MARSHFIELD, Mass. – The New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) announced the results of its preseason coaches' poll for the 2024-25 women's hockey season on Wednesday afternoon with the University of Southern Maine Huskies placing fourth. 
 
Defending conference champion Elmira College led the poll with 97 points and seven first-place votes followed by Norwich University with 92 points and the three remaining first-place votes. William Smith College placed third with 76 points with Southern Maine coming in fourth with 70 points.
 
The Huskies reached the NEHC Championship Game last season for the first time in program history before falling to Elmira. Head coach John Lauziere '02, now in his 19th season, led the team to a 15-11-22 record in 2023-24.
 
A key piece of the Huskies' impressive season was senior goalie Haley McKim (Moncton, New Brunswick/Mount Academy). McKim had a record-breaking season with a .958 save percentage that ranked in the top five in the nation and set a record for shutouts in a season with seven. She was named an East Second Team American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-American for her efforts and was one of 15 finalists for the Laura Hurd Award, given annually to the best NCAA Division III women's ice hockey player in the country. She also was named the NEHC Goaltender of the Year and First Team All-NEHC for the third consecutive season and repeated as a New England Hockey Writers Association (NEHWA) New England All-Star selection. The program record holder in career saves and shutouts, McKim's 40 career wins are second in program history behind Karen Jamnik's 46.
 
Senior Madison Chagnon (St. Albans, Vt./Rice Memorial) and junior Olivia Stewart (Fredericton, New Brunswick/Mount Academy) led the Huskies in points last season with 15 each and will be looking to make significant contributions to the offense. Chagnon, a 2022-23 First Team All-NEHC selection, scored a team-leading nine goals last season including the game-winner in overtime against Norwich in the NEHC Semifinals. Stewart finished second on the team in assists with nine and added six goals. Other forwards to watch this season include junior Saige MacLeod (Dryden, Ontario) and sophomore Ellie Eigner (Bowling Green, Ohio/ South Lyon East) who each scored four goals last year.
 
Senior Jess MacLean (Red Point, Nova Scotia), a Second Team All-NHEC selection last season, led all Southern Maine defensemen in points last season with 11. Her points came from four goals and seven assists. Senior Amelie St-Amant (Ottawa, Ontario/ Ontario Hockey Academy) and junior Caroline Thompson (Crapaud, Prince Edward Island/Mount Academy) are also among the veterans of the Southern Maine defensive core. The pair finished first and second on the team in blocked shots with 40 and 36. They each performed well on the opposite end of the ice as well with Thompson recording eight points from three goals and five assists and St-Amant logging two goals and three assists.
 
The Huskies are hosting home exhibition games against Suffolk University on Friday, October 25 at 4:00 pm and Keene State College on Saturday, October 26 at 1:00 pm. The team will open the regular season at the University of New England on Friday, November 1 at 4:00 pm and will make their home debut on Saturday, November 2 against Endicott College at 3:00 pm.
 
2024-25 New England Hockey Conference Women's Preseason Coaches' Poll

#1	Elmira College (7)	97 points
#2	Norwich University (3)	92 points
#3	William Smith College	76 points
#4	University of Southern Maine	70 points
#5	Vermont State University Castleton	60 points
#6	University of Massachusetts Boston	51 points
#7	Salve Regina University	43 points
#8	New England College	23 points
#9	Albertus Magnus College	21 points
#10	Salem State University	17 points

(First place votes in parentheses)