2015-16 Women's Ice Hockey Schedule
Elmira, NY -- After a runner-up finish in the 2015 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Tournament, the Elmira College women's ice hockey team is eager to begin the 2015-16 season. Elmira will play in 25 regular season games, including a pair of tournaments at the East-West Hockey Classic and the UNO Chicago Grill Cardinal-Panther Classic.
Elmira begins the 2015-16 campaign on Saturday, October 31st, at the campus of Norwich University in Northfield, VT, at the ultra-competitive East-West Hockey Classic. The Soaring Eagles open tournament play on Haloween against Adrian College, a team that ended last season with a No. 6 USCHO national ranking. EC will then take on the either Norwich or Plattsburgh State the following day.
On Friday, November 13th, the Soaring Eagles will play in their home opener, which will also be their ECAC West Conference opener, against SUNY Cortland at the Murray Athletic Center at 7:00 p.m. The following day, Elmira will face Cortland again but this time at the Red Dragons' home rink at 2:00 p.m.
The following weekend features Elmira against Utica College in another home-and-home series, beginning with a Saturday, November 21st matchup at the domes. Utica will then host Elmira the following day.
The Soaring Eagles will then take a short break from conference play to compete in the UNO Chicago Grill Cardinal-Panther Classic, one of the nation's premier regular season tournaments. Elmira opens play against host Middlebury College on Friday, November 27th, before taking on Gustavus Adolphus College the following afternoon. Both Middlebury and Gustavus Adolphus finished the 2014-15 campaign ranked inside the top 10 in the national USCHO coaches poll.
Following play at the Cardinal-Panther Classic, Elmira resumes their ECAC West schedule with a pair of road games against the Bears of SUNY Potsdam on December 5th and 6th. The two games against Potsdam mark the final contests of 2015 for the Soaring Eagles.
Elmira opens the New Year with five consecutive home contests, beginning on Saturday, January 2nd, with EC's first home contest in nearly a month and a half, as the Soaring Eagles welcome non-conference opponent Williams College to the Murray Athletic Center for a 3:00 p.m. showdown.
Seven days later, Elmira will face Norwich University in what could be their first or second matchup of the season, depending on what happens at the East-West Classic at the beginning of the season.
Three days later, the Soaring Eagles will play in their lone Tuesday night contest of the season, as the Soaring Eagles take on Amherst College on January 12th at 7:00 p.m. That same weekend, Elmira will re-open conference play with back-to-back games against Neumann University. The games against the Knights mark the end of five straight home contests.
The following weekend, Elmira travels to Pittsburgh, PA for another conference series, this one featuring the Soaring Eagles and the Cougars of Chatham University.
Hockey fans would be wise to circle the next two dates on their calendars as the Soaring Eagles face Plattsburgh State in a rematch of last year's NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Championship game. The rivalry between two of the nation's top programs continues on Saturday, January 30th, through Sunday the 31st. Both games will be played at 3:00 p.m.
Elmira will then face Buffalo State in another ECAC West home-and-home series, starting with a Friday, February 5th matchup against the Bengals in Buffalo, NY. EC will then head back home to Pine Valley, NY to face Buffalo State on February 6th.
Another home-and-home series is scheduled the following weekend as Elmira faces second year program, William Smith College, in back-to-back games on February 13th and 14th. The game on the 13th marks Elmira's final regular season home contest of the season, while the contest on the 14th will be played away from home in Geneva, NY.
Elmira will then conclude the 2015-16 regular season with back-to-back games against Oswego State on February 19th and 20th.
