WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — After winning the program's first-ever NESCAC Championship during the 2025-26 season and advancing to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 2016, the Williams College men's ice hockey team is thrilled to announce its 2026-27 schedule.
The Ephs begin their new journey together on Friday, Nov. 20, as they welcome 12th-ranked Bowdoin to Lansing Chapman Rink during senior night at 6 p.m. On Nov. 21, Williams will compete against visiting Colby, with the game carrying extra meaning in regard to the 2026 NESCAC / NCAA banner ceremony. Williams ends November competition with non-conference matchups against No. 14 Babson and No. 11 Geneseo on Nov. 28 and 29, respectively, as three of the team's initial four games are against ranked opponents.
"After coming off our program's first-ever NESCAC Championship, the team is excited for the upcoming 2026-27 season," said 38th-year head coach
Bill Kangas. "The returning student-athletes learned how to deal with adversity, focus on daily improvements and stay connected as a group, especially when our game was not at its best. Those early lessons built strong team resiliency, and a high level of focus and determination."
The Ephs compete in four NESCAC games during December, including a trip to Amherst on Friday, Dec. 11, with a 7 p.m. puck drop. Williams is thrilled for its Minnesota trip with games at Gustavus Adolphus (2 p.m. Central Time) and Bethel (1 p.m. Central Time) on Jan. 1 and 2, respectively.
The unit hosts Middlebury on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 3 p.m., which is a rematch of the 2026 NESCAC championship game. Williams plays Amherst on Friday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. in Lansing Chapman Rink. The Ephs compete in 24 regular-season games, with 18 counting toward their NESCAC record and 12 occurring in Williamstown.
The top-eight teams qualify for the 2026 NESCAC Tournament, with the higher seeds hosting quarterfinal-round action on Feb. 27. The highest remaining seed will host the semifinal and final rounds on March 6-7.
"While we lost a great group of senior leaders, we feel confident with our talented and motivated returning group of student-athletes," said Kangas. "Our schedule is once again one of the nation's most difficult, and these games will encourage us to play at our best all the time."
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