The Norwich Cadets women's ice hockey team represents Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. The school's women's team competes in NCAA Division III women's ice hockey, as part of the Little East Conference (LEC).
The 2007âÂÂ08 season marked the inaugural season of the Norwich Cadets as a varsity team. Mark Bolding was named the program's first head coach and would go on to coach twelve seasons with the Cadets. Sophie Leclerc led the club with 13 goals and 27 points and ranked second for assists, with 14.
During the 2008âÂÂ09 campaign, the Cadets enjoyed their first-ever ECAC East Conference Tournament championship. In the Cadets final 16 contests, they went 13âÂÂ2âÂÂ1, leading up to a 4âÂÂ0 win over Salve Regina in the conference championship game. Four Cadets players named to the ECAC East All-Tournament team. The Cadets made their first NCAA Tournament appearance before falling to eventual runner-up Elmira 3âÂÂ2 in the quarterfinals.
In the 2010 NCAA Division III Quarterfinals, Sophie Leclerc scored the game-winning goal versus Plattsburgh State with 42 seconds left. She was part of a Cadets team that lost the 2010 NCAA Final to Amherst by a 7âÂÂ2 tally.
The Cadets were led by team captain Sophie Leclerc as the Cadets won their first Division III title in 2011. This was accomplished in only the fourth year of the program. The Cadets set program records in wins (25) and conference victories (17). On January 28, 2011, Julie Fortier notched the 50th goal of her career with a hat trick versus New England College as the Cadets prevailed by a 3âÂÂ2 tally. In a January 29 contest versus Castleton, she became the second player in program history to record 100 points in a career with a goal in the first period.
In the Division III title game, Leclerc contributed with two goals and an assist, as the Cadets defeated the RIT Tigers by a 5âÂÂ2 mark. Her 54 points led the nation in scoring, while teammate Julie FortierâÂÂs 45 points ranked second nationally (FortierâÂÂs 23 goals tied a career high). Leclerc was featured in the April 4, 2011 issue of Sports Illustrated as part of its Faces in the Crowd section.
On December 4, 2011, Julie Fortier became the Cadets all-time goal-scoring leader as the Cadets logged a 5âÂÂ0 victory over Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Fortier contributed with two goals and a helper. With Norwich leading by a 1âÂÂ0 tally, Fortier notched the 73rd goal of her career to surpass Sophie Leclerc.
On January 6, 2012, team captain Melissa Rundlett became just the third Norwich player in program history to reach 100 career points. She registered a goal and two assists to help the Cadets best Saint Michael's by a 9âÂÂ0 mark. At the 5:36 mark of the first period, she assisted on Renee LortieâÂÂs goal for the 99th career point. She would reach the milestone by scoring her seventh goal of the season at the 17:09 mark of the first period. Said goal gave Norwich a 5âÂÂ0 advantage.
After twelve successful seasons, in which he amassed a 266âÂÂ68âÂÂ22 record, head coach Mark Bolding stepped down to accept the head coaching position with the Yale Bulldogs women's ice hockey program. The following month, on May 17, 2019, Sophie Leclerc was announced as the second head coach in program history.
Source: USCHO; NCAA, NEHC