Without a home for much of its existence, the Sacred Heart women’s hockey team is settling into a new conference — and thriving.
Although they are still classified as a Division 1 independent team by NCAA standards, the Pioneers are settling into their second season as a member of the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance — and the expectations for them are high.
Prior to the season, the Pioneers were ranked No. 1 in the NEWHA’s rankings, receiving three first-place votes and 15 points overall, edging the St. Anselm College Hawks (14 points).
“It definitely says a lot about what we’ve been able to do with our program and the respect other teams have for our program,” Pioneers head coach Tom O’Malley said. “We have a lot of respect for all of them, whether they’re at the top or building their way up. We’ve been where some of these schools have been and we appreciate it. It’s not something we dwell on. We’re thankful for the acknowledgement, but we’re going to keep working hard every day.”