It may still seem a ways off now, but soon enough, another New England girls prep hockey season will be here.
Last year lacked neither talent nor parity throughout the NEPSAC.
Teams like Nobles, Williston Northampton, Phillips Andover, Dexter Southfield and Loomis Chaffee turned in dominant seasons. All were regulars in the top half of our weekly rankings, and each had players who were mainstays in our weekly top performers.
The playoffs were a different beast entirely, as the Elite 8, Large and Small School tournaments were about as unpredictable as I have seen them in three seasons.
In the end, Loomis Chaffee knocked off Deerfield for a repeat Elite 8 title, while Phillips Exeter marched to its first NEPSAC title since 2000 with a win over Choate in the Large School final. Groton, meanwhile, took its first NEPSAC title with a bit of revenge over then-three-time defending champ New Hampton in the Small School final.
Naturally, it’s a perfect time to look ahead to the winter. Fall hockey is upon us, and the prep season will be here before we know it.
Here are six storylines to watch.
Can Loomis Chaffee go for an Elite 8 three-peat?
Last summer, I wrote, “Getting back to the Elite 8 title game would be a feat in itself, let alone winning. If anyone can do it, why not Loomis?”
Now, I don’t want to say I called my shot, but I certainly wasn’t wrong, either.
The Pelicans went 24-4-0 in 2025-26. Back-to-back losses to close the regular season could have tanked their hopes, but Loomis reset and marched to a quarterfinal win over Dexter Southfield, a wild comeback over top-seeded Nobles in the semis and a thorough championship win over Deerfield.
So, can they pull off a three-peat? That will almost certainly be easier said than done, as Liz Leyden’s squad will look different in 2026-27.
Among the biggest pieces to graduate was two-time NEPSAC Player of the Year and Elite 8 MVP, Lindsey Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.), who is off to Harvard. Other stars like forward Annie Schwarz (Fairfield, Conn.; Yale), goalie Adeline Roper (Kennebunkport, Maine; Williams) and defenders Carly Dann (Hanover, N.H.; Cornell), Megan Hosman (Penn State) and Hattie Willard (Wesleyan) are also off to the collegiate ranks.
The next wave is in place, though, as several juniors and underclassmen showed promise last season.
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Among the leading returners is forward Easton Pramuka (Amherst), coming off a 23-point junior season that included two goals in the championship. She’ll be a key senior alongside Brooke Murphy (Colby). Rising sophomores Sophie DiGioia (Milford, Conn.), Lexi Buco (North Providence, R.I.) and Scarlett Robertson (Fairfield, Conn.) could be in line for bigger roles as well.
The Pelicans’ blue line was a big calling card over the past two runs, and it should be strong again with rising juniors Mia Lynch and Amaya McNeil (Fairfield, Conn.; Holy Cross) alongside seniors Alexine Beaulieu (Hudson, N.H., RPI) and Lizzie Orszulak (Longmeadow, Mass.). In goal, rising junior Emily Hosman is poised to take on more, too.
Who else will contend?
You can always count on a handful of other teams to be in the mix, including last year’s top seed, Nobles.
The Bulldogs graduated key skaters like forwards Gretta Hulbig (Foxboro, Mass.; Yale), Rachel Zhao (Westwood, Mass.) and Ashley Loeber (Weston, Mass.), as well as defender Maddie Jaeger (Westwood, Mass.; Providence). But Tom Resor’s group returns much of its core.
Among the headliners is one of the region’s top forwards in rising junior Francie Ames (Brookline, Mass.; Princeton). The recent Princeton commit led prep in scoring last season. Fellow Princeton commit Lily Bromley (Carlisle, Mass.; Princeton), a rising senior, and rising junior Catherine McCool (West Roxbury, Mass.; Penn State) will be critical as well. Meanwhile, a deep blue line is set to return, led by rising senior Ava Decourcey (Rockland, Mass.; Yale) and rising juniors Nora Shea (Braintree, Mass.) and Reese Engel (Westwood, Mass.; Princeton). Look for rising sophomores Liz Levering (Westwood, Mass.) and Parker Kathan (Medfield, Mass.) to help lead the way as well. One of the biggest keys is in net, where rising senior Annika Jonas (Weston, Mass.; Yale) will return for her third year as the starter.
