| Current: | 2024–25 RIT Tigers women's ice hockey season |
| Team Name: | RIT Tigers |
| Team Link: | |
| University: | Rochester Institute of Technology |
| Sex: | women's |
| Conference: | Atlantic Hockey America |
| Conference Short: | AHA |
| Location: | Henrietta, New York |
| Studentsection: | RIT Corner Crew |
| Coach: | Celeste Brown |
| Coach Year: | 5th |
| Coach Wins: | 20 |
| Coach Losses: | 87 |
| Coach Ties: | 9[1] [2] |
| Arena: | Gene Polisseni Center |
| Capacity: | 4,300 |
| Ncaachampion: | Division III: 2012 |
| Ncaafrozenfour: | Division III: 2011, 2012 |
| Ncaatourneys: | Division III: 2007, 2011, 2012 Division I: 2015 |
| Conference Tournament: | ECAC West 2011, 2012 |
| Conference Season: | ECAC West: 2011, 2012 |
The RIT Tigers women's ice hockey team is one of two college ice hockey teams representing Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) conference of NCAA Division I. The team plays in suburban Rochester, New York at the Gene Polisseni Center. RIT alumna and former Tigers captain Celeste Brown has served as the Bruce B. Bates Women's Hockey Coach since July 2020.
The Tigers moved to NCAA Division I women's ice hockey as a member of College Hockey America (CHA) for the 2012–13 season, after many years at Division III as part of the ECAC West conference. The team's conference affiliation was transferred to Atlantic Hockey America following the merger of CHA and Atlantic Hockey in April 2024.[3]
RIT added women's varsity ice hockey for the 1975–1976 season. After many years in the ECAC East, RIT moved to the ECAC West league for the 2007–08 season. The team made three NCAA tournament appearances at the Division III level, in 2007, 2011, and 2012, with a record of 5–2 in tournament games. They lost their lone game in the 2007 campaign to Amherst College. In their 2011 campaign, the lady Tigers lost at home, in the Frozen Four final, to Norwich University.
In 2012, the Tigers won their first national championship, on home ice, against Norwich University. It was the third-ever national championship for RIT's athletic program and first in women's sports.[4] [5]
On March 20, 2012, RIT announced that the women's team would move up to Division I for the 2012–13 season, as the men's team had six years prior, and join the College Hockey America conference.[6] [7]
After a successful first season at the Division I level in which the team went 16–16–5, even after losing their first DI game 6–2 to the Mercyhurst Lakers, the Tigers advanced to the CHA semifinals where they fell to the Syracuse Orange, 2–1 in overtime.
The next season was yet another season to remember. The Tigers participated in the Frozen Frontier, a ten-day hockey festival at Rochester's Frontier Field. The Tigers fell 2–6 to the Clarkson Golden Kights. The Tigers went on to win eleven out of their last eighteen games and won the CHA championship 2–1 in double overtime against the team that defeated them in their first ever Division I game, the Mercyhurst Lakers.
In 2014–15, their first season at the 4,300-seat Gene Polisseni Center, the Tigers went 15–19–5 and finished in last place in the CHA. But they won every game in the 2015 CHA Tournament, beating Robert Morris and Mercyhurst in the leadup to their 2–1 victory over Syracuse in double overtime, to capture their second straight CHA championship. The trophy this year came with the CHA's first-ever automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where the Tigers fell 2–6 to the eventual champions, #2 Minnesota.
