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2025-26 Division III Women's Hockey

P

PrezdeJohnson09

Proud supporter of Osmirwich hockey
Time to flip the script to 2025-26. Students are all on campus now. Official "non-traditional" season practices kick up this month.

Hit the ice for real in about a month. It will be here soon.
 
Not 2025-26 news, but 2026-27.

salveathletics.com

Salve Regina Ice Hockey Reunites with CNE Membership - Salve Regina University

NEWPORT, R.I. – (September 12, 2025) – Salve Regina University President Kelli Armstrong, in conjunction with Patrick Colbert, commissioner of the Conference of
salveathletics.com salveathletics.com

Salve re-joins the CNE as a hockey-only member for next season for men's and women's hockey. Along with Roger Williams, the CNE will have nine programs playing women's hockey in 26-27.
 
Not sure if the womens tournament has the same ratio for the mens tournament but if its still the same 1:6 ratio i count 79 d3 womens teams which means a 13 team tourney this year and another at large bid has opened up.
 
Lord_Zubin said:
Not sure if the womens tournament has the same ratio for the mens tournament but if its still the same 1:6 ratio i count 79 d3 womens teams which means a 13 team tourney this year and another at large bid has opened up.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's accurate. Also, the NEHC bid didn't follow to the LEC so that opens up to at-large for now.

In other news, per DIIIHockeyNews, MAC member Albright College (Reading, PA) has posted for a FT women's ice hockey head coach yesterday (along with a men's HC). The posting includes language that they are "seeking a dynamic and visionary Head Coach to lead the start-up of its Women’s Ice Hockey program" so it appears we will have a new DIII team from the MAC for Fall 2026 or Fall 2027. Albright College athletics' biggest claim to fame is as a participant in the first football game on record between an HBCU and a majority-white institution.
 
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I have been told the expanded tourament doesnt happen until the next academic year in the mens thread so apparently it will still be 12 teams for 26 and then 13 teams for 27
 
Lord_Zubin said:
I have been told the expanded tourament doesnt happen until the next academic year in the mens thread so apparently it will still be 12 teams for 26 and then 13 teams for 27
Click to expand...
The "waiting period" was last year. There were enough teams for 13 in the 2024-25 season, so 13 is coming this year.
 
D3hn Preseason poll is out. Said this over in the mens thread, but don't be surprised if this is the only poll this year, as USCHO cuts are coming even harder.

Particularly for women, the D3HN poll was much better than uscho last year, so I think it's time to start recognizing this one over uscho (if they even do it)
 
Hiram will add a women's club next season to go with the men's team launching this year.

Anna Hamid (Cortland '23 or '24, I'm not sure) will be the inaugural head coach. Hamid was a student assistant coach at Cortland due to injury as an upperclassman and then was a grad assistant at NVU-Castleton last season.
 
Lindsay said:
hiramterriers.com

Hiram Women’s Ice Hockey Welcomes Anna Hamid As Program’s 1st Head Coach - Hiram College

Hiram College Adds 26th Program For 2026-27 Season
hiramterriers.com hiramterriers.com

Scott, any idea what league they would play in? Are they likely to do an independent schedule the first year?
Click to expand...
If I had to guess either the UCHC or the NCHA. I think the UCHC is the most likely as the NCHA already has a lot of teams. As to whether they get admission right away or have to tough it out as an independent I have no clue.
 
University of St. Joseph, based in West Hartford, CT, has announced new men's and women's programs for Fall 2026. No conference has been announced but they are a geographic fit for the CNE.

The programs will be based off campus at the International Skating Center of Connecticut in nearby Simsbury. In girls/womens hockey the ISCC is home to the Northern Lights program that has been producing DIII and occasionally DI commits so there is a junior program they can get themselves in front of fairly easily...though historically programs with off campus rinks tend to struggle more often than succeed.
 
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