New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey
# New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey

The New Hampshire Wildcats represent the University of New Hampshire. They have won five ECAC championships between 1986 and 1996. When the Wildcats joined Hockey East, they won four Hockey East titles from 2006 to 2009. The Wildcats have more wins than any other women's ice hockey program at 668 in its first 32 years. The Wildcats went undefeated in their initial 74 games (73-0-1) spanning the 1978 through 1982 seasons. A UNH goaltender has been declared Hockey East Goaltending Champion in the first six years of the league's existence. From 2007 to 2009, UNH hosted NCAA Tournament Regional home games.

## Year by year

| Won Championship | Lost Championship | Conference Champions | League Leader |
| - | - | - | - |
| Year | Coach | W | L | T | Conference | Conf. W | Conf. L | Conf. T | Finish | Conference Tournament | NCAA Tournament |
| 2022-23 | Hilary Witt | 12 | 21 | 3 | Hockey East | 9 | 15 | 3 | 8th HE | Won First Round vs. Holy Cross (6-3) Lost Quarterfinals vs. Vermont (1-2 OT) | Did not qualify |
| 2021-22 | Hilary Witt | 11 | 21 | 2 | Hockey East | 9 | 16 | 1 | 8th HE | Lost First Round vs. Merrimack (1-4) | Did not qualify |
| 2020-21 | Hilary Witt | 7 | 14 | 1 | Hockey East | 6 | 13 | 1 | 8th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern (0-7) | Did not qualify |
| 2019-20 | Hilary Witt | 18 | 15 | 4 | Hockey East | 12 | 12 | 3 | 6th HE | Won Quarterfinals vs. Providence (4-2, 1-0) Lost Semifinals vs. UConn (0-4) | Did not qualify |
| 2018-19 | Hilary Witt | 13 | 17 | 6 | Hockey East | 10 | 14 | 3 | 6th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston University (1-5, 1-3) | Did not qualify |
| 2017-18 | Hilary Witt | 14 | 15 | 7 | Hockey East | 9 | 10 | 5 | 5th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern (2-3, 1-2) | Did not qualify |
| 2016-17 | Hilary Witt | 14 | 19 | 2 | Hockey East | 11 | 11 | 2 | 6th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston University (4-2, 3-4, 2-3) | Did not qualify |
| 2015-16 | Hilary Witt | 11 | 21 | 4 | Hockey East | 8 | 16 | 0 | 5th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Connecticut (2-3, 3-4 3OT) | Did not qualify |
| 2014-15 | Hilary Witt | 10 | 23 | 3 | Hockey East | 6 | 13 | 2 | 6th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern (2-1, 2-3, 3-4) | Did not qualify |
| 2013-14 | Brian McCloskey | 9 | 23 | 2 | Hockey East | 4 | 15 | 2 | 8th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston College (1-8) | Did not qualify |
| 2012-13 | Brian McCloskey | 14 | 16 | 4 | Hockey East | 10 | 8 | 3 | 4th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Providence (4-5 OT) | Did not qualify |
| 2011-12 | Brian McCloskey | 10 | 22 | 3 | Hockey East | 4 | 15 | 2 | 6th HE | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston University (1-9) | Did not qualify |
| 2010-11 | Brian McCloskey | 14 | 16 | 2 | Hockey East | 7 | 13 | 1 | 7th HE | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2009-10 | Brian McCloskey | 19 | 9 | 5 | Hockey East | 13 | 6 | 2 | 2nd HE | Lost Semifinals vs. Boston University (0-4) | Lost First Round vs. Minnesota-Duluth (1-2) |
| 2008-09 | Brian McCloskey | 24 | 6 | 5 | Hockey East | 15 | 2 | 4 | 1st HE | Won Semifinals vs. Providence (3-1) Won Championship vs. Boston College (2-1) | Lost First Round vs. Minnesota-Duluth (1-4) |
| 2007-08 | Brian McCloskey | 33 | 4 | 1 | Hockey East | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1st HE | Won Semifinals vs. Boston University (8-0) Won Championship vs. Providence (1-0) | Lost First Round vs. Minnesota-Duluth (2-3) |
| 2006-07 | Brian McCloskey | 28 | 4 | 5 | Hockey East | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1st HE | Won Semifinals vs. Connecticut (2-0) Won Championship vs. Providence (3-1) | Lost First Round vs. St. Lawrence (2-6) |
| 2005-06 | Brian McCloskey | 33 | 3 | 1 | Hockey East | 19 | 1 | 1 | 1st HE | Won Semifinals vs. Maine (6-0) Won Championship vs. Boston College (6-0) | Won First Round vs. Harvard (3-1) Lost Frozen Four vs. Minnesota (4-5) |
| 2004-05 | Brian McCloskey | 21 | 8 | 6 | Hockey East | 13 | 3 | 4 | 1st HE | Lost Semifinals vs. Connecticut (4-5 OT) | Did not qualify |
| 2003-04 | Brian McCloskey | 23 | 9 | 4 | Hockey East | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1st HE | Won Semifinals vs. Northeastern (5-0) Lost Championship vs. Providence (0-3) | Did not qualify |
| 2002-03 | Brian McCloskey | 27 | 7 | 2 | Hockey East | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2nd HE | Won Semifinals vs. Maine (2-0) Lost Championship vs. Providence (0-1) | Did not qualify |
| 2001-02 | Karen Kay | 19 | 12 | 5 | ECAC Eastern | 11 | 6 | 4 | 3rd ECAC E. | Won Quarterfinals vs. Connecticut (4-1) Lost Semifinals vs. Northeastern (0-2) | Did not qualify |
| 2000-01 | Karen Kay | 17 | 17 | 0 | ECAC | 13 | 11 | 0 | 6th ECAC | Lost Quarterfinals vs. St. Lawrence (0-1) | Did not qualify |
| 1999-00 | Karen Kay | 24 | 10 | 0 | ECAC | 17 | 7 | 0 | 4th ECAC | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern (3-4) | Did not qualify |
| 1998-99 | Karen Kay | 23 | 7 | 5 | ECAC | 19 | 4 | 3 | 2nd ECAC | Won Quarterfinals vs. Princeton (7-1) Won Semifinals vs. Brown (5-1) Lost Championship vs. Harvard (4-5 OT) | Did not qualify |
| 1997-98 | Karen Kay | 31 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| 1996-97 | Karen Kay | 23 | 9 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| 1995-96 | Karen Kay | 24 | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| 1994-95 | Karen Kay | 23 | 10 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| 1993-94 | Karen Kay | 14 | 10 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| 1992-93 | Karen Kay | 17 | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| 1991-92 | Russ McCurdy | 15 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| 1990-91 | Russ McCurdy | 19 | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 1989-90 | Russ McCurdy | 20 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 1988-89 | Russ McCurdy | 16 | 6 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 1987-88 | Russ McCurdy | 15 | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 1986-87 | Russ McCurdy | 18 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| 1985-86 | Russ McCurdy | 18 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 1984-85 | Russ McCurdy | 18 | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 1983-84 | Russ McCurdy | 16 | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 1982-83 | Russ McCurdy | 19 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 1981-82 | Russ McCurdy | 18 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 1980-81 | Russ McCurdy | 21 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 1979-80 | Russ McCurdy | 20 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 1978-79 | Russ McCurdy | 16 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 1977-78 | Russ McCurdy | 15 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | |

