UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team will look to build off last year's ECAC West Conference Tournament appearance, as the Pioneers return two of their top three scorers from a season ago.
 
Head coach Dave Clausen is returning for his 15^th season with the Pioneers after finishing last season with a record of 11-11-5. Clausen has compiled an overall record of 201-142-26 and 122-82-18 in the ECAC Women's West Conference, which is one of the toughest conferences in all of Division III women's hockey. Clausen is also a two-time ECAC West Coach of the Year. Clausen will be welcoming back his defensive assistant coach, Bill Owens.  Joining the staff this season will be assistant coaches Ashley Furia, Jessica Newstrom, and Conor Hobbes. 
 
KEY RETURNERS: The Pioneers are returning Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy), who is entering her senior season and was UC's top scorer last season. Reed accumulated a team best 15 goals and 11 assists for a total of 26 points. Her 15 goals were good for fifth in the ECAC West Conference.
 
UC will also be returning Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Northville), who is entering her junior season and was third on the team in goals and second in assists a season ago. Schnepp had seven goals and 10 assists last season for a total of 17 points.
 
Junior Emily Coope (Phoenix, AZ/Colorado Tigers), and sophomore Taylor Osowski (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects) will be key players this upcoming season, as they had five goals each last season, which had them tied for fourth on the team. Coope's seven assists were also good for a tie for eighth on the team, while Osowski finished with four assists.
 
ECAC West All-Rookie selection Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Grass Lake) returns for her sophomore campaign after netting two goals and eight assists as a freshman.  She will provide a stable presence on the defensive end that allowed 2.4 goals per game last season. 

CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED: The Pioneers will be led by seniors Janessa Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Canadian International Hockey Academy) and Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy), junior Tori Pelton, and sophomore Taylor Osowski (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects).  Haasbeek has been a leader on the defensive end her entire career and her strong shot from the point is instrumental on the powerplay.  Pelton is a top-six forward who has compiled 17 points (seven goals, ten assists) in 50 career games. 

KEY LOSSES: The Pioneers will be looking to fill the shoes of seven graduates from last season.
 
Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) was second on the team in goals with eight, and tied for first in assists with 11. Steele-Norton had a total of 19 goals and 39 assists in her four-year career at UC.
 
Kelsey Dowdall (Smiths Falls, ONT/Nepean) was tied for fourth on the team with five goals, and was also tied for eighth on the team with seven assists. Dowdall finished her career with 22 goals and 28 assists in four years.
 
Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) was another key loss for UC as she was tied for seventh on the team with four goals, and was also fourth on the team with nine assists. Schwartz had 19 goals and 33 assists in her four years at UC.
 
Other losses for the Pioneers include Marissa McNamara (Camillus, NY/Lysander Lightning), Samantha Pucci (Pearl River, NY/Connecticut Polar Bears), Madison Christoff (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks), and Nikki Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning).

NEW ADDITIONS: UC brings in 21 freshmen and two transfers for the season. Jane Pagano (Erie, PA/Tabor Academy) transferred from Connecticut College where she skated in 47 games over two years tallying 24 points off of 11 goals and 13 assists. Meghan Power (Windsor, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats) played for the Neumann Knights in the 2013-14 season. She skated in 25 games and had a team high 14 points off of six goals and eight assists.

The 21 first year UC players are Colby Begis (Little Elm, TX/Dallas Stars), Erica Lissner (Woburn, MA/Woburn Memorial), Lauren Patterson (Burlington, Ontario/Oakville), Natalie Capriglione (), Taylor Dion (Colchester, VT/Boston Shamrocks), Kayla Dion (Colchester, VT/Boston Shamrocks ), Noelle Capriglione (New Milford, CT/New Milford Greenwave), Danielle Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Balmoral Hall), Kirsten Johnson (Brockville, Ontario/RSL Midget Thunder AA), Kathleen Widenmeyer (Langhorne, PA/Milton Academy), Daniela Dellorto (Chicago, IL/Chicago Fury AAA), Hannah Voss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville), Elizabeth Dohner (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects), Reagan Sidhu (), Kendra Mac (Cedar, MI/Lawrence Academy ), Nicole MacMillan (Winthrop, ME/Maine Gladiators), Kaitlin Parent (Myersville, MD/Middletown), Nicole Langley (Huntington Beach, CA/Ocean View), Maria Christou (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles), Jennifer Liu (North Saanich, British Columbia/Shaftesbury Titans ), and Jocelyn Gacek (Highlands Ranch, CO/Thunder Ridge).
 
KEY MATCHUPS: Utica will have a tough schedule again this season, as they are in one of the top conferences in all of Division III women's hockey. The Pioneers will be facing off against Elmira College who finished second in the country a year ago, and Plattsburgh State, who topped Elmira 3-2 in the National Championship game to capture its second straight National title.
 
The Pioneers last win against Elmira came in the 2011 ECAC West Conference Tournament by the score of 2-1. Since then UC has lost its last 10 games against the Soaring Eagles, including a 6-3 loss in last year's Conference Tournament. The Pioneers will have two head to head games against Elmira this season. They will play Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. and Nov. 22 at 3 p.m.
 
UC has lost its last six games against Plattsburgh dating back to 2013, when they played the Cardinals to a 3-3 tie on Feb. 2, 2013. Plattsburgh will be a tough team to beat coming off back-to-back National championships. Utica will have two matchups against Plattsburgh this season, as the two teams will face off Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 14 at 3 p.m.
 
LOOKING TO GET BACK TO THE ECAC WEST TOURNAMENT: The Pioneers will look to return to the ECAC West Conference Tournament this season, as they have made it to the last three, losing in the second round each year. In 14 years of existence, The Pioneers have made it to 13 out of 14 Conference Tournaments, and are looking to put another Conference Tournament run together this season.
 
Utica will start the season off with a home game on Oct. 31 against SUNY Canton, who the Pioneers swept last year by scores of 3-1 and 5-0. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.