Stonehill Skyhawks women's ice hockey

Stonehill Skyhawks women's ice hockey
Current season
UniversityStonehill College
ConferenceNEWHA
Head coachLee-J Mirasolo
3rd[1] season, 35–35–7
Assistant coaches
  • Kendall Wagner
  • Erin Connolly
Captain(s)Sydney Russell
Alternate captain(s)Brianna Walkom
ArenaBridgewater Ice Arena
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
ColorsPurple and white[2]
   
NCAA tournament appearances
2024
Conference tournament champions
2024

The Stonehill Skyhawks women's ice hockey team represents Stonehill College in NCAA Division I ice hockey. On April 5, 2022, the school announced that they were promoting all of their varsity programs to Division I for the 2022–23 academic year.[3] The team plays their home games at Bridgewater Ice Arena, located over 9 miles away from Stonehill's campus in Easton, Massachusetts. They play in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance. They finished 3rd in the league in their very first varsity season (2022–23).[4]

History

In May 2021, Tara Watchorn, a 2014 Olympic gold medalist, was hired as the first head coach for the Skyhawks. [5] The program began play in the 2022–23 NEWHA season.

During the 2022–23 season, their first in the NEWHA, Alexis Petford led the conference with 25 goals scored. In 2022–23, only four members of the Skyhawks roster – Josie Mendeszoon (Union College), Katie Sonntag (Union College), Paige Whaley (Mercyhurst Lakers), and Hanna Zukow (Mercyhurst Lakers) – were not freshmen.

On March 9, 2024, Stonehill beat the Franklin Pierce Ravens by a 3–2 mark in overtime to win their first NEWHA postseason tournament title.[6]

During the 2024–25 season, Aerin Frankel served as the Skyhawks goalie coach.[7] The goalies on the Skyhawks roster during Frankel's season included Eve Stone, Kara Westlake and Alexsa Caron, who earned a place on the NEWHA All-Rookie Team.[8] Of note, Caron set the single season record for saves (1,141) and shutouts (4), highlighted by a 61 save performance versus Ohio State on October 25, 2024, a single game program record.[9]

In July 2025, Sydney Russell was named as team captain once again, making her the first player in program history to serve as team captain in consecutive years.[10] Of note, Russell is the first player born and raised in Nashville to commit to play NCAA Division I ice hockey.[11]

On November 28 and 30, 2025, Russell and the Skyhawks played in her hometown of Nashville, participating in the Smashville Women's Collegiate Hockey Showcase. The Mercyhurst Lakers defeated the Skyhawks by a 6–1 mark on November 28,[12] followed by a 17–2 loss against the #1 ranked Wisconsin Badgers on November 30. Of note, the 17 goals represents a Badgers single game program record.[13]

Season-by-season results

Won Championship Lost Championship Conference Champions League Leader
Year Coach W L T Finish Conference Tournament NCAA Tournament
2025–26 Lee-J Mirasolo 15 16 2 4th, NEWHA Won First Round vs LIU Sharks (3–0, 4–3 OT), Lost Semifinals vs Franklin Pierce (1–2 2OT)
2024–25 Lee-J Mirasolo 14 19 5 4th, NEWHA Lost First Round vs Saint Anselm (W 2–1 2OT, L 3–4, L 2–4)
2023–24 Lee-J Mirasolo 21 16 2 3rd, NEWHA Won First Round vs. Assumption (3–2, 3–1)
Won Second Round vs. Saint Anselm (3–2 OT)
Won Championship Round vs. Franklin Pierce (3–2 OT)		 Lost vs Cornell University (1–7)
2022–23 Tara Watchorn 19 16 2 2nd, NEWHA

Team captains

  • 2022–23: Paige Whaley A
  • 2023–24: Grace Parker C, Paige Whaley C
  • 2024–25: Sydney Russell C, Josie Mendeszoon C, Brianna Walkom A
  • 2025–26: Sydney Russell C, Maddi Achtyl A, Brianna Walkom A

Awards and Honors

  • Alexis Petford, 2023 NEWHA Rookie of the Year [14]

NEWHA All-Stars

  • Alexis Petford, 2023 First Team All-Star [14]
  • Maeve Carey, 2023 Second Team All-Star
  • Alexis Petford, 2024 First Team All-Star[15]
  • Bailey Feeney, 2025 Second Team All-Star[8]
  • Sydney Russell, 2025 Second Team All-Star
  • Maddy Achttl, 2026 Second Team All-Star[16]
  • Reagan Whynnot, 2026 Second Team All-Star[16]

NEWHA All-Rookie

  • Alexis Petford, 2023 All-Rookie Team[14]
  • Sydney Russell, 2023 All-Rookie Team[14]
  • Pusle Dyring Anderson, 2024 All-Rookie Team[15]
  • Alexsa Caron, 2025 All-Rookie[8]

NEWHA All-Sportswomanship

  • Brianna Walkom, 2023 NEWHA All-Sportswomanship Team [14]
  • Makenna Slocum, 2026 NEWHA All-Sportswomanship Team[16]

NEWHA Postseason

  • Eve Stone, 2024 NEWHA Postseason Most Outstanding Player [17]
  • Bailey Feeney, 2024 NEWHA All-Tournament Team [17]
  • Pusle Dyring-Andersen, 2024 NEWHA All-Tournament Team [17]
  • Alexis Petford, 2024 NEWHA All-Tournament Team [17]

References

  1. ^ https://www.uscho.com/stats/coach/wid,1552/lee-j-mirasolo
  2. ^ "Stonehill College Skyhawks". Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  3. ^ "Stonehill men's hockey moving from NCAA D-II Northeast-10 to NCAA Division I for 2022–23 season; women's hockey to join NEWHA in '22–23". USCHO (Press release). April 5, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  4. ^ https://www.newhaonline.com/sports/wice/2022-23/releases/20230218xgd2io
  5. ^ Dudek, Greg (May 13, 2021). "Stonehill tabs Tara Watchorn as first coach of women's hockey program". Enterprise News. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  6. ^ "Women's Hockey Crowned NEWHA Champions after overtime thriller against Franklin Pierce". Stonehill Skyhawks. March 9, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  7. ^ "Aerin Frankel joins women's hockey coaching staff". Stonehill Skyhawks. September 10, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  8. ^ a b c "NEWHA releases 2024–25 major end of season awards, All-League teams". NEWHA Online. February 27, 2025. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
  9. ^ "Women's hockey falls in 2024 Ice Breaker opener to #2 Ohio State". Stonehill Skyhawks. October 25, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  10. ^ Adams, Ryan (July 16, 2025). "Russell repeats as captain for women's hockey, Walkom and Achtyl named assistants". Stonehill Skyhawks. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  11. ^ Bratten, Brooks (November 28, 2025). "Nashville native Russell returns home as Stonehill College captain for Smashville Women's Collegiate Showcase". NHL.com Predators. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  12. ^ "Skyhawks fall to Mercyhurst in Game One of Smashville Women's Hockey Showcase". Stonehill Skyhawks. November 28, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  13. ^ "Badgers smashes the record books against Stonehill". UW Badgers. November 30, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  14. ^ a b c d e "NEWHA releases major end of season awards, All-League teams". NEWHA Online. February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  15. ^ a b "NEWHA releases major end of season awards, All-League teams". NEWHA Online. February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
  16. ^ a b c "NEWHA Releases 2025–26 Major Awards, All League Teams". newhaonline.com. March 5, 2026. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  17. ^ a b c d "2025 NEWHA Tournament". NEWHA Online. March 9, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
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