The new Division 1 women’s college hockey season is upon us, and New England houses plenty of talent.
Whether it’s in Hockey East, ECAC Hockey or NEWHA, some familiar names should dominate the headlines again, while other legacies will be built. From name-brand schools to rising programs, there are plenty of players to monitor.
And, of course, there are some great players who are New England natives.
Here’s a look at some names to watch.
Skylar Irving, Northeastern
Irving has improved in every season of her collegiate career, and her fourth season should be no different. The Kingston, Mass., native was named a Hockey East third-team All-Star and Beanpot MVP for her two-goal performance in the Huskies’ second consecutive tournament victory.
She played 39 games last season, scoring 13 goals and 22 assists. Her 35 points led Northeastern and were second in Hockey East. She has 66 points in 115 career games for the Huskies, and her strong play will be a major factor in Northeastern’s contention chances.
In August, she competed for the U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select team in a three-game series against Canada.
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Jenna Chaplain, Assumption
Chaplain entered her first collegiate season as a cornerstone recruit for a new program. It’s safe to say she lived up to expectations in her rookie season.
The Peabody, Mass., native and former St. Mary’s of Lynn standout led the Greyhounds with 20 points in the team’s 10-22-4 debut season. She should only prove stronger in her second season, and Assumption should grow from the one that trotted out 20 first-years in 2023-24.
Chaplain should continue as the driver of the team’s offense and will look to further develop from the player who was a dominant force in MIAA hockey a few seasons ago.
Sammy Taber, Boston College
Taber burst onto the scene as a first-year, scoring 13 goals and 19 assists in 35 games. That led an Eagles team that finished just above .500 last winter and the Tewksbury, Mass., native looked like a future contender for the Patty Kazmaier Award.
She won Hockey East Rookie of the Year and has extensive international experience, including a presence on the U.S. Under-18 team that won bronze at the 2023 IIHF U-18 Women’s World Championships.
Continued development from Taber should allow BC to rise back toward the upper echelon of Hockey East.
Anna Bargman, Yale
Bargman will take on a new role with the Bulldogs this season.
The rising senior from Boxford, Mass., was named team captain for the upcoming season. This comes after three productive seasons with Yale. Her best season was 2022-23 when she posted 17 goals and 17 assists.
Her production dipped slightly to 12 goals and eight assists in 32 games last season but she still is a force to be reckoned with.
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Jules Constantinople, Northeastern
Constantinople enters her third season with the Huskies and was a strong presence on the blue line in 2023-24.
The East Haven, Conn., native was named a Hockey East second-team All-Star, a New England Division 1 All-Star and twice received the Hockey East Defender of the Month Award last season. She also was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament team for her play in the Huskies run to the conference championship.
Constantinople scored four goals and added 12 assists in 39 games and has 21 points in her career. She also had 62 blocked shots.
Jade Iginla, Brown
The name probably sounds familiar. Iginla is the daughter of NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla and sister of 2024 first-round pick Tij Iginla. The former Dexter Southfield and Shattuck-St. Mary’s star is entering her third year with the Bears and has racked up numerous accolades in her tenure.
She was ECAC-Co Rookie of the Year and Brown’s team MVP in 2022-23 and followed that with a second-team All-Ivy campaign in 2023-24. She had 16 goals and 11 assists in 29 games during her sophomore year and will continue to be a focal point of the forward core.
Molly Jordan, Boston College
The first defender featured on this list is another Eagles rising sophomore with international experience. Jordan was Taber’s teammate on that 2023 U-18 team and earned a starring role on the Boston College blue line during her rookie season.
Jordan scored four goals and 14 assists in 36 games in 2023-24, finishing plus-1. She also finished second on the team in blocked shots and played a prominent role on the power play.
The Berlin, Conn., native should see an increased role during year two.
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Jade Arnone, Boston College
The third Eagle to join this list is entering her third season and second in Chestnut Hill. She had four goals and eight assists in 35 games last season and has played in 65 total games.
The Sherborn, Mass., native stands at 5-foot-11 and should be intimidating on the blue line. She had 26 penalty minutes in 2023-24 and will help keep pucks out of the Eagles net.
Hope Walinski, Providence
Walinski was on last year’s list, and her strong play in the season that followed made her a worthy candidate again.
The Lincoln, R.I., native and Winchendon alum is entering her fourth season with the Friars and second as the official starter in goal. She played 27 games last season, recording a 2.04 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage while lifting Providence to an 11-11-4 record when she had the net.
Providence should be an improved team in 2024-25, and Walinski’s play could determine just how high the Friars will rise.
Eve Stone, Stonehill
The Skyhawks were one of the better stories last season and Stone was a big reason why. She started 28 games, going 15-11-2 and recording a 2.36 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. Her work helped Stonehill reach the NCAA tournament in just the program’s second year of play. While the Skyhawks fell, 7-1, to Cornell in the first round, Stone made 48 saves in that contest.
She was named the NEWHA Postseason Most Outstanding Player and was one of the better netminders in Division 1. She will look to build on this for her junior season and try to help Stonehill become a powerhouse in the conference.