### History

The Wildcats competed in the first AWCHA Division I National Ice Hockey Championship. Contested in March 1998, the Wildcats defeated the Brown Bears by a 4-1 score, to become the first recognized national champion in women's college ice hockey. On January 15, 2000, Carisa Zaban recorded her second straight hat trick (including her 100th career goal), while Samantha Holmes scored one goal and five assists. The Wildcats defeated Northeastern by a score of 9-1.

### 2006 to 2008

From 2005-06 to 2007-08, the Wildcats set school records with 33 wins in 2006 and 2008. The 2006 team broke seven team and three individual UNH records as well as four team and one individual NCAA records, and 14 team and five individual Hockey East records. In addition, the club had its first perfect season at the Whittemore Center in 2006 (17-0-0). In 2006-07, the club was ranked No. 1 in the nation during the 2007 season (ended at No. 4). The club's 28 wins in 2007 ranks fourth on program's single-season list.

The following year, in 2007-08, New Hampshire was ranked No. 1 in the nation for eight weeks. The Wildcats ended the year #1 in the nation in penalty kill, #2 in offense, #2 in defense and #2 in power play. The 2008 Wildcats broke six Hockey East team records and tied two others en route to the league's first undefeated season. During the 2007-08 season, Sam Faber of New Hampshire set an NCAA record (since tied) for most game winning goals in one season with 13.

## Current roster

### 2022–23 Wildcats

As of September 9, 2022.

## Erin Whitten

Erin Whitten shut out Dartmouth College in her collegiate debut. She began her coaching career when she joined the UNH women's ice hockey staff on July 17, 2000. On July 27, 2006, she was promoted to the position of associate head coach on July 27, 2006.

