Utica, NY (11/7/13)- The Utica College women's hockey team kicks off its regular season this weekend as it takes on defending national champion, Elmira College in an ECAC West home-and-home series. The Pioneers will travel to Elmira on Saturday for a 3 p.m. faceoff before both teams return to Utica on Sunday at 3 p.m.

IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: The Utica College women's hockey team is receiving votes in both USCHO.com and D3hockey.com Division III Preseason National Polls… The Pioneers were picked to finish third in the ECAC Women's West Preseason Coaches' Poll, behind the top two teams in the country, Elmira and Plattsburgh.

GAME COVERAGE: For fans who cannot make it out to every home game please visit www.ucpioneers.com for links to live video and stats of each home contest… UC's student radio station WPNR 90.7 FM will broadcast select home contests this season and live streaming audio of the contest can be accessed at www.utica.edu/wpnr.

SOCIAL MEDIA: If you can't make it out to a game make sure to follow live updates on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers… You can also follow the UC women's hockey team on twitter @UCWomensHockey… If you are at the game or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #LetsGoUC… You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers.

LAST TIME OUT: UC is coming off a 4-4 tie in exhibition play against the Oakville Hornets of the Provincial Women's Hockey League last Friday… Senior Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) scored two goals, while sophomore Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) and freshman Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) each had one.

ALL-AMERICAN GIRL: UC returns senior All-American Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) to lead the offensive production... The forward finished last season ranked third in the conference with 31 points (17 goals, 14 assists) and became just the third player in program history to reach 100 points in her career, joining All-Americans Stephanie Price '07 and Deana Wiegand '07... She ranks second on the College's all-time goal scoring list with 55 career goals and is third all-time in points (104)… She has led the Pioneers in scoring in each of her first three seasons.

HELPING OUT: Joining Myers on the offensive end will be juniors Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) and Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) who finished second and third on the team in scoring, respectively... Schwartz collected 17 points on six goals and 11 assists in her sophomore campaign, while Steele-Norton had 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 21 games... Rounding out the top five returning point scorers from last season are sophomore Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) and junior Kelsey Dowdall (Smiths Falls, ONT/Nepean)… Seniors Vanessa Maines (Boxborough, MA/Boston Jr. Shamrocks) and Alicia DiCenzo (Canton, MA/Boston Jr. Shamrocks) as well as sophomore Mackenzie Roy (Clinton, NY/Clinton) will also be called upon when needed.

ON THE BLUE LINE: The Pioneers will look to returners Samantha Pucci (Pearl River, NY/Connecticut Polar Bears), Caitlyn Moccaldi (Clinton, NY/Clinton High School Boys), Nicole Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning), and Kristin Beckman to fill the voids on the defensive end left by the departure of 2013 graduates Mary Fusco (Enfield, CT/Salve Regina University) and Lindsay Norton (Eden, NY/Buffalo Bisons)… Senior captain Meredith Tice (Hershey, PA/Washington Pride) will also anchor the defense as well as Janessa Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Canadian International Hockey Academy), Madison Christoff (Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley) and Ashley Ward (Forsyth County, GA/Forsyth High School).

IN THE CREASE: Between the pipes, Utica will rely heavily on senior Jennifer Hamel (Ithaca, NY/Northwood School) to step into the leading role as top goalie… Hamel compiled a 10-6-1 record, 1.98 goals-against-average and a .914 save percentage last season while splitting time with 2013 graduate Marissa Hotaling (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro)… Behind Hamel, Marissa McNamara (Camillus, NY/Lysander Lightning) and Gabrielle Abbott (Scottsdale, AZ/St. Marks) will continue to develop and challenge for playing time.

FRESH FACES: The Pioneers welcome six new faces to the squad this year... Junior Patricia Maggiolino joins UC after spending the last two seasons playing for the men's hockey team at Onondaga Community College... Freshmen Emily Coope (Phoenix, AZ/Colorado Tigers), Victoria Pelton (Sterling Heights, MI/Belle Tire), Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire), and Halle Donoho will look to make an impact, while classmate Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) adds to the depth in the crease behind Hamel.

SCOUTING ELMIRA: The defending national champion, Elmira College Soaring Eagles are ranked No. 5 in the most recent USCHO.com national poll, released Monday… Elmira is 0-1-1 after one weekend of play… On Saturday, they tied No. 9 Manhattanville College 2-2, before falling to then-ranked No. 5, Norwich University 3-2 on Sunday… Junior Cassidy Delainey leads the team with three points (two goals, one assist) through two games.

AGAINST EC: Utica is winless in its last five match ups against Elmira… The last time the Pioneers topped the Soaring Eagles was a 2-1 victory on Feb. 26, 2011 in the ECAC West Conference playoffs… Elmira got revenge last year, however, knocking Utica out of the ECAC West semifinals with a 5-0 victory.

LOOKING AHEAD: UC continues conference play next weekend as it takes on SUNY Cortland in a two-game set… Utica hosts the Red Dragons on Friday at 2:30 p.m. before both teams travel to Cortland on Saturday for a 2 p.m. start.


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