The Holy Cross Crusaders women's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents the College of the Holy Cross. The Crusaders are the newest member of the Hockey East Association (HEA). They play at the Hart Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
History Holy Cross women's ice hockey became a varsity sport in 1999, after ten years as a club sport and two years as semi-varsity team. They joined the ECAC East conference, which later became the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC).
Jane Ford, former director of telecommunications for Holy Cross, served as head coach for the inaugural season. Then Peter VanBuskirk took over as head coach in the 2000–01 season, after having coached the Holy Cross men's ice hockey team for ten years. He was head coach for the women's team for nineteen years.
Holy Cross finished first in their conference in the 2008–09 season, with a 24–2–1 record, and won the ECAC Open Championship against Sacred Heart by a score of 4–2. They had six post-season titles while playing in the ECAC East/NEHC: 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2016.
After two years of discussions with the Hockey East Association, Holy Cross joined the conference for the 2018–19 season. They were the 10th team to join the conference.
Holy Cross earned their first Hockey East win on November 30, 2018, in a 5–3 victory against the powerhouse Northeastern Huskies. Jada Brenon, the team's freshman goalie, made 34 saves in the win, which was played at home at the Hart Center.
In 2019, VanBuskirk retired as head coach. After nineteen seasons with the women's team, he finished with a record of 295–178–35. He was elected as an honorary member of the Holy Cross Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.
Katie Lachapelle stepped in as head coach in 2019–20, after serving as the associate head coach for two years. Prior to coming to Holy Cross, she had been assistant coach at Boston University for nine seasons. She has also been an assistant coach at Ohio State, Niagara, and Union. Lachapelle graduated from Providence College, where she played for the Friars. She was captain in her senior year and was on the ECAC All Star Team in 1997. In May 2020, Lachapelle was named as the head coach for the United States women's national under-18 ice hockey team. The IIHF subsequently canceled the 2021 U-18 Women's World Championships that had been scheduled to take place in January 2021.
Meredith Roth joined the coaching staff as associate coach for the Crusaders in 2019, after serving as the head coach for the Green Knights women's ice hockey program at St. Norbert's College, in Division III NCAA ice hockey. Devan Taylor joined the coaching staff as assistant coach in 2020.
In the 2019–2020 season, the Crusaders recorded their first Hockey East series sweep, against the Merrimack Warriors. They finished the season in 9th place, with a 5–23–5 overall record.
The start of the 2020–21 season was delayed due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A modified schedule was released by the Hockey East Association in early November 2020, based on discussions by the Hockey East's Return to Play Task Force. Hockey East women's ice hockey teams, including Holy Cross, are scheduled to play 18 games that will count towards the final league standings. The Crusaders played their first series of the new season against the Maine Black Bears, on home ice, from November 20–21. Holy Cross lost the first match-up by a score of 2–1 but won the second game by a score of 3–2.
The team's co-captains for the 2020–2021 season are Carlie Magier, Antonia Matzuka, and Julia Pelletier.