## First Outdoor Game

* The Northeastern University women's hockey team faced off against New Hampshire at Fenway Park on Jan. 8, 2010, in the first outdoor women's college hockey game ever played. The Wildcats came from behind to win the game by a score of 5-3, with a four goal rally in the third period. The 4 p.m. game played between the Huskies and Wildcats was the first game of a Hockey East Doubleheader. The men's teams at Boston College and Boston University played at 7:30 p.m. It was the 110th all-time matchup between the Huskies and the Wildcats. In the prior 109 matches, New Hampshire had a 73-28-7 record vs. the Huskies.

## Notable players

* Kacey Bellamy
* Karyn Bye
* Colleen Coyne
* Tricia Dunn
* Samantha "Sam" Faber (born 1987)
* Samantha Holmes
* Sue Merz
* Kelly Paton
* Erin Whitten (Four-year varsity goaltender at New Hampshire from 1989–93)
* Carisa Zaban
* In the 2009-10 season, Kelly Paton ranked near the top in several scoring categories in the NCAA. She ranked fourth in assists per game (1.00), fifth in points per game (1.59) and tied for sixth in points (51). She led the Wildcats in points (51), goals (19) and plus/minus (plus-16). Paton was named Hockey East co-Player of the Year and won the Hockey East Three Stars Award. In addition, Paton was a unanimous All-Hockey East First Team selection, three-time Hockey East Player of the Month and three-time Hockey East Player of the Week.

## Championships and accolades

* UNH's history includes four consecutive EAIAW (Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) titles from 1980–83 and five ECAC titles (1986-87-90-91-96).
* In 1998, New Hampshire won the inaugural women's ice hockey championship (sponsored by the American Women's College Hockey Alliance) in 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston. In that 1998 season, Brandy Fisher won the inaugural Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top women's collegiate player. Four Wildcats were also members of the 1998 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team.
* ECAC titles (1990, 1991)
* ECAC runner-up (1992, 1993)
* Appeared in the Frozen Four in 2006 and 2008
* Hockey East regular-season champions in ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08
* Hockey East Tournament champions in ‘06 ‘07 ‘08

## Awards and honors

### National Awards and Honors

* Courtney Birchard, 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America Second Team
* Erin Whitten, USA Hockey Women's Player of the Year (1994
* Ava Boutilier, New Hampshire, Women's Hockey Commissioners Association Goaltender of the Month February 2020

### Patty Kazmaier Award

* Brandy Fisher was the inaugural Patty Kazmaier Award winner in 1998.
* Finalists: Nicki Luongo in 1999, Carisa Zaban in 2000 and Kelly Paton in 2010
* Martine Garland, Top 10 Finalist for 2007 Patty Kazmaier Award
* Kira Misikowetz, Top 10 Finalist for 2002 Patty Kazmaier Award

### Conference Awards

**All Rookie Team**

* Nicole Kelly, 2020-21 Hockey East Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team
* Kristina Lavoie, 2010 WHEA All-Rookie Team

**All Star Team**

* Courtney Birchard, 2010 WHEA First-Team All-Star
* Micaela Long, 2010 WHEA First-Team All-Star
* Kelly Paton, 2010 WHEA First-Team All-Star
* Kristina Lavoie, 2010 WHEA Honorable Mention All-Star
* Erin Whitten, ECAC First Team (1992 and 1993)
* Erin Whitten, ECAC All-Star Selection (equivalent to First Team status) in 1990 and 1991

**Player of the Year**

* Kelly Paton, 2010 Hockey East Co-Player of the Year
* Carolyn Gordon, 2003-04 Hockey East Player of the Year

**Rookie of the Year**

* Kristina Lavoie, 2010 Hockey East Rookie of the Year

**Goaltender of the Year**

* Erin Whitten, ECAC Goaltender of the Year (1992)

### Hockey East Monthly Awards

* Kelly Paton – New Hampshire, WHEA Player of the Month, October 2009
* Kelly Paton – New Hampshire, WHEA Player of the Month, November 2009
* Kelly Paton – New Hampshire, WHEA Player of the Month, February 2010

