The 2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season began on October 2, 2009, ending with the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 21, 2010, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. It marked the third time that Minneapolis had hosted the Frozen Four. The tournament's opening round was scheduled for Friday, February 26, 2010, followed by the Final Faceoff on Saturday through Sunday, March 6–7, 2010. The quarterfinals were played on Friday through Saturday, March 12–13, 2010, with the Frozen Four played on Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20, 2010.

Season outlook

Pre-season polls September 17: The Mercyhurst College women's hockey team was predicted to finish first in the College Hockey America Preseason Coaches' Poll. The poll was released by CHA league officials. Mercyhurst claimed four of five possible first-place votes and 16 points to earn the top ranking for the eighth-straight season. Robert Morris came in second with 14 points after finishing with a 5–9–2 mark in conference play a season ago. Wayne State was slated third with nine points, and Syracuse landed at No. 4 with eight points. Niagara was ranked No. 5 with five points. September 22:St. Lawrence was selected to finish in first place in the ECAC in the preseason poll. The voting was done by the league coaches as part of the pre-season polls and all-league team. The Saints garnered a total of 107 points, including three of 12 first-place votes. St. Lawrence boasted returning all-league selection senior defender Britni Smith. Last season, the team finished second in the regular-season standings with a mark of 16–5–1. September 24: The Badgers were the preseason pick to win the Western Collegiate Hockey Association women's title, according to a poll of league coaches. Wisconsin went 34–2–5 in the previous season en route to its third NCAA title in four years. The Badgers collected six first-place votes and 48 points in a poll of the eight coaches. Defending WCHA champion Minnesota placed second with 43 points and two first-place votes. Minnesota Duluth, with 38 points, was selected to finish third. All three of those teams qualified for the NCAA Frozen Four last season.

Exhibition

CIS Exhibition Throughout the season, various NCAA schools played Canadian Interuniversity Sport hockey teams in exhibition games.

Date Location NCAA school CIS team Score Fri. Sept 25 Detroit Wayne State York Wayne State, 3–2http://wsuathletics.cstv.com/sports/w-hockey/recaps/092509aab.html Fri. Sept 25 Grand Forks, N.D. North Dakota Manitoba North Dakota, 3–1Sat. Sept 26Erie, Pa.Mercyhurst Guelph Mercyhurst, 10–0 Sat. Sept 26 Columbus, OH Ohio State Wilfrid Laurier Tie, 1–1 (Ohio State scores in shootout) Sat. Sept 26 Grand Forks, N.D. North Dakota Manitoba Manitoba, 3–2 Sun. Sept 27 Matthews Arena Northeastern McGillMcGill, 3–1Sun, Sep 27 Pittsburgh, Pa. Robert MorrisWilfrid Laurier RMU, 4–0 Sun. Sept 27 Tennity Ice Pavilion Syracuse Guelph Guelph, 3–1Sun. Sep 27 Niagara Brock University Niagara, 5–2 Sat. Oct 3 Appleton Arena St. Lawrence McGill Sun. Oct 4 Burlington, VT Vermont McGill McGill, 2–1 Fri. Oct 23 Hanover, N.H. Dartmouth McGill St. Lawrence, 2–1 Sun. Oct 25 New Haven, CT Yale McGill Yale, 4–2 Sat. Jan 2 Orono, Maine Maine University of Moncton Maine, 4–2 Sun. Jan 3 Orono, Maine Maine University of Moncton Maine, 6–3Recap

Canadian semipro exhibition Throughout the season, various NCAA schools played semipro Canadian teams in exhibition games. Date Location NCAA school Canadian team Score September 25, 2009 Erie, Pa. MercyhurstVaughan Flames Mercyhurst, 10–0September 26, 2009 Cheel Arena Clarkson Ottawa Senators (PWHL) Clarkson, 7–3 October 18, 2009 Lynah Rink Cornell Big Red Toronto Aeros 5–5 November 21, 2009 Grand Forks, N.D. North Dakota Manitoba Maple Leafs