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Andover graduated key pieces as well, especially up front with Caroline Averill (Wayland, Mass.; Princeton), Sarah Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.; Boston College), Keira Bruen (West Roxbury, Mass.; Cornell) and Lilly McInerney (North Reading, Mass.; Northeastern). The Big Blue will also have a new voice after longtime coach Martha Fenton announced her exit in the spring.
But Andover returns a strong blue line and other key pieces throughout the lineup. Seniors Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.; Princeton), Kimee Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.; Delaware), Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.; Providence) and Sienna DeAngelis (Amherst) are expected to lead the blue line alongside rising juniors Maya Kou (Brown) and Vanessa Hall (Saugus, Mass.). Meanwhile, rising junior Marie Lee (Southborough, Mass.; Princeton) has a chance to be among the top goalies in prep. Up front, the Big Blue will look for young forwards Katherine Cooke (Wenham, Mass.), Al Hartmann (Castine, Maine), Avery Hutchins (North Andover, Mass.) and Liz Averill (Wayland, Mass.) to step up.
Look for St. Paul’s to be in the mix once again. After returning to the Elite 8 field, Kelli Mackey’s group will return plenty of firepower, despite graduating forward Tess Mulkerron (Concord, N.H.; SUNY Plattsburgh) and defenders Maggie Berleth (Manchester, N.H; Brown) and Chelsea Bell (Barre, Vt.; Middlebury).
Rising senior forward Erin Flaherty (Boston, Mass.; Boston University) should lead the way alongside a plethora of younger forwards. Rising sophomore Kelsey MacPherson (Hopkinton, Mass.) was among the top rookies last season, while rising juniors Cadence Crowley (North Reading, Mass.), Liza Demain (Wolfeboro, N.H.), Maddy Allen (Brown) and Maealie Glanzer were strong factors. On the blue line, recent Yale commit Maddy Humber (Concord, Mass.), a rising junior, will lead the way alongside rising sophomores Malin Wilde (Shelburne, Vt.) and Emma Burke (Braintree, Mass.). Paige MacPhee (Hamilton) and Julia Alessandro are expected back in the crease, too.
What are some other teams to watch?
The upcoming girls prep season won’t be short on parity.
You can always count on Williston Northampton being in the mix. Despite graduating a handful of key forwards and defenders, including Zola Piekarski (Concord, Mass.) and Nina Coffee (Old Lyme, Conn.; Holy Cross), the Wildcats return plenty of firepower. Rising seniors Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.; Yale) and Riley Stocker (Merrimack) will be among the top forwards, along with rising juniors Ava Carr (Medway, Mass.; Merrimack) and Ella Skeiber (Pembroke, Mass.). Rising junior Keira Gould (Boston University) should lead the blue line, while goalies River Grady (Bedford, N.H.) and Olivia Arsenault are expected back after sharing the crease last season.
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Tabor is likely to be a factor as well, with a plethora of key returners expected back. At the forefront is a strong crop of rising juniors, including forwards Giuliana Polcari (Marshfield, Mass.; Northeastern), Sofia Nardelli (Cranston, R.I.), Dawson Styles (South Hamilton, Mass.) and Grace Hildebrandt (Norwell, Mass.). There’s plenty of experience and talent in the crease and on the blue line, too, with goalie Evelyn Lacey (Braintree, Mass.; Brown) as well as defenders Mirella Martinelli (North Providence, R.I.; Providence), Riley Pike (Topsfield, Mass.) and Adeline Wiesel (Needham, Mass.).
Exeter and Groton each return groups poised to make a run at some more hardware. The former features two of prep’s top producers from last season in Erin Sears (Cornwall, Vt.; Northeastern) and Paisley Meyer (Greenland, N.H.; Yale). Meanwhile, Groton features two of the best at their positions in defender Tatum Friedholm (Sudbury, Mass.) and goalie Nora Wilson (Weybridge, Vt.; Dartmouth), in addition to a strong group of young players.
Rivers figures to return plenty of firepower as well. The Red Wings return plenty of their top producers, including Simone Burns (Winchester, Mass.), Nora Swaim (Concord, Mass.) and Brooke Bartlett (Wayland, Mass.; Harvard).
With returners like Leah Hafer (Winchester, Mass.; Dartmouth), Maggie Lovering (Scituate, Mass.), Devon Moore (Milton, Mass.; Holy Cross) and Maggie Chudzinski (Needham, Mass.; Harvard), among others, Dexter Southfield projects to be a contender once again as well.