Season-by-season results
National championsConference championsLost championshipLeague leader
Season Coach W L T Conference Conf. W Conf. L Conf. T Finish Conference Tournament NCAA Tournament Reference2024–25Katie Lachapelle10204Hockey East61749thLost First Round vs. Vermont Did not qualify2023–24Katie Lachapelle8243Hockey East420310thWon First Round Open vs. Boston University Lost Quarterfinals vs. Connecticut Did not qualify2022–23Katie Lachapelle7261Hockey East62109thLost First Round vs. New Hampshire Did not qualify2021–22Katie Lachapelle 3300Hockey East 126 010th Lost First Round vs. Providence Did not qualify2020–21Katie Lachapelle 4151Hockey East 414 1 9thDid not qualify Did not qualify2019–20Katie Lachapelle5235Hockey East52029thDid not qualifyDid not qualify2018–19 Peter VanBuskirk 1 29 3 Hockey East 1 25 1 10th Did not qualify Did not qualify2017–18 Peter VanBuskirk 16 9 3 NEWHA 3rdLost NEWHA Semifinals vs Sacred Heart (1–3) Lost NEWHA Third-place game vs Franklin Pierce (3–4 OT) Did not qualify2016–17Peter VanBuskirk 22 5 0 NEHC 14 3 0 3rd Lost NEHC Open Championship (Division II) vs. St. Anselm (2–3 OT)Did not qualify2015–16 Peter VanBuskirk 24 3 0 NEHC 14 3 0 2nd (T) NEHC Won NEHC Open Championship (Division II) vs. St. Anselm (4–3)Did not qualify2014–15 Peter VanBuskirk 18 7 3 ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I) 11 4 2Won ECAC Open Championship (Division II) vs. Franklin Pierce (4–1)Did not qualify 2013–14 Peter VanBuskirk 18 8 1 ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I) 11 4 1 3rd Lost ECAC Open Championship (Division II) vs St. Anselm (1–2) Did not qualify 2012–13 Peter VanBuskirk 16 6 5 ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I) 9 4 5 4th Lost ECAC Open Championship (Division II) vs. St Anselm (3–4 OT) Did not qualify 2011–12 Peter VanBuskirk 19 4 3 ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I) 14 3 12nd Lost ECAC Open Championship vs St. Anselm (3–7) Did not qualify 2010–11 Peter VanBuskirk 17 9 1 ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I) 13 5 0 T3rdWon ECAC Open Championship vs. St. Anselm (4–4, SO) Did not qualify 2009–10 Peter VanBuskirk 20 4 2 ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)1522T3Won ECAC Open Championship vs St Anselm (3–1) Did not qualify2008–09 Peter VanBuskirk 24 2 1 ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)17211st ECAC East Won ECAC Open Championship vs Sacred Heart (4–2)Did not qualify2007–08Peter VanBuskirk1683ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)1342 Lost ECAC Open SemiFinal vs. Sacred Heart (2–6) Won Third place vs St. Michaels (4–2)Did not qualify2006–07Peter VanBuskirk15102ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)1171 Third Place ECAC Open2005–06Peter VanBuskirk11141ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)1090Third Place ECAC Open 2004–05Peter Van Buskirk12141ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)991Lost ECAC Open Championship Game2003–04Peter VanBuskirk10131ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)61012002–03Peter VanBuskirk1771ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)1550Won ECAC Open Championship Game2001–02Peter VanBuskirk12123ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)71102000–01Peter VanBuskirk7141ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)31411999–2000Jane Ford13170ECAC Division III East (NCAA Division I)
Coaches Tenure Coach Years Record Pct. 2019–present Katie Lachapelle 3 13–68–6 2000–2019 Peter Van Buskirk 19 295–178–35 1999–2000 Jane Ford 1 13–17–0 Totals3 coaches23 seasons 321–263–41
Sources:
Awards and honors
ECAC East Player of the Year Stacey Hochkins, 2010
ECAC Open Tournament Most Outstanding Player Stacey Hochkins, 2010
CCM All American Team Stacey Hochkins, 2009–10 East Second Team All-Star
Stacey Hochkins, 2010–11 East Second Team All Star
Stacey Hochkins, 2011–12 East Second Team All Star
NEHC Player of the Year Kara Violette, 2017 NEHC Player of the Year
NEHC Rookie of the Week Julie Matthias, 2015 (Nov 2 & Dec 14)
Sam Girard, 2015 (Nov 9)
Danielle Doherty, 2015 (Nov 23)
Division I
Hockey East Millie Sirum, 2020–21 Hockey East Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team Casey Borgiel, 2023 Hockey East Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team
Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame The following is a list of people associated with the Holy Cross women's ice hockey program who were elected into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses).
Stacey Hochkins (2019), Forward, all-time leader in goals, assists, points, game-winning goals, power play goals and shorthanded goals. Peter Van Buskirk (2020, honorary), Head Coach
Current roster As of September 11, 2022.
References
External links