US Olympic exhibition games Throughout the season, various NCAA schools played the United States Olympic Hockey team. Date Location NCAA school Score September 25 Xcel Energy Center WCHA All-Stars USA, 6–1September 26 National Hockey Center St. Cloud State USA, 13–0October 10 Grand Forks, N.D. North Dakota USA, 11–1November 22 Whittemore Center Hockey East women's All-Stars January 5 Madison, WI Wisconsin January 12 Ridder Arena Minnesota

Regular season November 7: The 10th-ranked Harvard women's ice hockey team had a 3–0 shutout victory over No. 7 St. Lawrence at Bright Hockey Center. The Crimson earned the program's 500th victory.

Standings

Outdoor Games On Friday, January 8, 2010, Boston's Fenway Park played host to a Hockey East doubleheader. In the first game, New Hampshire faced off against Northeastern in an outdoor college hockey doubleheader in the first outdoor women's hockey game in the sport's history. Northeastern surged to a 2–0 lead, but New Hampshire rallied to win 5–3. The latter game featured the men's teams from Boston College and Boston University, in which BU won 3–2. The Wisconsin women's team hosted the Camp Randall Hockey Classic on February 6, 2010, at Camp Randall Stadium. The UW women's hockey program took on the Bemidji State Beavers outdoors at the stadium as part of their weekend series, while the men's program followed against the Michigan Wolverines in what would serve as the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Game.

Season tournaments Name Dates Num. teams Location Championship Nutmeg Classic Nov. 27–28 4New Haven, CTConnecticut Huskies Easton Holiday Classic Jan. 2–3 4 St. Cloud, MNNo winner. Mercyhurst scored the most goals. Women's Beanpot Feb. 2–84Boston, MAHarvard Easton Holiday Classic Date Schools ScoreJan 2 Minnesota State vs. Mercyhurst Mercyhurst, 8–2Jan 2 St. Cloud State vs. Providence Tie, 4–4Jan. 3 Minnesota State vs. Providence Providence, 2–0Jan. 3 St. Cloud State vs. Mercyhurst Tie, 4–4

Rankings

October

USCHO.com/CBS College SportsRankingWeek of October 5Week of October 12Week of October 19Week of October 261 Mercyhurst (140) Mercyhurst (145) Mercyhurst (10) Mercyhurst (7)2 Minnesota (139) Minnesota (139) Minnesota (5) Minnesota (7)3 New Hampshire (115) New Hampshire (121) New Hampshire Clarkson4 Wisconsin (112) Clarkson (90) Clarkson New Hampshire5 St. Lawrence (71) Minnesota Duluth (87) Wisconsin Minnesota Duluth6 Minnesota Duluth (63) Wisconsin (62) Minnesota Duluth Dartmouth7 Clarkson (53) Dartmouth (55) St. Lawrence St. Lawrence8 Dartmouth (40) St. Lawrence (39) Dartmouth Wisconsin9 Harvard (28) Harvard (31) Boston University Harvard10 Boston University (19) Boston University (28) Harvard Boston University

USA Today/USA Hockey PollRankingWeek of October 5Week of October 12Week of October 19Week of October 261 Mercyhurst (16) Mercyhurst (19) Mercyhurst (17) Mercyhurst (14)2 Minnesota (2) Minnesota Minnesota (2) Minnesota (5)3 New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire Clarkson4 Wisconsin (1) Clarkson Clarkson New Hampshire5 St. Lawrence Minnesota Duluth Wisconsin Minnesota Duluth6 Minnesota Duluth Wisconsin Dartmouth St. Lawrence7 Clarkson Dartmouth St. Lawrence Dartmouth8 Dartmouth Harvard Minnesota Duluth Harvard9 Harvard Boston University Boston University Wisconsin10 Boston University St. Lawrence Harvard Boston University

