CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's ice hockey is set to open its 2024-25 campaign this weekend with a non-conference matchup against the No. 8 Connecticut Huskies at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center. The Crimson and the Huskies will clash on the ice at 6:00 PM (ESPN+) in the first meeting between the two programs since the 2014-15 season.
What to Know
Harvard Women's Ice Hockey is Back
- The Crimson is set to make its return to the ice this weekend to begin its second season under the Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard Women's Ice Hockey, Laura Bellamy '13.
- Harvard returns nearly all of its key student-athletes to the ice this season, including 92 percent of its goal scoring, 86 percent of its assists and 88 percent of its point production.
- Gwyn Lapp, the team's leading scorer in 2023-24, will return to the lineup and looks to build off her breakout season a year ago.
- Another breakout star from a year ago, Emily Davidson, will return to the lineup as the starting netminder for the Crimson. Davidson played in 11 games a season ago and posted a save percentage of .911 and a GAA of 3.10.
- The Crimson elected the trio of Ellie Bayard, Mia Biotti and Jenna MacDonald to lead the team as captains this season.
- Biotti comes into the contest as the team leader in career points with 32 off five goals and 27 assists.
Scouting Connecticut
- The University of Connecticut Huskies come into the contest with six games under their belts this season. The team's 3-3 record features a win over No. 12 Penn State and a two-game sweep of New Hampshire. The Huskies opened the season at No. 2 Minnesota where they battled against the Golden Gophers but could not upset the foe after two close games.
- UConn is outscoring opponents, 15-14, on the season despite being out shot, 190-150, in the young season. That is due to the strong play of its goaltenders, Megan Warrener and Tia Chan, who have split the work down the middle this season starting three games each. Both goalies have allowed less than 2.5 goals per game and own save percentages around the .930 mark.
- The Huskies have displayed a balanced offensive attack so far this season, getting contributions from up and down the roster. Claire Murdoch, Jada Habisch and Ava Rinker are all tied for the team lead with six points on the year, while Murdoch's three goals are good for the team lead.
- A 2024 NCAA Tournament participant, the Huskies will be a great test for the Crimson before it begins ECAC action next weekend.
- The Crimson owns the edge over UConn in the all-time series with a 15-3-0 record against the regional foe. Harvard has also won each of the past five matchups over the Huskies.
New Faces Around Bright
- Bellamy brought in two new staff members to the program this season in assistant coach, Joakim Flygh, and goaltending coach, Cami Kronish.
- Flygh, a former Harvard assistant coach, comes to Harvard after a 10-year tenure as the head coach of the Yale women's ice hockey team. Familiar to the University, Flygh also helped recruit current head coach, Laura Bellamy, when he was an assistant from 2007-10.
- Kronish comes to Harvard after an incredibly successful playing career at the University of Wisconsin. In Madison, Kronish helped lead the Badgers to two national titles before signing with the PWHL's Boston Fleet, where she played in the league's inaugural season.
Now Introducing the Harvard Women's Hockey Class of 2028
Up Next
Harvard will begin ECAC play next weekend with a trip to Central New York to take on Union (Oct. 25) and RPI (Oct. 26). Puck drop for the matchups are set for 6:00 PM and 3:00 PM, respectively with both games also set to air on ESPN+.
