you get older. So don’t take anything for granted and appreciate the time in Oxford, Ohio – because this might be your only USA Hockey National Camp you attend.

    Make no mistake, you are being scouted by college coaches at this event.  I had a DI coach tell me that they identified a 2024 recruit at the 15’s camp. This player was on a lower ranked AAA team that did not get much exposure, but their performance at the camp got the player on the schools radar for the coming season.

    For 16/17’s Camp Players:

    Last year I documented the event as it was going on:

    A Few Thoughts After the First Two Days of the 2023 USA Hockey Girls 16/17 Development Camp

    More Thoughts on the 2023 USA Hockey 16/17 Girls Development Camp

    As I’ve commented in the past, the process is not perfect.  In my opinion, there is not enough data-driven elements included in the evaluation of players. I have seen players with lots of points in the games get passed over for selection, and I’ve seen players with few (or no) points get moved on.  There is also clearly a bias to offensive oriented defenders over stay-at-home ‘defense-first’ players.  

    These two analyses provide a good perspective on the level of play needed to be selected to move on to the 18’s Camp. 

    Analyzing the USA Hockey Girls 16/17 Camp Defense Selections for the U18 Camp

    Analyzing the USA Hockey Girls 16/17 Camp Forward Selections for the U18 Camp

    My apologies to goalies, but I don’t have the background to evaluate the goalie selections, other than to look at the online stats such as GAA and Save %.  But I would not trust those statistics, because the folks recording those numbers are not professional statisticians.

    There are many attributes that factor into players being selected to advance, but also recognize that the relationship with your coaches and how much they ‘like’ you can play a role. I know of a couple of examples where relationships seemed to have either helped or hurt players being chosen.

    Also, keep in mind there were 6 players from last year’s 18’s Camp back competing at the 16/17s Camp.  Those players had to have been pretty good to even have been selected last year – so there is going to be a lot of competition to be one of the few players selected to move on to the 18’s camp. 

    From a recruiting perspective, almost every DI school and many DIII school will make an appearance during the week. Some will prefer to come for the early few days when players are still fresh and the quality of hockey is highest. Other coaches will arrive late in the week when they can watch the last day or two and then stick around for the 15’s camp.

    Before You Go – Let College Coaches Know you’ll be at the USA Hockey Development Camp

    If you still have not yet committed to a college team, take the opportunity to let the coaches at the schools you are interested in know you’ll be there.  Make sure to update (or create) your free, beautiful Champs App hockey profile.  Then use the Champs App Messaging Tool, to save time and ensure accuracy when sending coaches your hockey profile, team information and game schedule for the week.

    Categories
    2024 Coaching College Hockey Recruiting NCAA DI Commits Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

    Women’s DI Hockey Head Coaching Changes – Implications on Recruiting

    (Updated June 29, 2024)

    Since the end of this past season, at the NCAA DI women’s hockey level, there have been nine head coaching changes, along with the announcement of Allison Coomey as the first Head Coach at Delaware.

    SchoolOld CoachNew Coach
    AssumptionJack SweeneyJoe Grossman
    Bemidji StateJim ScanlanAmber Frykland
    ColgateGreg FargoStefan Decosse
    DartmouthLiz Keady NortonMaura Crowell
    DelawareN/AAllison Coomey
    Minnesota-DuluthMaura CrowellLaura Schuler
    Minnesota StateJohn HarringtonShari Dickerman
    PostGretchen SilvermanPat Bingham
    St Michael’sChris DonovanMeghan Sweezey
    UnionJosh ScibaTBD

    Coaching changes can occur for various reasons—positive, neutral, or negative. These may include retirement (e.g., Bemidji State, Minnesota State), a coach moving on to a new opportunity (e.g., Colgate, UMD), or a coach’s contract not being renewed due to on-ice performance or program dynamics. Often, it may be a combination of these reasons. When there is a change at the top, it can have multiple implications for potential recruits, current commits, and existing players.

    Potential Scenarios from a Recruiting Perspective

    1. Status Quo – A planned succession process is in place. Generally, the same principles or cultural philosophies will be maintained with minimal changes, aside from the new coach adding their personal touch to the team.
    2. New Sheriff in Town – The new head coach brings in their own assistants, changing the entire leadership of the coaching staff.
    3. Best of Both Worlds – A hybrid approach that combines the best of the old with new ideas and personnel.

    Impact on Potential Recruits

    If you are a player interested in a school undergoing a head coaching change, you could be directly affected. You might have built a relationship with the previous coaching staff over several years at showcases or camps, which influenced your interest in the school. With a new coach, you may need to establish new relationships and reassess your interest.

    For players from the Class of 2026 who are now eligible to speak with the school, conversations might be delayed or paused due to the transition. Currently, there are a few top schools without head coaches (e.g., Colgate, Minnesota Duluth, Union), and it’s unlikely that players will commit until a new head coach is appointed.

    Additionally, a “New Sheriff in Town” head coach may have their own list of potential recruits, which could exclude you. Thus, having backup options is advisable.

