The first-ever women's ice hockey team, the 2001-02 iteration of the Soaring Eagles, made history by capturing the inaugural NCAA Division III women's ice hockey national championship. EC's title run marked the first time in any division of NCAA sports that a team won a national championship in its first year of existence.
Elmira amassed a 26-1-1 overall record with an 18-1-1 mark within ECAC West Conference play, as the Soaring Eagles captured the ECAC West regular-season and tournament titles. The Soaring Eagles ended the season on a 25-game unbeaten streak (24-0-1), which included four victories in postseason play. Elmira edged Plattsburgh State in double-overtime, 4-3, to capture the ECAC West tournament title and then claimed EC's first-ever NCAA title with a 2-1 triumph over Manhattanville, both of which took place on home ice at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena.
Elmira's performance during the 2001-02 title run can simply be described as dominant. EC outscored its opponent on average by 4.93 goals per game, a mark that ranks fourth all-time in NCAA Division III women's ice hockey history. Elmira ranked second in the country that season in scoring offense (6.36 gpg), eighth in scoring defense (1.43 gpg), seventh in penalty kill (92.1%), and 11th in power-play efficiency (18.7%).
In the Elmira College record books, the 2001-02 national championship team still holds multiple team records. The 2001-02 squad ranks first in EC history in wins (26), fewest losses (1), goals scored (178), goals per game (6.36), longest winning streak (19), and also shares the record for the longest unbeaten streak (33), most 30-point scorers (5), most 40-point scorers (3), and most 50-point scorers (2).
2001-02 Roster
Jenelle Bauer ’05
LeAnne Denman ’05
Sarah Fewchuk ’05
Shannon Fong ’05
Charissa Gawant Haines ’05
Teegon Black Hoey ’03
Laura Hurd ’05
Bronwyn Hart-Irwin ’05
Kristen Jodoin ’05
Megan Lafave ’05
Kristin Lillie ’05
Sonya Lynk ’05
Leah Pabst ’05
Lindsay Palmer ’05
Edith Racine ’05
Michelle Rennie ’04
Amy Rudisill ’05
Julie Clune Sadler ’05
Shannon Sargent ’05
Head Coach: Jamie Wood
Assistant Coach: Jamie Jewers
Assistant Athletic: Trainer Nick Camp
