Yale at Princeton
Friday, October 20 – 6 PM
Hobey Baker Rink (Princeton, N.J.)
ESPN+ Video | Live Stats
 
Yale at Quinnipiac
Saturday, October 21 – 3 PM
M&T Bank Arena (Hamden, Conn.)
ESPN+ Video | Live Stats

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- The Yale women's ice hockey team kicks off its 2023-24 season with a pair of games against ECAC opponents this weekend on the road. The Bulldogs travel to Princeton to take on the Tigers on Friday before heading back to Connecticut for a contest against in-state rival Quinnipiac on Saturday.

Looking Back
Yale is coming off one of its most successful season in program history, capturing the first-ever Ivy League title with a win over Cornell. The Bulldogs finished with a 28-4-1 record and were ranked as the No. 1 team in the country for parts of the season. The squad ultimately lost in the ECAC semifinals to Clarkson in double overtime before earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. The fourth-seeded Bulldogs took on Northeastern in the NCAA Quarterfinals, falling to the Huskies 4-1 to wrap up their historic year.

Yale graduated a successful class of student-athletes who will be tough to replace. The departure of All-American and two-time ECAC Defender of the Year, Emma Seitz, will leave an opening on the first line for the Bulldogs. Former team captain and third team All-ECAC selection Claire Dalton tallied 14 goals and 22 assists last season. Forward Charlotte Welch played in every game and logged 40 points for the Bulldogs.

Moving Forward
Despite several key departures, the Bulldogs return a strong core featuring captain and reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, Elle Hartje. The senior was an offensive force last season, tallying 52 total points. She broke her own school record for assists with 39 and is currently tied for third on the all-time list in that category. Goaltender Pia Dukaric returns between the pipes for Yale after receiving second team All-America accolades in 2022-23. The netminder was the ECAC Goaltender of the Year and recorded a sparkling .935 save percentage. Jordan Ray is coming off a campaign in which she was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year and will be a major contributor again after tying for the team-lead in goals with 17 last season. Anna Bargman and Vita Poniatovskaia each earned All-Ivy League laurels last year and will be factor in heavily during the 2023-24 season.

Head coach Mark Bolding enters his fourth official season fresh off winning both the Ivy League and ECAC Coach of the Year awards. 

Yale has high expectations entering the season, opening the campaign ranked fifth in the national poll. The Bulldogs are projected to finish second in the ECAC standings behind Colgate, according to the pre-season poll. 

New Faces
The Bulldogs welcome seven newcomers to the squad: Deanna Buenzow, Julia Simon, Suzy Higuchi, Anna Phillips, Mariya Rauf, Stephanie Stainton and Avery Muhn.

Last Time Out
Yale registered a combined 4-0 record against Princeton and Quinnipiac last season, outscoring its opponents 13-5 over the course of four games. Bargman and Carina DiAntonio each scored three goals to pace the Bulldogs past their ECAC opponents.

Scouting Princeton
The Tigers have started the year with back-to-back wins over Robert Morris. Princeton outscored its opponent 10-2 over the two-game span. Preseason All-ECAC selection, Sarah Fillier, is off to a hot start with two goals and two assists to lead the team. 

Scouting Quinnipiac 
Quinnipiac is off to a 6-0 start so far, propelling the Bobcats to No. 6 in the USCHO poll. The trio of Sadie Peart, Jess Schryver, and Nina Steigauf have paced Quinnipiac with four goals each.