**Other Awards**

* Winny Brodt, 1998 AWCHA Tournament Most Outstanding player
* Lindsey Dumond, New Hampshire, 2021 Hockey East Best Defensive Forward Award
* Tricia Dunn, Forward, New Hampshire; 1996 ECAC All-Tournament Team
* Brandy Fisher, F, 1996 ECAC Tournament most valuable player
* Samantha Holmes, 1999-2000 New England Hockey Writers Association Women's Division I All-Star Team
* Jen Huggon, All-America honors in 2003
* Carrie Jokiel, 2000 Sarah Devens Award
* Micaela Long, 2010 Hockey East Scoring Champion
* Nicki Luongo, 1999 American Women's College Hockey Alliance All-Americans, First Team
* Kerry Maher, 1999-2000 New England Hockey Writers Association Women's Division I All-Star Team
* Kira Misikowetz, Forward, 2001-02 New England Hockey Writers Women's Division I All-Star Team
* Kelly Paton, Runner Up, 2010 Hockey East Scoring Champion
* Kelly Paton, 2010 Frozen Four Skills Competition participant
* Kelly Paton, 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America First Team
* Heather Reinke, Defense, 1996 All-ECAC Team
* Heather Reinke, Defense, 1996 ECAC All-Tournament Team
* Dina Solimini, Goaltender, 1996 ECAC All-Tournament Team
* Dina Solimini, 1996 ECAC Honor Roll
* Erin Whitten, UNH Department of Women's Athletics Athlete of the Year (1993)
* Carisa Zaban, 1996 ECAC Honor Roll
* Carisa Zaban, 1999 American Women's College Hockey Alliance All-Americans, Second Team
* Carisa Zaban, 1999-2000 New England Hockey Writers Association Women's Division I All-Star Team
* Carisa Zaban, 1999-2000 All-America selection

## Team Scoring Champions

| Season | Player | GP | G | A | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2002-03 | Stephanie Jones | 36 | 22 | 15 | 37 |
| 2003-04 | | | | | |
| 2004-05 | | | | | |
| 2005-06 | | | | | |
| 2006-07 | | | | | |
| 2007-08 | Sam Faber | 38 | 25 | 24 | 49 |
| 2008-09 | Jenn Wakefield | 31 | 32 | 17 | 49 |
| 2009-10 | Kelly Paton | 22 | 12 | 24 | 36 |
| 2010-11 | Kristina Lavoie | 32 | 9 | 11 | 20 |
| 2011-12 | Kristina Lavoie | 32 | 16 | 12 | 28 |
| 2012-13 | Kristina Lavoie | 32 | 11 | 12 | 23 |
| 2013-14 | Jessica Hitchcock | 26 | 9 | 12 | 21 |
| 2014-15 | Jonna Curtis | 36 | 13 | 9 | 22 |
| 2015-16 | Jonna Curtis | 36 | 16 | 17 | 33 |
| 2016-17 | Jonna Curtis | 35 | 21 | 21 | 42 |
| 2017-18 | Meghara McManus | 34 | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| 2018-19 | Taylor Wenczkowski | 36 | 20 | 6 | 26 |
| 2019-20 | Meghara McManus | 36 | 17 | 10 | 27 |
| 2020-21 | Nicole Kelly | 22 | 5 | 9 | 14 |

## Wildcats in professional hockey

| = CWHL All-Star | = NWHL All-Star | = Clarkson Cup Champion | = Isobel Cup Champion |
| - | - | - | - |
| Player | Position | Team(s) | League(s) | Years | Clarkson Cup | Isobel Cup |
| Kacey Bellamy | Defense | Boston Blades Boston Pride Calgary Inferno | CWHL NWHL founded 2015 CWHL | | 3 (2013, 2015 and 2019) | 1 (2016) |
| Courtney Birchard | Defense | Brampton Thunder | CWHL | | | |
| Winny Brodt | Defense | Minnesota Whitecaps | WWHL NWHL joined NWHL in 2018 | | 1 (2010) | 1 (2019) |
| Raylen Dziengelewski | Defense | Boston Blades | CWHL | 1 | | |
| Sam Faber | Defense | Boston Blades Connecticut Whale | CWHL NWHL | | | |
| Samantha Holmes | Forward | Calgary Oval X-Treme Strathmore Rockies team founder | WWHL | | | |
| Andria Hunter | Forward | Mississauga | WWHL | | | |
| Micaela Long | | Boston Blades Connecticut Whale | CWHL NWHL | 4 | | |
| Meghara McManus | Forward | Boston Pride | NWHL | | | 1 (2021) |
| Julia Marty | Forward | SC Reinach Damen Linköping HC HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | SWHL A Riksserien (W) SWHL A (W) | | | |
| Stefanie Marty | Forward | SC Reinach Damen Linköping HC HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | SWHL A Riksserien (W) SWHL A (W) | | | |
| Kelly Paton | Forward | Boston Blades | CWHL | 1 (2015–16) | | |
| Jenna Rheault | Defense | Boston Pride | NWHL | | | 1 (2021) |
| Shannon Sisk | Forward | Boston Blades | CWHL | 2 | | |
| Carlee Turner | Forward | Boston Pride | NWHL | | | 1 (2021) |
| Jennifer Wakefield | Forward | Toronto Furies Linköping HC Luleå HF Brynäs IF Djurgårdens IF | CWHL SDHL | | | |
| Taylor Wenczkowski | Forward | Boston Pride | NWHL | | | 1 (2021) |
| Erin Whitten | Goaltender | Adirondack Red Wings Dallas Freeze | AHL Central Hockey League | | | |