    Impact on Incoming Recruits

    Data from recent years suggests that most of the time, incoming and future commits remain unaffected by a new head coach; both the coaching staff and the recruits stay committed to each other. However, there have been instances where a new head coach implements a different recruiting strategy, resulting in commits being told they no longer have a spot. Depending on the situation, a de-committed player may have limited options for the 2024 or 2025 seasons.

    Conversely, NCAA rules allow players to de-commit and seek another school if they do not favor the new coach. Essentially, both parties have the opportunity to re-evaluate the relationship and decide if they want to stay together or move one from each other.

    Impact on Existing Players

    When a coaching change occurs, existing players have the option, under NCAA rules, to enter the transfer portal and find a different school. The NCAA grants a 30-day immediate portal window for players whose head coach departs. Recently, I spoke with a parent of a first-year player at a top DI women’s team who expressed concerns about uncertainty. The player loved the previous coaching staff and culture, and there is nervousness about whether the same philosophies will continue under the new staff.

    Similar to minor hockey, any time a player gets a new coach, they must adjust. Most players will need to re-establish their role on the team, which could affect their ice time. Each student-athlete should evaluate their situation and decide whether to stay or explore options in the transfer portal. Ideally, new coaches will take the time to get to know their team and communicate their plans for each player, allowing players to make informed decisions.

    One final point to consider is that assistant coaches are also affected by a change in head coaches. They too can experience positive or negative impacts under new leadership. In some situations, most of the staff is retained, while in others, the incumbent assistants do not return, and the new head coach assembles their own team.

    Categories
    2024 2025 College Hockey Recruiting NCAA DI Commits Women's College Hockey

    What Percent of D1 Women’s College Hockey Commits Come from Canada vs. the U.S.?

    An analysis breaking down commits from the U.S., Canada and Europe. It also provides insight into relatively how good a player needs to be within their country at their position.

    What percent of players of DI women’s college commits come from Canada vs. the U.S. and why does it matter? Well, if you are a female player who aspires to play at the highest level of college hockey, it is important to recognize that you aren’t only competing with the top players who play for a USA Hockey National Championship. You are also being compared to the top Canadian and European players.

    In analyzing our new and improved database of women’s college hockey commits, we have been tracking where every publicly announced commit is from and where they play. As you can see below, almost 40% of all Division I players are from Canada.

    Source: Elite Prospects, College Commits, Champs App analysis (as of May 21, 2024)

    So, how good do you need to be to play Division I women’s college hockey?

    There are 45 Division I college women’s hockey teams. Assuming 25 players on each team, with 25% graduating every year (once the Covid extra year expires after this year), then there should be about 280 openings each year (assuming no DIII transfers to DI).

    USA

    With 54% of players coming from the U.S., that means an American player needs to be one of the best 150 players in the U.S. for their graduation year. And if your goal is to play for a Top 25 team it means you basically need to be one of the best 80 players in the U.S.


    Thus to be a DI player, you would need to be one of the:
    • Top 18 goalies in the US.
    • Top 42 D in the U.S.
    • Top 90 forwards in the U.S.

    Canada

    With ~40% percent of players coming from Canada, that means a Canadian player needs to be one of the best 112 players in the Canada for their graduation year.


    Drilling down a little more, at the position level, it means:
    • Top 14 goalies in the Canada
    • Top 31 D in the Canada
    • Top 67 forwards in the Canada

    It is also important to note that a large majority of Canadian players primarily go to the top 25 DI U.S. schools, otherwise they could easily stay in Canada and be closer to home. For example they could play for Julie Chu or Caroline Ouellette at Concordia University. So the competition for these top schools is probably a little higher from Canadian players, thus lower the number spots for U.S. players at these high-ranking schools.

    Categories
    College Hockey Recruiting Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

    Deciding Between NEWHA and Top DIII Women’s Hockey: Factors to Consider

    If your choice is between going to a NEWHA team and a top-rated DIII team, you should seriously weigh a number of factors into your decision rather than just being able to say “I play DI hockey”.

    Before discussing the inputs to your decision between a NEWHA and a top DIII hockey school, let’s first set some context comparing the NEWHA conference and the top programs in DIII women’s hockey.

    A while ago, I interviewed Kerstin Matthews back when she was the Head Coach at St Anselm College and she discussed how her team was really a DII team but played a DI schedule. She also explained how there are some DII and DI schools in the NEWHA. She gives a great explanation on how the NEWHA conference is now able to compete for the NCAA Women’s Hockey National Championship: 

    NEWHA Hockey

    The NEWHA conference is very competitive and pretty well-balanced. Assumption and Stonehill were added over the past two seasons and they both had some success right away. There hasn’t been a single dominant team in recent years, with different conference champions the past few seasons. So within the NEWHA, players will experience a good level of competition throughout the season. In addition, as the programs mature at the DI level, one would hope that the level of play continues to elevate year-after-year.

