EXCELSIOR, Minn. — After reaching the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fourth time in program history during the 2025-26 season, the Williams College women's ice hockey team earned a No. 6 ranking in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Preseason poll Monday afternoon.
"We are looking forward to starting practice on Oct. 22," said 16th-year head coach
Meghan Gillis. "We open right away with NESCACÂ games, so those first few weeks of practice are going to be important preparation to put us in a good spot heading into our games against Connecticut College. We want to build off the momentum we created last season with this new group."
The Ephs earned their second-ever NCAA victory during the 2025-26 season, defeating Plattsburgh, 2-1, in a comeback overtime triumph during the Sweet 16 at Lansing Chapman Rink. The unit finished with a 18-5-5 record and a 9-3-4 NESCAC mark, as the group recorded the most single-season overall wins and conference victories for the program since the 2018-19 season.
Williams earned the third seed in the 2026 NESCAC Tournament, as the unit outlasted sixth-seeded and Little Three-rival Wesleyan, 5-3, during the quarterfinal round in Williamstown, Massachusetts, marking the first time the Ephs hosted and won a conference playoff game since the 2018-19 season.
The Ephs defeated four ranked opponents, going 2-0 against eventual NESCAC runner-up Colby and Plattsburgh, while embarking on a 16-game undefeated streak with a 13-0-3 record from Nov. 19 - Jan 31. Williams held 19 opponents to one or fewer goals. The balance on the Ephs' roster was outstanding with many scoring threats, as 10 student-athletes finished with between 10 and 19 points.
The Ephs open the 2026-27 season on Friday, Nov. 13, against Connecticut College with puck drop set for 7 p.m. in Lansing Chapman Rink.
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