November

USCHO.com/CBS College SportsRankingWeek of November 2Week of November 9Week of November 16Week of November 23Week of November 301Mercyhurst (11) MercyhurstMercyhurst (15) Mercyhurst Mercyhurst (9)2 Clarkson (3) Clarkson Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota3 Minnesota (1) Minnesota Clarkson Clarkson New Hampshire4 New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire Clarkson5 Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth6 Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin Cornell Cornell7 Cornell Cornell Cornell Wisconsin Wisconsin8 Boston University Boston University Boston University Northeastern Northeastern9 Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Boston University Harvard10 Princeton Princeton Princeton Boston UniversityHarvard

USA TodayRankingWeek of November 2Week of November 9Week of November 16Week of November 23Week of November 301 Mercyhurst (16) Mercyhurst (16) Mercyhurst Mercyhurst Mercyhurst (12)2 Clarkson (3) Clarkson (3) Minnesota Minnesota (7)3 New Hampshire Minnesota Clarkson New Hampshire4 Minnesota New Hampshire New Hampshire Minnesota Duluth5 Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth Clarkson6 Wisconsin Wisconsin Cornell Wisconsin7 St. Lawrence Boston University Northeastern Cornell8 Boston University Harvard Boston University Northeastern9 Northeastern Princeton Wisconsin Harvard10 Harvard Cornell Harvard Boston University

December

USCHO.com/CBS College SportsRankingWeek of December 6Week of December 13Week of December 20Week of December 271 Mercyhurst Mercyhurst (15) Mercyhurst Mercyhurst2 Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota3 Clarkson Clarkson Clarkson Clarkson4 New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire 5 Minnesota Duluth Harvard Harvard Harvard6 Harvard Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin7 Wisconsin Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth8 Cornell Cornell Cornell Cornell9 Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern10 Boston University Boston University Boston University Boston University

USA TodayRankingWeek of December 6Week of December 13Week of December 20Week of December 271 Mercyhurst Mercyhurst (19) Mercyhurst (19) Mercyhurst (19)2 Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota3 Clarkson New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire4 New Hampshire Clarkson Clarkson Clarkson 5 Harvard Harvard Harvard6 Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin7 Harvard Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth8 Cornell Cornell Cornell Cornell9 Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern10 Syracuse Syracuse Syracuse

January

USCHO.com/CBS College SportsRankingWeek of January 4Week of January 11Week of January 18Week of January 251 Mercyhurst (13) Mercyhurst (14) Mercyhurst Mercyhurst (14)2 Minnesota (2) Minnesota (1) Minnesota Minnesota (1)3 Clarkson New Hampshire Clarkson Clarkson4 New HampshireClarkson New Hampshire New Hampshire 5 Harvard Wisconsin Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota-Duluth6 Wisconsin Harvard Harvard Northeastern7 Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin Harvard8 Cornell Northeastern Northeastern Connecticut9 Northeastern Connecticut Connecticut Providence10 Boston University and Ohio State Syracuse Providence Wisconsin

USA TodayRankingWeek of January 4Week of January 11Week of January 18Week of January 251 Mercyhurst (19) Mercyhurst (19) Mercyhurst Mercyhurst (19)2 Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota3 Clarkson New Hampshire Clarkson Clarkson4 New Hampshire Clarkson New Hampshire Minnesota-Duluth 5 Harvard Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota-Duluth New Hampshire6 Wisconsin Harvard Harvard Northeastern7 Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin Northeastern Harvard8 Cornell Northeastern Connecticut Connecticut9 Northeastern Providence Providence Providence10 Ohio State Cornell Wisconsin Wisconsin

February

USCHO.com/CBS College SportsRankingWeek of February 1Week of February 8Week of February 15Week of February 221 Minnesota (10) Mercyhurst Mercyhurst (15) Mercyhurst (15)2 Mercyhurst (5) Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota-Duluth3 Clarkson Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota4 New Hampshire Clarkson New Hampshire Harvard 5 Minnesota Duluth HarvardHarvard New Hampshire6 Harvard New Hampshire Clarkson Clarkson7 Northeastern Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut8 Connecticut Providence Wisconsin Northeastern9 Wisconsin Northeastern Northeastern Cornell10 Providence Wisconsin Cornell Wisconsin