Women's Ice Hockey Set for Season Opener

Friday, September 25

Fairfield, Conn.

6:00 PM

Sacred Heart

Providence College

Photo by: Josh Gee

Women's Ice Hockey Set for Season Opener

9/24/2026 11:07:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey

Game one is set for Friday at 6:00 pm, and game two is set for Saturday at 3:00 pm

By: Joe Verrillo

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team is set to open the 2026-27 season this weekend with a home-and-home series against Providence College. The Pioneers will host the Friars in the season opener on Friday, September 25, at Martire Family Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 6:00 p.m. The series will then shift to Providence on Saturday, September 26, for a 3:00 p.m. puck drop at Schneider Arena.

Top Headlines:

Sacred Heart enters the 2026-27 season looking to bounce back from a roller-coaster 2025-26 campaign that featured its share of highs and lows. The Pioneers finished last season with a 13-21-2 overall record and a 12-14-2 mark in NEWHA play.
Despite the ups and downs, Sacred Heart showed what it was capable of late in the season, putting together an impressive seven-game winning streak just weeks before the NEWHA playoffs. With several key players returning, along with others coming back from injury, head coach Thomas O'Malley will look to recapture that late-season momentum and guide the Pioneers toward another championship run.
The Pioneers enter the 2026-27 season with a new group of captains leading the way. Seniors Bria Holm and Grayson Limke will serve as team captains, while senior Izzy Chaput and junior Brianna Morden will serve as assistant captains. The four will look to provide leadership and experience as Sacred Heart begins its new campaign.
The Pioneers return their top two point scorers from a season ago in Bria Holm and Addie Bowlby. Holm led the way last season with eight goals and 10 assists for a team-high 18 points. She also came through in key moments, scoring a team-best four game-winning goals.
Alongside Holm is Bowlby, who enters her junior season after recording 16 points a year ago. Bowlby led the Pioneers with 10 goals while also pacing the team with four power-play goals. With both of Sacred Heart's top offensive contributors back in the lineup, Holm and Bowlby will look to build off last season and play key roles in the Pioneers' offensive success in 2026-27.
Senior Lauren Larson is set to take over as the Pioneers' starting goaltender heading into the 2026-27 season. Larson is coming off a year in which she played behind one of the NEWHA's top goaltenders in Jillian Petruno, limiting her opportunities in net.
However, Larson has already shown what she can do when called upon. During the 2024-25 season, she stepped into a larger role after Petruno went down with an injury and made the most of the opportunity. Larson logged 814 minutes in net and posted a .922 save percentage while turning aside 402 shots. Now entering her senior season, Larson will look to build on that experience as she takes on a larger role between the pipes for the Pioneers.
After an injury-plagued season, senior Izzy Chaput returns healthy and ready to make an impact for the Pioneers. The last time Chaput played a full season, she led Sacred Heart with 21 points, showing the offensive presence she can bring to the lineup.
Now back at full strength, Chaput will look to return to that form and become a key contributor for the Pioneers in 2026-27. Her experience and offensive ability could provide an important boost as Sacred Heart looks to put together a successful season.

History vs Providence

This two-game series between the Pioneers and the Friars will mark the first time the two teams have met during the regular season.
The two programs previously faced off last season in preseason action, where the Friars beat the Pioneers 6-1

On Providence

Providence is coming off an up-and-down 2025-26 campaign, finishing the season with an 11-22-2 overall record and an 8-14-2 mark in Hockey East play. Outside of conference action, the Friars faced a challenging non-conference schedule that featured ranked programs in Quinnipiac, Clarkson, St. Thomas, Brown, and Yale. Their season ended in round one of the Hockey East Tournament after falling to Boston University, 3-0.
Offensively, the Friars struggled to consistently find the back of the net last season, averaging just 1.8 goals per game compared to 3.2 goals against. Providence finished with 63 total goals while recording 111 assists, showing its ability to move the puck and create opportunities as a team.
The chances were there, as the Friars averaged 28 shots per game compared to 31.6 from their opponents. However, converting those opportunities into goals proved to be a challenge throughout the season.
One area where Providence found success was in overtime. The Friars posted an impressive 5-1 record in games that went beyond regulation, making overtime one of their strengths during the 2025-26 campaign.
Providence enters the season with plenty of new faces on its roster. The Friars welcome eight first-years along with two transfers, totaling 10 newcomers for the upcoming campaign. Along with the influx of new players, Providence will feature a young roster this season. The Friars have 10 sophomores, including the two transfers, bringing their total to 18 underclassmen.
Among the Friars' returners, senior Audray Knapp led the way offensively during the 2025-26 campaign. Knapp recorded seven goals and 16 assists for a total of 23 points. She also added two power-play goals and a pair of game-winning goals.
Kiara Kraft ranks second in points among Providence's returners after recording five goals and seven assists for 12 points last season. Kraft also fired off 73 shots, showing her ability to create offensive opportunities and put the puck on net.
Of the two returning goaltenders, Mallory Hartl is the only one who saw action last season. Although her time in net was limited, the Friars were able to get a glimpse of what she can bring between the pipes. Hartl appeared in two games, totaling just under 70 minutes of action. During that time, she made 36 saves while allowing five goals.

Up Next:

Following the opening series against Providence, the Pioneers will jump into NEWHA play with their first conference series of the season. Sacred Heart will travel to Worcester, Mass., for a two-game road set against Assumption. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, followed by a 7 p.m. start on Saturday, Oct. 10.