Princeton Ranked No. 6 in the Preseason National Poll

While there are 38 days until the Princeton women's hockey team plays its first game of the season, the Tigers find themselves with high expectations. In the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) preseason national poll, Princeton has been ranked sixth.

Teams will have shifted in the poll by the time Princeton takes the ice, as the collegiate hockey season officially gets underway this weekend. The first poll of the season will be released early October.

Last year Princeton was receiving votes in the national preseason poll before rising as high as fourth and finished in seventh place in the final poll in March 2019.

The Tigers return more than 75 percent of its scoring from last year including sophomore All-America Sarah Fillier. Fillier lead the nation in points per game as a rookie, totaling 57 in 29 games. Linemate sophomore Maggie Connors and junior Carly Bullock added 43 each to each rank in the top 15 nationally. Senior Claire Thompson led the blueliners in scoring with 28 points in 33 games to ranked sixth in the nation. All four skaters are coming off of summers spent training with the Canadian and/or USA Hockey Development teams. But it doesn't stop there. Junior Rachel McQuigge also was invited by Hockey Canada to its Development Camp. She had a heavy hand in giving Princeton a 20-game unbeaten stretch during the season with a .927 save percentage and a 1.88 goals against average.

"Based on our returners and our freshmen coming in, I think we're going to have a strong season, if everyone is on the same page," head coach Cara Morey said. We have a lot of young talent and great senior leadership and are hoping to make a big push this year."

Princeton has been tabbed to take second in the ECAC Hockey preseason coaches poll, tying Cornell with 109 points. More impressively, the Tigers earned more first-place votes than any of the other 11 teams in the league, two more than Clarkson, which was chosen to take first.

As Ivy League champions and NCAA quarterfinalists with high expectations, the team is taking it in stride.

"You can't deny you feel a little more pressure to live up to expectations. We have to just approach each opportunity we have on the ice together as a chance to develop our identity and character and hopefully the results will follow."

Princeton opens the 2019-20 season on Oct. 25 & 26 hosting Syracuse in a two-game series at Hobey Baker Rink. Admission to all home games is free.

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