In 2015, Bruce Bates, an MIT trustee emeritus and women's ice hockey season ticket holder, donated RIT's first athletic endowment to the women's ice hockey team, to support the head coach position.[8]
On July 10, 2018, it was announced that long-time head coach Scott McDonald would be stepping down as head coach of the women's hockey team. He left as the all-time victory leader for the women's team, compiling a 205-154-29 record in 12 seasons.[9] Chad Davis was announced as his replacement on August 22, 2018[10] with former Buffalo Beauts player Hannah McGowan being hired as assistant coach.[11]
On April 30, 2020, it was reported that RIT parted ways with Davis and McGowan as coaches. Davis compiled a 24-37-9 record in two seasons as head coach.[12]
On July 17, 2020, former RIT hockey player and captain Celeste Brown was named the next head coach of the program.[13] [14]
| Won Championship | Lost Championship | Conference Champions | League Leader |
| Year | Coach | W | L | T | Conference | Conf. W | Conf. L | Conf. T | Finish | Conference Playoffs | NCAA Tournament | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Celeste Brown | 13 | 19 | 3 | CHA | 7 | 12 | 1 | 4th CHA[15] | Lost Semifinals vs. Penn State | Did not qualify | |
| 2022–23 | Celeste Brown | 4 | 26 | 2 | CHA | 1 | 13 | 2 | 5th CHA | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | |
| 2021–22 | Celeste Brown | 2 | 27 | 4 | CHA | 1 | 12 | 3 | 5th CHA | Won First Round vs. Lindenwood Lost Semifinals vs. Syracuse | Did not qualify | |
| 2020–21 | Celeste Brown | 1 | 15 | 0 | CHA | 1 | 14 | 0 | 5th CHA | Lost First Round vs. Robert Morris | Did not qualify | |
| Chad Davis | 12 | 19 | 4 | CHA | 5 | 13 | 2 | 5th CHA | Lost First Round vs. Penn State | Did not qualify | ||
| Chad Davis | 12 | 18 | 5 | CHA | 8 | 11 | 1 | 5th CHA | Lost First Round vs. Penn State | Did not qualify | ||
| Scott McDonald | 4 | 28 | 3 | CHA | 1 | 19 | 0 | 6th CHA | Lost First Round vs. Syracuse | Did not qualify | ||
| Scott McDonald | 7 | 27 | 2 | CHA | 4 | 14 | 2 | 6th CHA | Won First Round vs. Penn State Lost Semifinals vs. Syracuse | Did not qualify | ||
| Scott McDonald | 8 | 27 | 1 | CHA | 4 | 15 | 1 | 6th CHA | Lost First Round vs. Penn State | Did not qualify | ||
| Scott McDonald | 15 | 19 | 5 | CHA | 5 | 12 | 3 | 6th CHA | Won First Round vs. Robert Morris Won Semifinals vs. Mercyhurst Won Championship vs. Syracuse | Lost in First Round vs. Minnesota | ||
| Scott McDonald | 20 | 15 | 3 | CHA | 11 | 7 | 2 | 3rd CHA | Won First Round vs. Penn State Won Semifinals vs. Robert Morris Won Championship vs. Mercyhurst | Ineligible (transition year) | ||
| Scott McDonald | 16 | 16 | 5 | CHA | 7 | 8 | 5 | 3rd CHA | Won First Round vs. Penn State Lost Semifinals vs. Syracuse | Ineligible (transition year) | ||
| Scott McDonald | 28 | 1 | 1 | D-III ECAC West | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1st ECAC West | Won in Semifinal vs. Potsdam Won Championship vs. Plattsburgh | Won in First Round vs. Concordia (Minn.) Won in Frozen Four vs. Plattsburgh Won Championship vs. Norwich | ||
| 2010–11 | Scott McDonald | 26 | 2 | 2 | D-III ECAC West | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1st ECAC West | Won in Semifinal vs. Utica Won Championship vs. Plattsburgh | Won in First Round vs. Adrian Won in Frozen Four vs. Middlebury Lost in Championship vs. Norwich | |
| 2009–10 | Scott McDonald | 19 | 5 | 3 | D-III ECAC West | 13 | 3 | 2 | 3rd ECAC West | Won in First Round vs. Potsdam Lost in Semifinals vs. Elmira | Did not qualify |
The Laura Hurd Award is awarded annually to the national player of the year in NCAA Division III women's ice hockey.
