PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Little East Conference recently released their preseason Coaches' Polls for the inaugural seasons in both women's and men's ice hockey and saw the Owls place behind other well-established programs.
On the women's side, the Owls were selected to finish in sixth place with 13 points as Norwich University (ranked No. 15 in the United States Collegiate Hockey Online preseason poll) was the favorite and finished in first with 36 points, including six first place votes. Second through fifth were only separated by two points with Vermont State Castleton being selected for second with 24, while the University of Massachusetts-Boston and Plymouth State University both tied for third with 23 and Southern Maine University finished in fourth with 22. Keene State College enters their second season after going 13-12-0 in their first season as a program, while keeping most of their inaugural team, while adding on new freshman, as well. Key returners for the Owls include
Brianna Finke who tallied 12 goals and 14 assists for a team-high 26 points as a freshman and the Owls' leading scorer,
Ava Iantosca, who recorded 15 goals and six assists for 21 points for the Owls.
Ai Chung returns in goal for KSC after a .916 SV% in her first year as an Owl over just nine games.
Keene State hits the ice for the first time this season at Hilbert College for a pair of games to open the year on Friday, October 31, at 7:00 PM and again the following day on Saturday, November 1, at 2:00 PM.
For the Keene State men's ice hockey team, the Owls were picked to finish ninth with 20 points of the ten LEC members in the first season as a conference. Plymouth State was selected as first in the polls with 76 points, including six first place votes, while Norwich and Babson College were both close behind with 73 and 70 points, respectively, with two first place votes apiece. The Owls return a majority of their 2024-2025 roster, including the Owls' top two leading scorers and 2024-2025 Charlie Concannon Award Semifinalists (Top 40 American-born player at the Division II/III levels in New England) as
Marcus Chrisafideis returns after team-highs in goals (18), assists (15), and points (33), alongside
Chase Carney (12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points). The Owls' starting goalkeeper,
Ben Skelton, also returns in net after a .920 SV% in his first year as an Owl.
The Owls return to action on the road at Saint Anselm to open the 2025-2026 season on Friday, October 31, at 7:00 PM before their home opener the next night against Franklin Pierce University on Saturday, November 1, at 5:00 PM at Keene ICE.
