DANBURY, CONN. - The stage is set for another exciting season of ECAC Women's Hockey, and the league's head coaches have selected the preseason poll and all-league team for the 2025-26 campaign. Defending champion Cornell University has been selected as the preseason favorite once again in 2025-26. After a successful 2024-25 campaign, the Big Red secured both the regular season and postseason league titles, finishing with a 16-2-4 record in conference play and advancing to the Frozen Four. Colgate, last year's league runner-up with an 18-4-0 record, has claimed second place in the poll. Clarkson followed in third, while St. Lawrence and Quinnipiac tied for fourth and rounded out the top five.
The full 2025-26 ECAC Women's Hockey Preseason Poll results are as follows:
1. Cornell - 129 points - (8)
2. Colgate - 119 points - (2)
3. Clarkson - 117 points - (2)
T4. St. Lawrence - 88 points
T4. Quinnipiac - 88 points
6. Princeton - 87 points
7. Yale - 75 points
8. Brown - 59 points
9. Union - 56 points
10. Harvard - 42 points
11. Dartmouth - 31 points
12. RPI - 29 points
(*) - First Place Votes
The ECAC Women's Hockey Preseason All-League team has also been selected, featuring some of the brightest stars in women's collegiate hockey.
The forward group consists of two dynamic players from Princeton and one from Colgate. Issy Wunder, Sr., Princeton, was a dominant force in conference play, coming into the season as the reigning ECAC Hockey Forward of the Year. She led the league with 30 points on 14 goals and 16 assists in conference action. Wunder was also a national leader, finishing with 50 total points.
Elyssa Biederman, Sr., Colgate, proved to be one of the top offensive threats in the conference last season. The All-ECAC Second Team selection was tied for fourth in scoring in league play with 25 points on eight goals and 17 assists, with her assist total tying for first in the ECAC.
A key part of the Tigers' high-powered offense, Mackenzie Alexander, So., Princeton, was a unanimous selection last season on the ECAC All-Rookie Team. In her first 22 league games as a Tiger, she posted 23 points on nine goals and 14 assists and was in the top 15 in the league for goals, assists, and points.
The defensive corps is anchored by two players who look to make another significant impact on both ends of the ice. Grace Dwyer, Sr., Cornell, was a key defensive presence for the Big Red, earning a spot on the ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team last season. She was also a significant offensive contributor, posting 15 points on seven goals and eight assists in conference action.
Andrea Trnková, Jr., Clarkson, looks to make an impressive debut campaign for the Golden Knights after earning a spot on the Third Team All-ECAC honors last season. In her sophomore year at RPI, she recorded 11 points on four goals and seven assists and three game-winning goals in 22 league contests.
The lone unanimous selection on the list is Annelies Bergmann, Jr., Cornell. The Big Red netminder returns after a remarkable sophomore campaign. The ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year and First Team All-ECAC honoree posted a 16-2-4 record in conference play, leading the league with six shutouts. She finished the regular season with a league-leading 1.22 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage, which ranked second in the conference. Bergmann was also named a top-three finalist for National Goaltender of the Year by the Women's Hockey Commissioners Association.
*Unanimous selection requires 11 votes, as coaches cannot vote for their own team or players.
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