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Thayer, meanwhile, graduated just two skaters. The Tigers have a deep group of returners, led by forwards Maddy Call (Dedham, Mass.; Harvard), Lydia Kealty (Norfolk, Mass.), Jenna Henley (Whitman, Mass.) and Abby Macauley (Avon, Mass.). Defenders Lilly Busconi (Milton, Mass.), Shea Richardson (Hingham, Mass.; Middlebury) and Emery Deroeve (Charlestown, Mass.) will be key factors.
Keep an eye out for Taft, too. The Rhinos’ rising seniors, as well as their underclassmen, showed promise last season. The same goes for St. Mark’s young core.
Who are the top returning skaters to watch?
Among the top prospects to track is Ames, who is coming off one of the most productive seasons in recent NEPSAC history with 65 points (26 goals) in 30 games.
Exeter’s Meyer wasn’t far behind with 56 points (28 goals) in 27 games. Sears, her linemate, had 37 points last season.
Thayer’s Call is prep’s third-highest-scoring returner, coming off a 43-point (24-goal) sophomore season. Her teammate, Kealty, had 37 points as a sophomore. Meanwhile, St. Paul’s Flaherty has a shot to be one of the best all-around skaters in the region. She had 39 points (26 goals) as a junior.
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Maggie Averill figures to be among the top producers on the back end once again, coming off a career-high 30 points as a junior at Andover. You’ve also got Decourcey at Nobles, who had 32 points as a junior. Dexter’s Chudzinski, Tabor’s Martinelli and Frederick Gunn’s Raven Bennett (Morris, Conn.) are also key blue-liners to keep an eye on.
Among others to watch is Cushing’s Bella Freitas (Everett, Mass.). The recent Yale commit is one of the region’s most electrifying skaters, coming off 31 points and a second-straight 20-goal season.
Kiara Drake, meanwhile, had a fantastic debut season at New Hampton after transferring from Choate, posting 29 points, while Allie Sauls broke out at St. Mark’s with 28 points.
Who will be the top goalies?
Top among the returning netminders to watch is Tabor’s Lacey, who posted a .954 save percentage in her first season with the Seawolves.
Wilson, meanwhile, capped a strong year for Groton with a dominant postseason, finishing with a .944 save percentage. Jonas posted a .950 save percentage for Nobles, while Lee had a .921 for Andover.
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Hosman, meanwhile, has the chance to take the starting role for Loomis. She posted a .982 save percentage, allowing just three goals on 160 shots as last season’s backup.
Others to watch include Frederick Gunn’s Moira Landsverk, a UNH commit, who had a .945 save percentage, facing the third-most shots in prep (766). Tilton’s Madelyn Andrade (Plymouth, Mass.), a Norwich commit, faced the most shots among returners (794), turning in a .937 marker.
Keep an eye on Middlesex’s Niamh Tobin (Dorchester, Mass.), Pomfret’s Sydney Kelm and Portsmouth Abbey’s Marguerite Cordahi as well.
Who are among the top newcomers to watch?
Among the experienced newcomers entering the mix is Olivia Bonarrigo (Walpole, Mass.). The Stonehill commit is headed to Williston after spending the past three seasons on NAHA’s blue line. She had 17 points last winter.
Former Boston Hockey Academy standout Taegan Terrenzi is bound for Tilton (Dartmouth, Mass.). She posted 40 points in 64 games last season.
A slew of younger high school standouts are bound for the prep ranks as well.
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Among the MIAA standouts entering the mix is defender Cam Katapodis (Halifax, Mass.), who is off to Taft after starring at Archbishop Williams. Fresh off a state title, former Milton forward Mia Cataruzolo (Milton, Mass.) is bound for Rivers after 36 points as a freshman. Former King Philip standout Stephanie LeBlanc (Wrentham, Mass.) is headed for St. Mark’s after 45 points as a freshman.
Two of the MIAA’s top producers over the past few seasons are bound for prep, too. Acton-Boxboro’s Riley Bergeron and Waltham’s Molly Whittier each had over 20 goals this past season. Each eclipsed the 100-point mark as a freshman this season after standing out as middle-schoolers. Bergeron will join Brooks, while Whittier heads to BB&N.
Defender Bess Elkins (Northampton, Mass.), a standout with the Connecticut Polar Bears, is headed for Loomis Chaffee.
