(Ann Arbor, MI) – The Concordia women's hockey team is preparing for their 2022-23 season opening series this Saturday and Sunday.  The Cardinals won a pair of games in their first year as conference members of the CCWHA. Head coach Maria Barlow enters her 5th season at the helm for the Cardinals, looking to build off a 2021-22 season full of record breaking accomplishments. 

2021-22 Season Review

Concordia finished with a 2-24 overall record last season, going 1-11 in CCWHA play. CUAA started the year with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Grand Valley State in overtime. After a string of losses, the Cardinals bounced back in a big way, as Grace Dodgson's hat trick (the first in program history) and Lizzy Knappenberger's 46 save shutout led the way to a thrilling 3-0 victory over CCWHA power Michigan State. After securing their first conference win in the history of Cardinal women's hockey, CUAA would finish the season finishing 6th in the CCWHA East Division. Concordia would also earn their first award recognition ever as a program, as Grace Dodgson was named CCWHA Third Star of the Month for November of 2021 and a CCWHA All-Season 1st Team member following the conclusion of the regular season. Erika Hansen was also named an ACHA Academic All-American. 

2022-23 Schedule Outlook

Concordia starts the season with three home games against CCWHA foes, beginning with Penn State on October 1st and 2nd, and followed by an early season test against Adrian on the 6th. The Cards then hit the road for a pair of games, with a matchup against Aquinas out in Byron Center, MI on October 7th and Adrian on Saturday the 15th. CUAA wraps up the month with a home-and-home CCWHA series against the UM-Dearborn Wolverines on the 21st and 22nd. 

The busy month of November begins with a conference series against CCWHA West Pod member Indiana Tech on the 4th and 5th, before heading to southern Illinois to play McKendree on November 12th and 13th. The Cards then head back to Michigan for a home-and-home with the Aquinas Saints before the Thanksgiving break. Concordia will come back from the break for a pair of Sunday home games in December to end the semester, facing off against Michigan on the 4th and Rhode Island on the 11th.

Concordia comes back for the new year with a home game against conference rival Michigan State on January 13th, before heading to East Lansing to take on the Spartans on the 15th. CUAA takes on GVSU in a home-and-home series the following weekend, before concluding the month with a trip to Sault Ste. Marie, MI to take on Lake Superior State on the 27th and 28th. 

The Cardinals hit the home stretch of the regular season with a series against Davenport on February 3rd (home) and 4th (away), before hosting Aquinas in their final home game of the year on Saturday the 11th. Concordia finishes the season with a Sunday afternoon matchup at Yost Ice Arena against the University of Michigan Wolverines. 

The top three teams in both Pods (6 in each) will qualify for the CCWHA Playoff Tournament in late February. The tournament winner will receive an automatic berth to the ACHA Division 1 National Championship Tournament in Marlboro, MA from March 16th to the 20th.

Concordia Personnel

Sophomore forward Grace Dodgson returns after being named to the CCWHA 1st Team All-Season and November 3rd Star of the Month last season, setting a combined 8 different career and single season records in just her first year as a Cardinal, and recording the first 20+ goal season in Concordia hockey history (men's or women's). Seniors Aaliyah James and Kassidy Scheben are back after tying for the team lead in assists with 6 apiece, while Adrianna Rugiero brings her experience after picking up 4 points last season. 

Joining Scheben in returning to the defensive group is sophomore Nicole Koops and junior Emily Greer, who each recorded over 20 appearances last year. Sophomores Amanda Crundwell and Molly Burks makeup half of the goaltending room this season after combining to start 15 games during the 2021-22 season. Sophomore Emma Shore is back for her first full season as a Cardinal after scoring a pair of goals in 6 games last year when she joined the team at the midway break. Mahala Nelson is also back on the roster after 21 appearances last season.  

Head coach Maria Barlow also brought in 14 new faces looking to contribute to this Cardinal squad from 5 different states and a province. Included in the group are 9 freshmen: Jenna Peet, Kenna Stanley, Skylar Croft, Kaitlyn, Audet, Sara Kaczmarek, Melanie Foucha, Mallory Collins, Julie McLaughlin, and Dakota Harmon. The other 5 newcomers are sophomores transferring in, including: Sydney Orkisz, Madelyne Petrie, Reagan Tolley, Lauren Fowler, Makayla Steinmetz; Tolley was a member of the team in the 2020-21 season and led the Cards in scoring. 

2021-22 Team Stats

Connect with the Cardinals

To stay up to date with the most recent information and news throughout the season, follow the Concordia Women's Hockey team on their social media platforms. The Cardinals are on Twitter (@CUAA_WHockey) and Instagram (@cuaa_whockey).