The University of Maine’s women’s ice hockey team’s roster has had an overhaul.
There are 14 newcomers after the departure of 15 players from last year’s UMaine team that wound up 15-18-2 overall and 12-13-2 in Hockey East, which resulted in a sixth-place finish in the 10-team league.
The Black Bears were ousted from the Hockey East quarterfinals by third seed Providence 5-2.
But with this new team, second-year head coach Molly Engstrom is optimistic as her Black Bears prepare to travel to Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, for a season-opening non-conference series on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.
The Bobcats were ranked eighth in the country in the United States College Hockey Online preseason poll.
The Black Bears had four wins over nationally ranked teams last season, including a 1-0 victory over No. 3 Northeastern and a 5-4 overtime triumph over No. 10 Clarkson.
UMaine has been picked to finish seventh in the Hockey East preseason coaches poll.
“It’s a fun group so far. We have more speed than last year and a little higher hockey IQ,” said Engstrom, a two-time U.S. Olympian and the recipient of the best defenseman award in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“We have added some experience with the five transfers,” said Engstrom, adding that the nine freshmen are eager to learn. “It’s a nice combination.”
Engstrom returns five of her top eight scorers, five defensemen who played in at least 27 games a year ago, and two of her three goalkeepers.
All-Hockey East Rookie team selections and German national team members Luisa Welcke (8 & 14) and Lilli Welcke (6 & 15) transferred to Boston University.
“We feel really good about the returners we have coming back. We’re going to have leadership on [defense] and our goaltending should be stronger this year,” said Engstrom. “Our biggest challenge will be getting the younger players to speed. I like them a lot. They have been around hockey a long time.”
Last year’s leading scorer, Hungarian National Team member Mira Seregely, and No. 3 point-getter Alyssa Wruble will be linemates to start the season. Both are juniors.
Seregely had 11 goals and 12 assists in 35 games and Wruble had 12 & 9 in 34 contests.
Freshman Sam Morrison will center their line.
“Mira has a great hockey IQ and Wruble is fast. Morrison is like Wruble’s twin. They just buzz around out there. We like that combination,” Engstrom said.
Newcomer Ann-Frederique Guay, a graduate student and transfer from Division III Norwich University, where she was a first team All-American a year ago, will center a line between former All-USCHO and All-Hockey East Rookie team selection Ida Kuoppala and freshman Mikayla Boarder. Assistant captain Kuoppala had 7 & 8 a year ago in 35 games and has 45 career goals at UMaine.
Another freshman, Haley Ryan, will center a line with Swiss National team player Rahel Enzler and sophomore Ava Stevenson on her wings.
Senior Enzler had 2 & 9 in 29 games and sophomore Stevenson had 2 & 5 in 33 games.
Other forwards who will be vying for playing time on the fourth line to start the season include freshmen Bria Holm, Lily Fetch, Raegen Wurm and Lila Shea along with Long Island University transfer Abby Latorella, a fifth-year senior.
The defense corps will be headlined by captain Elise Morphy, a senior who had four goals and eight assists in 35 games.
Senior assistant captain Kennedy Little had 1 & 5 in 35 games while junior Courtney Colarullo had four assists in 33 games. Former Old Town High boys team defenseman Olivia King, a senior, had a pair of assists in 32 games and sophomore Cora Webber had a goal and an assist in 27 games.
Ohio State University transfer Jamie Grinder, Bemidji State transfer Adriana van de Leest and freshman Sophia Johnson supply the Black Bears with three defensemen in the 5-foot-10, 5-11 range. Grinder and van de Leest are juniors.
Seniors Jorden Mattison and assistant captain Anna LaRose are back in goal. Mattison was 7-6 with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage and LaRose, who got the start in the quarterfinal, was 3-4-2, 3.47, .895.
St. Cloud State University transfer Julia Bachetti will also be in the mix. She is a freshman.
“I would love to see one of them step up and own [the No. 1 position],” Engstrom said. “Jorden has come back with a bit of a different mentally and is a little bit more fit. Anna [racked up] minutes in the latter half of the season and Julia Bachetti is fast, she’s explosive and she competes.”
She expects everyone on her roster to contribute and said the message to the team is the same it was last year.
“It’s all about playing fast, taking away time and space [from the opponent] and really focusing on the details. That’s where the game changes,” said Engstrom, who is assisted by Kirsti Hussey, Nina Rodgers and Sam Lander.
UMaine beat the University of New Brunswick in an exhibition game last Saturday, 3-0, with Morrison and Seregely notching a goal and an assist apiece. Morphy had the other goal and Wruble, Kokavec and Latorella had assists.
