Northeastern Huskies women's ice hockey

The Northeastern Huskies women's ice hockey team represents Northeastern University. The Huskies play in the Hockey East conference.

History

The women's varsity hockey program started in 1980 under Don MacLeod, who was named the coach the following season and led the program for ten seasons. Northeastern became the first national power in collegiate women's hockey under his direction. MacLeod was a former Massachusetts high school hockey coach at both Georgetown Junior/Senior High School and Saugus High School. Starting in the 1982Ã¢ÂÂ83 season, the Huskies had thirteen consecutive winning seasons, including six straight seasons of twenty or more wins between 1986Ã¢ÂÂ87 and 1991Ã¢ÂÂ92.

The program's best record was in 1987Ã¢ÂÂ88, when the undefeated squad finished 26Ã¢ÂÂ0Ã¢ÂÂ1, winning its first of three ECAC titles (the others coming in 1989 and 1997), at the time the effective national women's college championship. Northeastern has also been the ECAC finalist seven times, as well as winning twenty women's Beanpot tournaments, including nine straight between 1984 and 1991Ã¢ÂÂ92. The Huskies' all-time best mark for wins was in 2022Ã¢ÂÂ23 with 34 so far.

The program's career scoring leader is Alina MÃÂ¼ller, currently with 98 goals and 156 assists for 254 points, while Kendall Coyne is the career goals leader with 141. Coyne also holds the single season goal and points record with 50 goals and 84 points in the 2015Ã¢ÂÂ2016 season. The previous single-season goal and points leader was Vicky Sunohara, with 51 goals and 78 points in 1988Ã¢ÂÂ89.

From 2017Ã¢ÂÂ2024, the Huskies played in eight consecutive Hockey East championships, winning six in a row from 2018Ã¢ÂÂ2023. Alina MÃÂ¼ller (2019Ã¢ÂÂ2020, 2021Ã¢ÂÂ2022, 2022Ã¢ÂÂ2023) and Aerin Frankel (2017Ã¢ÂÂ2018, 2018Ã¢ÂÂ2019, 2020Ã¢ÂÂ2021) won the tournament MVP honors. The Huskies set a record for most goals in a women's Hockey East championship game with their 9Ã¢ÂÂ1 win over the University of Connecticut Huskies in 2020.

Roster

<small>As of January 25, 2026.</small>

Season-by-season results

Beanpot

The Northeastern women have historically found success in the Beanpot, winning 20 of 46 tournaments and compiling a 56Ã¢ÂÂ31Ã¢ÂÂ6 record through 2025. The Huskies appeared in 16 straight finals, from 1983 to 1998, winning 13 of those tournaments, including 9 straight. The Huskies have qualified for the Beanpot finals 31 times through 2025:

March 17, 1979: Northeastern 3, Boston College 1
February 24, 1980: Northeastern 7, Harvard 1
February 18, 1983: Northeastern 7, Harvard 1
February 17, 1984: Northeastern 7, Harvard 1
February 12, 1985: Northeastern 7, Boston College 0
February 11, 1986: Northeastern 7, Harvard 0
February 10, 1987: Northeastern 7, Harvard 1
February 9, 1988: Northeastern 5, Harvard 1
February 14, 1989: Northeastern 9, Harvard 0
February 13, 1990: Northeastern 3, Harvard 2
February 12, 1991: Northeastern 2, Harvard 1
February 11, 1992: Harvard 3, Northeastern 0
February 9, 1993: Brown 3, Northeastern 0
February 15, 1994: Northeastern 6, Harvard 2
February 14, 1995: Harvard 3, Northeastern 2
February 13, 1996: Northeastern 4, Boston College 3 (OT)
February 11, 1997: Northeastern 8, Harvard 1
February 10, 1998: Northeastern 5, Harvard 4
February 15, 2000: Harvard 4, Northeastern 3 (OT)
February 13, 2001: Harvard 4, Northeastern 3 (OT)
February 10, 2004, Harvard 5, Northeastern 1
February 9, 2010: Harvard 1, Northeastern 0
February 7, 2012: Northeastern 4, Boston University 3 (OT)
February 12, 2013: Northeastern 4, Boston College 3
February 11, 2014: Boston College 3, Northeastern 0
February 9, 2016: Boston College 7, Northeastern 0
February 7, 2017: Boston College 2, Northeastern 1
February 11, 2020: Northeastern 4, Boston University 3 (2-OT)

2021: Cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic

February 14, 2023: Northeastern 2, Boston College 1
January 23, 2024: Northeastern 2, Boston University 1 (OT)
January 21, 2025: Northeastern 4, Boston University 0

Notable alumni

Among notable players for Northeastern have been former Canadian national team captain Vicky Sunohara, United States national team goaltender Kelly Dyer who was also the second woman to play professional ice hockey in North America, United States national team goaltender Chanda Gunn, ten-time United States national team member Shelley Looney, 2002 collegiate women's player of the year Brooke Whitney, and long time Canadian national team member and Olympic medalist Laura Schuler. Chelsey Goldberg is now a professional ice hockey player.

The following Huskies have played on the United States national team: Tina Cardinale (1990, 1992), Kendall Coyne (2010Ã¢ÂÂ12), Kim Haman (1992), Erika Silva (2004), Jeanine Sobek (1990, 1992, 1994Ã¢ÂÂ96), Brooke White (2001, 2004), Hilary Witt (2001). Florence Schelling was the goaltender of the Switzerland national team (2004Ã¢ÂÂ2018).

Hilary Witt

Witt came to Northeastern University in 1996 from Canton High School in Canton, Massachusetts. In hockey she played on the Assabet Valley Club team for four years while they won two National Championships. In her freshman year, she helped the Huskies to a 27Ã¢ÂÂ9 season and the 1997 ECAC Championship. Witt scored two goals, including the game winner, in the 3Ã¢ÂÂ2 title win over New Hampshire and as a rookie was named the tournament MVP. She led the team in scoring that season with 24 goals.

In Witt's sophomore season she led the team in scoring once again with 32 goals, and her 58 points (ranked in the nation's top 10). She was a nominee for the Patty Kazmaier Award and was voted All-ECAC. The team went 26Ã¢ÂÂ6Ã¢ÂÂ5 and qualified for the ECAC Tournament and the semifinals of the first ever women's hockey National Championship.

As a junior, Witt led NU with 27 goals, and was in the nation's top 10 in scoring. Once again, she was a Kazmaier nominee. The team went 25Ã¢ÂÂ7Ã¢ÂÂ3 and went on to the ECAC Tournament. Witt captained Northeastern's 1999Ã¢ÂÂ2000 team to a 22Ã¢ÂÂ9Ã¢ÂÂ3 season and another post-season appearance. She led NU in scoring with 30 goals for the fourth consecutive year. In terms of scoring, was in the nation's top 10, and was voted All-ECAC. Also, for the third year in a row she was a Kazmaier candidate. On February 10, 2010, she was inducted into the Women's Beanpot Hall of Fame. The induction honors her performance as a player for Northeastern in the annual tournament featuring the four Boston-area women's hockey teams. The ceremony was held prior to the Beanpot Championship game at Harvard's Bright Center.