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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
UConn
October 15, 2026 | Women's Ice Hockey
PRINCETON, N.J. - No. 7 Princeton women's ice hockey is set to open its 2026-27 campaign this weekend, hosting the No. 8 UConn Huskies for a two game series.
The Tigers look to start the season strong against a familiar opponent, as the two teams last met in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, where Princeton ultimately fell 4-1. Princeton holds a 12-5-2 all-time record against UConn, with the first meeting between the programs dating back to Dec. 7, 1979. The Tigers' most recent win in the series came on Jan. 25, 2016, when Princeton earned a 4-0 road shutout.
UConn enters the weekend with a 2-2 record, having split its opening games against No. 9/10 St. Cloud State before sweeping No. 11/12 Clarkson.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct. 16 | 6 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Saturday, Oct. 17 | 3 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
A LOOK BACK AT 2025-26
Princeton enters the new season looking to build on a historic 2025-26 campaign under Head Coach Courtney Kessel and her coaching staff. The Tigers finished 23-11-0 overall and 16-6-0 in ECAC Hockey, capturing the program's first ever ECAC Hockey regular-season championship.
Princeton secured the title after overtime goals in the regular-season finale helped the Tigers finish tied with Yale atop the conference standings at 46 points apiece. The championship marked a new program milestone, surpassing previous second-place finishes in 2006, 2019 and 2020.
The Tigers continued their postseason run into the ECAC Hockey semifinals, where they fell 2-1 to Quinnipiac. Despite the semifinal exit, Princeton's 23 victories marked the second-winningest season in program history, trailing only the 26-win campaign in 2019-20.
The 2025-26 team also set a program record with nine shutouts, surpassing the previous mark of eight set in 2002-03. Princeton allowed just 51 goals throughout the season, its fewest since the 2000-01 campaign and one of the strongest defensive performances in program history.
RETURNING LEADERS
The Tigers return a key offensive presence in Mackenzie Alexander, who looks to build on an impressive 2025-26 season. Alexander recorded 22 goals and 20 assists for 42 points, ranking second on the team in scoring. Her production accounted for more than 30 percent of Princeton's total points last season, alongside Issy Wunder, making her a major contributor as the Tigers look to maintain their offensive momentum.
Princeton will also look to its leadership group of captains Uma Corniea, Gabby Kim and Rosie Klein to guide the team into the new campaign.
WELCOMING THE CLASS OF 2030
Princeton welcomes five freshmen to the roster for the 2026-27 season: Caroline Averill, Chloe Brinson, Lia Cericola, Iris Cheng and Tina Scalese. All five newcomers are forwards who bring national level experience to the Tigers' lineup.
DEPARTURES
Princeton will also look to replace the production and experience of five graduates: Wunder, Emerson O'Leary, Jane Kuehl, Katherine Khramtsov and Taylor Hyland.
Wunder, O'Leary and Kuehl each appeared in 129 games during their Princeton careers. Wunder led the group with 146 career points on 70 goals and 76 assists, while O'Leary finished with 103 points on 23 goals and 80 assists. Kuehl added 67 career points, recording 28 goals and 39 assists.
Khramtsov appeared in 103 games, tallying 19 goals and 28 assists for 47 points. In goal, Hyland finished her career with 20 victories and a .908 save percentage.
Wunder and O'Leary have continued their hockey careers at the professional level, with Wunder joining the Las Vegas franchise and O'Leary skating with the Toronto Sceptres in the PWHL.
UP NEXT
The Tigers open the 2026-27 season with a two game series against UConn on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17, as Princeton looks to carry the momentum of its historic season into the new campaign.
