DANBURY, CONN. – The Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association has announced its watch list for the 2026 Women’s Goaltender of the Year Award, annually given to the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA Division I women’s college hockey. Since the award was first established in 2021, Michelle Pasiechnyk (Clarkson ‘24) is the only ECAC Hockey goaltender to claim the award. Representing ECAC Hockey on the initial watch list for the award are ten goaltenders currently competing at ECAC member institutions: Annelies Bergmann (Cornell), Uma Corniea (Princeton), Emily Davidson (Harvard), Felicia Frank (Quinnipiac), Holly Gruber (Clarkson), Kassidy Lawrence (St. Lawrence), Emma-Sofie Nordström (St. Lawrence), Anna Phillips (Yale), Ainsley Tuffy (Harvard), and Anya Zupkofska (Brown).
This initial “Watch List” of outstanding goalies is comprised of those with a goals against average of 2.20 or lower or a save percentage of .923 or higher. A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, and media — will pare this list down within the next two weeks and then ultimately choose the winner who will be announced in March during the NCAA Frozen Four. NOTE: The process allows for goalies not on this first list to be considered before the first vote.
Annelies Bergmann (Jr., Cornell)
The 2024-25 ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year has maintained her position in between the pipes for the Big Red. Shouldering more than 1000 minutes of ice time, Bergmann has faced 499 shots and made 463 saves in 19 starts, earning a .928 save percentage. The Michigan native has recorded four shutouts this season, opening up the season with a 3-0 shutout win over Boston College. One of her most impressive games was when she stood tall for a 39-save shutout against Yale at home on Halloween night.
Uma Corniea (Jr., Princeton)
Uma Corniea has been a dependable goalie for the No. 9 Princeton Tigers. In her 12 starts, Corniea has made 326 saves and allowed just 22 goals, good for a .937 save percentage and 1.84 goals against average. Among ECAC goalies, Corniea sits fourth in save percentage and goals against average. Corniea has also earned two shutouts, one of which was her season-high 40-save shutout at Quinnipiac on November 22. The Minnesota native closed out 2025 play with a 6-1 win at Colgate, making 35 saves for a 9.72 save percentage, and a 3-2 win at Cornell the next day, making 29 saves for a .935 save percentage.
Emily Davidson (Sr., Harvard)
Through seven games played, Davidson has a 3-4-0 record, making 191 saves between the pipes, allowing 15 goals, for a .927 save percentage and 2.16 goals against average. The Ontario native has recorded two shutouts this season. One of Davidson's best performances this season came against Yale on November 14, where she made 43 saves en route to a 4-1 win for the Crimson. Only six days prior, she recorded her second shutout against Dartmouth at home with a 27-save performance.
Felicia Frank, (So., Quinnipiac)
Felicia Frank has earned her spot in the crease for the Bobcats after helping the Bobcats to go 9-0, their best start since the 2023-24 season. In 24 games played, the Sweden native has faced 581 shots and allowed just 33 goals, producing six shutouts, for a save percentage of .943. This has limited opponents to two goals or fewer in all but four contests. Frank's best performance this season was her 34 shutout 3-0 win over Cornell on December 5th. She leads ECAC goaltenders in goals against average, shutouts, and save percentage.
Holly Gruber (Gr., Clarkson)
Graduate student Holly Gruber has earned herself a spot on the 2026 watch list after starting the season with a 9-5-2 record and making 383 saves on 416 shots, good for a .921 save percentage and 2.21 goals against average. She has recorded two shutouts so far this season. Hailing from Wisconsin, Gruber opened the season with two straight wins against Merrimack and UConn, where she made a 24-save shutout against the Huskies. Osborne’s most impressive contest of the season is her 38-save performance against St. Lawrence at home, where she took the Golden Knights to a 6-1 victory in three periods of play.
Kassidy Lawrence (Jr., St. Lawrence)
Kassidy Lawrence has made 13 starts for a 3-8-2 record, making 351 saves against her opponents, allowing 28 goals against, and recording one shutout so far this season. One of Lawrence's best performances was her 35-save shutout over RIT on October 16. She stood tall on November 7, making a season high of 38 saves against Quinnipiac, taking the Saints into overtime, but falling short 3-2.
Emma-Sofie Nordstrom (Sr., St. Lawrence)
Emma-Sofie Nordstrom has been tough between the pipes for the 2025-26 season with a 4-6-0 record, recording two shutouts and allowing just 25 goals over the course of 11 contests. The Danish goalie has made 315 saves, sitting at 2.40 goals against average and holding steady with a .926 save percentage. The senior goaltender made a career high in saves on September 26 against Penn State to open the 2025-26 season. Nordstrom stopped 48 shots, but the Saints fell short 2-5 against the Lions. Among her best performances so far this season was her 45-save performance in a 1-0 win against No. 9 Princeton on November 8.
Anna Phillips (Jr., Yale)
Anna Phillips has been phenomenal in the net with a 5-6-0 record that has seen her record three shutouts and allow just 21 goals over the course of 11 contests. Phillips has made 236 saves, sitting at a 2.00 goals against average and holding steady with a .918 save percentage. Phillips began her 2025-26 season with a 24-save shutout over Robert Morris on October 18. She made a career high of 39 saves against UConn on November 29. Sadly, the Bulldogs fell short by 1 and lost to the Huskies 3-2.
Ainsley Tuffy (So., Harvard)
As one of three ECAC Hockey underclassmen named to the watch list, Ainsley Tuffy has been impressive for the Crimson. Tuffy has had a decent start to her sophomore season, going 6-2-0 in games started and allowing just 13 goals against, making 285 saves. The Duxbury native has allowed only two or fewer goals in 7 of her contests for a 1.60 goals against average. Most recently, Tuffy made 40 saves, allowing only 1 goal against Boston College to take the Crimson to the Beanpot Championship for the first time since 2022. One of her most impressive performances came in the first game of the New Year. Tuffy was a brick wall in the Crimson contest against No. 5 Minnesota Duluth, making 53 saves for a 3-2 win and taking the team to the first-ever women’s Belpot Championship.
Anya Zupkofska (So., Brown)
Anya Zupkofska has proved herself in between the pipes for the Bears, and in thirteen games, she has faced 304 shots and made 285 saves, earning a .938 save percentage and 1.55 goals against average. Among ECAC goaltenders, Zupkofska finishes in third in the league standings in save percentage and goals against average. Zupkofska has also recorded three clean sheets, including a 26-save shutout against Dartmouth at home to open. She started the season with three shutouts, one of which was a 26-save shutout against Dartmouth at home to open. On December 6, she stood tall in net and made a career high of 41 saves for a .953 save percentage to help the Bears with a 4-2 win over the Bulldogs.
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