    However, the reality is that the NEWHA conference as a whole doesn’t fare very well against the rest of the DI women’s teams right now. This past season, the NEWHA Conference went 1-44 in their non-conference games. The one win was a 1-goal mid-week game in early January at the end of Christmas Break by Franklin Pierce against Dartmouth.

    It’s great that the winner of the NEWHA Conference gets an automatic spot in the NCAA Women’s College Hockey playoffs. Every conference winner should get a berth. But the numbers show they aren’t even close to having one of the top 11 teams in the country to compete in the NCAA Playoffs.  According to MyHockeyRankings, all 8 NEWHA teams were rated at the bottom of the DI Women’s Hockey rankings this past season. Thus, it is no surprise that the team representing NEWHA in the NCAA Playoffs has been outscored a combined 16-2 in the two games of the opening round the past two seasons.

    Note: The NCAA just announced they will move from 11 to 12 teams in their NCAA Women’s DIII Hockey Playoff tournament.

    Beyond the level of play, potential recruits should also be factoring in roster size and athletic scholarship money. Half the NEWHA teams had 27 or more rostered players, with Sacred Heart carrying 33 players. Given a maximum of 18 athletic scholarships per program, many student-athletes are paying there own way.  And with a team only able to dress 20 or 21 players per game, several are being healthy scratched each game. 

    Do your research on academics

    This post doesn’t cover the quality of academics at the schools being discussed because I don’t really know all the details of each school.  However I have heard many times that the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schools are top-notch.  The NESCAC includes top rated teams like Amherst, Middlebury, Colby College and Hamilton College. At the same time, every NEWHA and DIII school has disciplines that they are strong in that may line up with a potential recruits intended major. Doing your research and seeing if there is a good match is critical when looking at your options.

    All of this should weigh into the decision of playing NEWHA vs high-level DIII.

    NEWHA vs. Top DIII Hockey

    Let’s now compare the level of hockey between the 8 NEWHA teams and the Top 8 DIII women’s hockey teams this past season.

    NEWHA Conference 2023-24 MyHockeyRankings

    DIII Women’s Hockey 2023-24 Top 8 MyHockeyRankings

    As you can see, the top 8 DIII ratings are very similar to the NEWHA ratings – implying they are comparable in levels of play and would have competitive games between them. This is also likely why you hear some DIII coaches say that they could beat a DI team.

    How to decide

    Rather than just focusing on just DI vs DIII, the following factors should really be prioritized before making a decision:

    • Academics / Education
    • Cost
    • Potential for individual and team hockey success (winning, playoffs etc.)
    • Cultural fit with team and school
    • Playing Time
    • Being able say “I play(ed) DI hockey”

    Depending on your expected role on the team, it seems that all else being equal, the school/academics should be the most important factor in your decision.

    At Champs App, we have discussed at length all the attributes to consider when deciding on a women’s college hockey program, but this specific choice of alternatives seems to really highlight the need to figure out your personal priorities and the importance of selecting the right academic opportunity for you.

    Categories
    2024 2025 College Hockey Recruiting Women's College Hockey

    The Transfer Portal and Implications for Recruiting

    Since the NCAA DI women’s hockey season ended for each team, individual players have been adding their name to the transfer portal seeking a new school to play for next season. 139 players entered the portal since it reopened last summer.  40 out 44 schools have at least one player in the portal.

    Why Players Enter the Transfer Portal

    There are many reasons a student-athlete would choose to go into the transfer portal.  Here are the most common:

    • They have a 5th year of eligibility due to Covid
    • Grad student (graduated) with remaining years of eligibility
    • Player wants more playing time (most common with goalies)
    • Player wants to play for a better team;  upgrade team ranking
    • Issue with the coach /coaching change – one or both sides feel that there is no longer a fit for team / player
    • Off-ice concerns – school (academic or culture) is not a fit for the student-athlete
    • Financial reasons / NIL (Name-Image-Likeness) opportunities

    Transfer Portal Player by Years of Eligibility

    Analyzing the actual the list of 139 players, here is how they breakout by remaining years of eligibility. It is no surprise that most only have one year left:

    NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Transfer Portal

    Impact on Prospective Recruits

    Depending on how many years of eligibility a transfer player has, it will either impact the number of recruits for 2026 or it may impact the slot where incoming 2024/2025 recruits fit in the lineup.

    For example over the last few days, Ohio State added a F from Clarkson, a D from Boston University and a G from Minnesota Duluth, all with two years of eligibility left.  Thus current and future OSU commits may be impacted by these signings for the 2024/25 and the 2025/26 seasons.

    On the flip side, this creates an opening in 2024 or 2025 at Clarkson, BU and UMD, depending on how many existing recruits there are for these schools.

    For 2026 recruits, if a player with 3 or 4 years of eligibility transfers to a school your were interested in and plays your position, there may be one less spot available on that team on June 15th.

    While at USA Hockey Nationals last week, I spoke with a couple of coaches who mentioned they are hosting transfer portal students this month for visits. So I would suspect that we will see many more announcement of players changing schools over the coming weeks.

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