ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The two-time defending United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Champion Elmira College women's ice hockey team announced its 2019-20 schedule on Thursday morning. The Soaring Eagles begin their pursuit of a fourth national championship on Saturday, November 9, when they host Wilkes at the Murray Athletic Center at 3:00 p.m.

Under the direction of fourth-year Head Coach Tim Crowley, the Soaring Eagles will once again take on a challenging slate as they look to cement their status atop the Division III landscape. EC's regular season features 25 contests, including 12 against teams that qualified for their respective conference tournaments last season. Elmira will battle the upper echelon of college hockey on multiple occasions, highlighted by matchups against the reigning national champion, Plattsburgh State, and third-place finisher, Adrian.

Elmira continues its season-opening three-game homestand on Sunday, November 10, when the Soaring Eagles take on King's (Pa.) at 3:00 p.m. The following Saturday, November 16, the Purple and Gold will host a rematch of the 2018 United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) title game when William Smith comes to Pine Valley, New York, at 3:00 p.m.

The Soaring Eagles get their first taste of road action on Friday, November 22, with a trip to the Flower City to take on Nazareth. The following afternoon, EC visits UCHC rival Utica at 2:00 p.m.

One of the highlights of the Purple and Gold's schedule awaits to close out November when Elmira heads west to Illinois to battle a pair of non-conference foes. The road trip kicks-off with a tilt against the Foresters of Lake Forest on Friday, November 29. The following afternoon, the Soaring Eagles challenge a Wisconsin-Eau Claire squad that qualified for the NCAA tournament after clinching the 2018-19 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship.

The Soaring Eagles return home on Saturday, December 7, to battle the Mammoths of Amherst to open a weekend set against a pair of New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) powerhouses. On Sunday, December 8, EC closes out the 2019 portion of the schedule with a battle against Williams at 3:00 p.m.

Elmira opens the New Year at the 10th annual East-West Hockey Classic on the campus of Norwich. The Purple and Gold open the two-day affair on Sunday, January 5, with a meeting against their rivals from the West, Adrian. The tournament wraps up on Monday, January 6, against either Norwich or Plattsburgh.

The Purple and Gold open a six-game home swing on Saturday, January 11, when they host Norwich in a continuation of the budding rivalry between the two powerhouses. EC hosts a pair of UCHC contests against Stevenson (Jan. 18) and Alvernia (Jan. 19), before Morrisville State visits the MAC for a non-conference tilt on Tuesday, January 21. The homestand wraps up with a return to conference action with bouts against Chatham (Jan. 25) and Lebanon Valley (Jan. 26).

A season-long six-game road trip follows the Soaring Eagles' time at home, beginning with four-straight UCHC contests against Neumann (Feb. 1), Manhattanville (Feb. 2), Wilkes (Feb. 7), and King's (Pa.) (Feb. 8). EC breaks from conference action with a trip to Plattsburgh, New York, to take on Plattsburgh State in a battle that could shake up the national polls.

Elmira plays its final game away from the Murray Athletic Center on Sunday, February 16, when the Soaring Eagles trek up Route 14 to take on William Smith in Geneva, New York.

The regular season draws to a close the following weekend, as EC hosts Utica on Friday, February 21, before battling Nazareth on Saturday, February, 22.
The UCHC Tournament is scheduled to begin on Saturday, February 29, with the quarterfinal round at campus sites. The semifinals are set for Saturday, March 7, while the winner of the Pat Thompson Trophy will be crowned on Sunday, March 8. The semifinals and championship game will be hosted by the highest remaining seed.

Schedule Highlights

• Elmira will play 13 games at home and 12 on the road this season.
• Six of EC's opponents ended the 2018-19 campaign in the national polls.
• Elmira will take on an extremely challenging non-conference schedule this season, as the Soaring Eagles' opponents combined for a .700 winning percentage in 2018-19.
• EC will look to repeat as East-West Hockey Classic champions when they head to the annual tournament on Sunday, January 5 after the Purple and Gold claimed their first title since 2014-15 last season.
• The Soaring Eagles will battle Lake Forest for the second time in program history after previously meeting in 2006.
• The Purple and Gold will battle the reigning national champion as well as the third-place finisher when they take on Plattsburgh State and Adrian.
• The 2019-20 season marks the first time the Soaring Eagles will not take on Middlebury in the regular season since 2006-07.

Games to Watch
Elmira at Lake Forest (Ill.) – Friday, November 29 (2:00 p.m.)
The Soaring Eagles flock west for this intriguing non-conference battle at the Lake Forest Invite. EC has played the Foresters once in the program's storied history, dropping a 3-1 decision at the Murray Athletic Center. The Foresters qualified for the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) tournament last season and will offer a unique early-season challenge for Elmira.

Elmira vs. Norwich – Saturday, January 11 (3:00 p.m.)
Elmira resumes its budding rivalry against the Cadets in a Saturday matinee at the MAC. EC got the better of Norwich last season, picking up a pair of victories over the 2018 national champions. The Purple and Gold ended the season ahead of the Cadets in the polls, and this midseason matchup will have a massive impact on the national landscape.

Elmira at Plattsburgh State – Friday, February 14 (7:00 p.m.)
EC heads north for a battle between two of the nation's premier teams in a prime time matchup. The Purple and Gold split a pair of contests against the Cardinals last season, earning a 4-1 win over their rivals in the most recent meeting. Plattsburgh went on to clinch its seventh national championship, setting up a massive tilt as the season winds down. A win over their rivals would see the Soaring Eagles send a statement of intent to all teams vying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Elmira vs. Nazareth – Saturday, February 22 (3:00 p.m.)
The Soaring Eagles close out the regular season at home against UCHC upstart Nazareth. The Golden Flyers pieced together a 19-5-2 record in their first season of competition and earned an appearance in the UCHC Tournament. A late-season win over their feathered foes would help the Soaring Eagles in the battle for home-ice advantage in the playoffs as they search for their third consecutive conference title.