2026-2027 Holy Cross women’s ice hockey season preview

Coming off its best season since joining Hockey East, the Holy Cross women’s ice hockey team looks to take another step forward in 2026-2027.

Last year, Holy Cross set school single-season records for Hockey East victories (10) and Hockey East points (37), while advancing to the Hockey East semifinals for the first time in program history.

The Crusaders also became the first women's team in school history to ever be nationally ranked at the Division I level, spending four weeks in the USCHO poll.

Holy Cross returns 19 players off of that squad, while welcoming eight freshmen to the program.

CAPTAINS LOOK TO LEAD THE WAY

Senior Emily Crovo will once again serve as the Crusaders’ captain this season. Crovo was previously the team captain in 2025-2026, after serving as an alternate captain in 2024-2025.

Senior Reghan Chadwick will be in her second year as an alternate captain for Holy Cross.

Crovo and Chadwick will be joined by two other alternate captains in senior Lulu Rourke and sophomore Naemi Herzig.

OFFENSIVE EXPERIENCE

Seven of the top 10 scorers off last season’s team return, along with several other forwards who saw significant action a year ago.

Sophomore Violet Carroll leads the way, after totaling a team-best 26 points on 10 goals and 16 assists in 2025-2026. Herzig also played well last season, recording seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points.

Crovo added 19 points on five goals and 14 assists, while Rouke posted 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) and Chadwick tallied 13 points (seven goals, six assists).

Other top returning players include junior Amanda Aslan (five goals, four assists, nine points), senior Manny Gendron (three goals, six assists, nine points), sophomore Brooklyn Deck (four assists, four points), senior Abby Garvin (one goal, two assists, three points) and sophomore Avery Matt (one goal, one point).

They will be pushed for ice time by junior Annika Sullivan (who missed last season due to injury), freshman Caroline Doherty, freshman Manuela Heidenberger, freshman Charlotte Labreche, freshman Mary Quatrale and freshman Laine Rettell.

A STOUT DEFENSE

Holy Cross brings back several experienced players on defense, as part of a unit that held the opposition to just 1.84 goals per game last season.

Junior Skyler Sharfman tallied seven points last year on one goal and seven assists, while junior Hannah Deck (one goal, five assists) and junior Sarah Rowe (six assists) both added six points.

Sophomore Anna Billa (two goals, three assists, five points), junior Kaitlin Sullivan (one goal, four assists, five points), senior Kenzee Hope (three assists, three points) and sophomore Ella Malloy (one goal, one assist, two points) will all look to play key roles, along with freshman Nina Coffee.

In between the pipes, a number of talented young players will look to take over for the Crusaders. 

Sophomore Campbell Krotee, who played in one game a year ago, is joined by freshman Livia Debnarova and freshman Jorinde Heller.

A LOOK AT THE COMPETITION

Holy Cross is set to play 33 regular season games this year, including 24 contests against Hockey East foes. 

The season begins on Friday, Sept. 25, with a home game against Delaware. 

Hockey East play opens on Oct. 9 against Boston College, while the regular season will wrap up at Boston College on Feb. 19.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
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