Andrew Marshallsay '27

2026-27 Wilkes Women’s Ice Hockey Season Preview

11/5/2026 9:59:00 AM

2026-27 Wilkes Women's Ice Hockey Season Preview

WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's ice hockey team is set to begin their 2026-27 quest for a three-peat in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) and clinch its third straight NCAA Tournament berth.

The 2025-26 season saw Wilkes finish with a program-best 25-2-1 record, and win its first-ever NCAA Tournament game over Adrian College before falling to Nazareth in the quarterfinals. Across 28 games, the Colonels scored 131 goals, fourth in the nation while limiting teams to just 31 goals, including 11 shutouts. Head coach Dave LaBaff enters his fifth season in Wilkes-Barre after earning MAC Coach of the Year a season ago.

The Colonels return several major contributors, including two-time MAC Championship MVP in goaltender Audrey Milne (London, ON/St. Thomas Aquinas), along with All-Americans Nina Hudakova (Košice, Slovakia/Hoosac Prep School) and Haylee Bouchard (Sioux Lookout, ON/Sioux North), with Bouchard winning MAC Player of the Year. In the MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Wilkes was unanimously voted to win the conference for the third straight season. The Colonels were ranked eighth in the Preseason DIIIHockeyNews.com preseason poll, and are currently ninth in the USCHO poll.

In total, the Colonels are slated to return 24 players from last season's historic team. The Colonels also have several players from across the globe, with 17 international athletes across seven countries, including five members of national team programs.

The Colonels return nine seniors, a group that includes several players that were a part of LaBaff's first recruiting class, joining a program that won just seven games in the two seasons prior to their arrival.

"They believed in Wilkes when no one had any business believing in Wilkes," said LaBaff. "Everything was a hypothetical about what the program was going to be capable of, and this group believed and they turned that belief into reality."

Bouchard and Milne are two four-year Colonels that highlight LaBaff's first recruiting class. Bouchard is now a two-time All-American after scoring 53 points a season ago, and Milne's .947 save percentage was top-ten nationally a season ago. Jordan Ferry (Bohemia, NY/) is also a four-year Colonel, whose 373 career shot attempts sits atop the Wilkes' record books. Tilly Weirdsma has been a two-time All-Conference Honorable Mention across her Wilkes career, leading the team a season ago with 34 blocked shots, and Lily Zingaro (Collingwood, ON) recorded 17 points in 2025-26. Danielle Loungemare, Chace Hyndman, and Amanda Spreadbury (Suwanee, GA/) round out the Colonels' returning seniors.

The junior class is highlighted by a pair of All-MAC First Team members. Hudakova netted a Wilkes season-record 22 goals in 2025-26, and is joined by Hannah Franz (North Bay, ON/), who anchored a Colonels' defense that allowed 1.1 goals. Gianna Pacilio's (Franklinville, NJ/) 22 points last season included a goal in the NCAA Tournament against Nazareth that was assisted by Megan Bell (Waterloo, ON/St. David Catholic), who finished the season with 21 points. Hannah Garrett-Howard (Missoula, MT/) played three games in goal, and Mina Killingstad (Hønefoss, Norway/Lillehammer), Laney Harrold (Hubbardston, MA/), Rissa Brezau, and Shayna Deutsch (Land O Lakes, FL/) conclude the junior class.

The Colonels have seven returning sophomores, led by Delaney Howard (Pittsburgh, PA) and Abby Bush (Ottawa, ON), who both scored eight goals as in their first-year campaigns. Drew Hayhurst (Breckenridge, CO/New Hampton School) played in all 28 games last season, scoring four goals and blocking 14 shots. Carissa Hann (La Salle, ON) also saw substantial time as a first-year, and Emily Connell (Berwick, NS) backed up Milne in net, making three starts. Devon Trapp (Barrie, ON) returns after missing the 2025-26 season, and Mikayla Dunford-Woods (Waverley, NS/) wraps up the class.

Wilkes welcomes nine newcomers to its program in 2026-27, with three transfers and six first-years, and LaBaff is very high on Wilkes' new additions.

"They've had a big impact already," said LaBaff. "A lot of players are hungry to learn, hungry to be a part of our team culture and contribute to it. I think they're all set to have a really impactful year for the program and, I'm really excited to see how their development goes from now hopefully to the end of March.

Emma Hoen (Maple Grove, MN) comes to Wilkes as a graduate transfer after playing three seasons of Division I hockey across time at Lindenwood and Post. Hoen recorded nine goals and nine assists last season at Post. Senior Jasmine Kohl (Moose Jaw, SK) comes from Illinois after three seasons at Lake Forest College, finishing with 47 points, and sophomore Kayla Lunney (Birmingham, MI) played her freshman season at Saint Anselm.

Three of Wilkes' six first-years hail from Europe, with Austrian Hana Ostadal (Trumau, Austria), Czech Karolina Skorepova (Prague, Czechia), and Finn Eerika Siekkinen (Phitipudas, Finland), all of whom play as part of their respective national team's programs. Caroline Justicz (Harvard, MA), Kendra Hyser (Roscoe, IL), and Lily Pratt (Chazy, NY) are all Americans, and round out Wilkes' first-year class.

Wilkes comes off its first NCAA postseason win and a trip to the quarterfinals last season and are looking to take the next step come March.

"It's about staying connected for eight months," said LaBaff. "It's about how are we contributing to culture, how are we showing up for the grind that is February. It's a long season, and if you can find inspiration in the monotonous things in the things they're asked to do every day, I think we can go far."

Wilkes begins their quest for a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. and Nov. 7 at 3:30 p.m. when it welcomes Alvernia to the Toyota SportsPlex.

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