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2021-22 NCAA Preview: NEWHA, part 2

Can the Long Island Sharks three-peat as NEWHA champions, or will a new winner be crowned in 2021-22?

It’s time to take a look at the top three finishers in the NEWHA in 2020-21...and 2019-20, for what that’s worth too.

Just a small reminder: Most of the available data is from the 2019-20 season, since nearly every team in the NEWHA save Sacred Heart and Long Island did not play in 2020-21 due to the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.

LIU

Key Losses

  • Morgan Schauer, D — Captained the Sharks to two NEWHA championships, drafted by the PHF’s Riveters in 2021 /

Key Returners

  • Matilda af Bjur, Jr., F — Finished the season with a team-leading four goals and six assists
  • Paula Bergström, Jr., F — Registered four points and thirteen blocks
  • Kenzie Harmison, Jr., G — Started 13 games for the Sharks, averaged 3.83 GAA and a .900 SV% in 2020-21/

Season Outlook

The Sharks are looking good as they cruise into the 2021-22 season, with several of their inaugural freshman class (now juniors) still putting up points and leading the league. In 2020-21, as one of the only teams in the NEWHA to compete, Long Island put up 24 goals through 13 games and took home their second straight conference title.

The loss of captain Morgan Schauer and assistant coach Sam Faber will be a couple of tough pills to swallow, but the addition of former Team Scotiabank and Calgary Inferno defender and now assistant coach Erica Kromm has the potential to really keep things going in the right direction.

Sacred Heart

Key Losses

  • Jayne Lewis, F — Last played in 2019-20, led the team and league in goals with 22, finished with team high 151 SOG
  • Maddie Bishop, F — Last played in 2019-20, finished second on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 19 assists
  • Jordan Sanislo, D — Posted four points in 2019-20, drafted by the PHF’s Metropolitan Riveters in 2021/

Key Returners

  • Frankie Sanchez, Jr., G — Started 29 games in 2019-20, recording a .913 SV% and 2.64 GAA, good for the team best
  • Anna Klein, Jr., F — Finished third on the Pioneers in points in 2019-20 with 24 (14-10—24)/

Season Outlook

Sacred Heart was one of two NEWHA teams to compete in 2020-21, and they managed to eke out just one win throughout the course of their season. The Pioneers allowed 49 goals against through just 11 games, allowing nearly five goals per contest. That being said, the 2019-20 season was a much different story, with the squad finishing the regular season at the top of the NEWHA standings with 18 wins to their name.

Moving forward, the Pioneers are going to have to look to their forward depth in order to replace forwards and 2020 graduates Maddie Bishop and Jayne Lewis, both of whom spent time in the PHF after finishing up their collegiate careers. The loss of Jordan Sanislo will also be a tough one for Sacred Heart to swallow, given she was one of the team’s best defenders and helped the team’s defense keep their opponents to just 80 goals throughout the 2019-20 season.

Franklin Pierce

Key Losses

  • Bridgette Prentiss, D — Last played in 2019-20, finished the season with 45 points
  • Haley Parker, F — Finished second on the team in scoring in 2019-20, when she posted a stat line of 17-20—37/

Key Returners

  • Becca Kniss, Jr., F — Posted 33 points and took just two penalties in 2019-20
  • Emme Ostrander, Sr., G — Started 26 games and finished with a 1.91 GAA and .934 SV%, both good for second in the league in 2019-20/

Season Outlook

Franklin Pierce had a dominant showing in 2019-20, leading the league with a 3.94 goals per game average — proof of their dominant offense that was largely led by defender and 2020 Metropolitan Riveters draft pick Bridgette Prentiss. Now that Prentiss has graduated and made the transition to the pros, the Ravens are going to have to look deeper for their offense while keeping their blue line as strong as ever.

The return of Emme Ostrander, one of the best goalies to come out of the NEWHA, is huge. Ostrander has put up really solid numbers for the Ravens throughout her tenure, and will be heavily relied upon to keep showing up in the face of the offensive prowess of teams like Sacred Heart and LIU.

All data courtesy of the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance, EliteProspects, and respective program sites

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