2010–11: Sarah Dagg '11
First Team
2003–04: Jen Gorczynski
2006–07: Stacey McConnell
2009–10: Sarah Dagg
2010–11: Traci Galbraith
2011–12: Kristina MossSecond Team
2001–02: Colleen Baude, Jen Gorczynski
2002–03: Jen Gorczynski
2006–07: Danielle Nagymarosi
2008–09: Sarah Dagg, Erica Owczarczak
2010–11: Katie Stack
2011–12: Laura Chamberlain, Kourtney Kunichika
2004–05: Mike Grainsky (co-winner)
2008–09: Scott McDonald (co-winner with Greg Fargo of Elmira College)[17]
2010–11: Scott McDonald
2010–11: Sarah Dagg[18]
1988–89: Marisa Zona
1995–96: Maria Lewis[19]
2007–08: Amanda Klassen (co-winner with Mel Brunet of Neumann University)[20]
2009–10: Kim Schlattman
2011: Kourtney Kunichika
2011: Laura Chamberlain (G), Traci Galbraith (D), Kourtney Kunichika (F), Ariane Yokoyama (F)
2012: Laura Chamberlain (G), Kourtney Kunichika (F), Kolbee McCrea (F), Danielle Read (D), Kim Schlattman (F)
The College Hockey America (CHA) conference merged with Atlantic Hockey to form Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) in 2024. Award history was carried over in the merge, i.e. CHA awards were integrated into the history of the AHA.
2018–19: Terra Lanteigne (G)
2014–15: Lindsay Grigg[21]
2016–17: Mackenzie Stone[22]
2014–15: Taylor Thurston[21]
2016–17: Caitlin Wallace[22]
2018–19: Chad Davis
The goaltending champion title is awarded to the goaltender with the best goals against average (GAA) in CHA play (only in-conference statistics are included). It should not be confused with the Goaltender of the Year award, which was introduced in the 2020–21 season.
2013–14: Ali Binnington (1.35 GAA)
First Team
2018–19: Terra Lanteigne (G)
Second Team
2012–13: Tenecia Hiller (F)
2013–14: Lindsay Grigg (D)
2019–20: Terra Lanteigne (G)
2022–23: Sarah Coe (G)
2014–15: Christa Vuglar (D)[21]
2015–16: Reagan Rust (D)[23]
2016–17: Terra Lanteigne (G)[22]
2019–20: Jaymee Nolan (F)
2021–22: Sarah Coe (G)
2014: Ali Binnington (G)
2015: Ali Binnington (G)
2014: Ali Binnington (G), Lindsay Grigg (D), Kourtney Kunichika (F)
2015: Cassie Clayton (F), Lindsay Grigg (F), Morgan Scoyne (D)
2022: Abby Davies (F)
Sarah Dagg was recognized as the 2011 ECAC West Player of the Year after contributing to the Tigers program-record 26 wins. In addition, she helped the Tigers to their first conference regular season and post-season championships. Her points total for the season was 18 goals and 24 assists in 30 games.
In her senior season, Dagg advanced to the 2011 NCAA Division III Championship game. In her four seasons at RIT, the Tigers accumulated a won-loss record of 85–17–7, while finishing as the Tigers all-time leading scorer. Her career totals stand at 63 goals and 91 assists, while competing in 109 games. She is the Tigers all-time assists leader while recording three consecutive forty point seasons. In addition, she is second all-time at RIT with 20 power-play goals, while she stands tied at first place in shorthanded goals with nine.
| = CWHL All-Star | = PHF All-Star | = Clarkson Cup Champion | = Isobel Cup Champion |
| Player | Position | Team(s) | League(s) | Years | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celeste Brown[25] | Forward | New York Riveters Connecticut Whale | PHF | 2 | |||
| Kendall Cornine | Forward | Metropolitan Riveters | PHF | ||||
| Sarah Dagg[26] | Forward | Burlington Barracudas Brampton Thunder | CWHL | 2 | |||
| Lindsay Grigg[27] | Forward | Buffalo Beauts HV71 Jönköping Markham Thunder | PHF SDHL CWHL | 3 | 1 (2018) | ||
| Kourtney Kunichika[28] | Forward | Buffalo Beauts | PHF | 3 | 1 (2017) | ||
| Jetta Rackleff[29] | Goaltender | Worcester Blades Team New England | CWHL PWHPA | 3 | |||
| Erin Zach[30] | Forward | Buffalo Beauts Toronto Furies | PHF CWHL | 2 | |||
| Kendall Cornine[31] | Forward | Metropolitan Riveters | PHF | 2 | |||
| Mallory Rushton[32] | Forward | Metropolitan Riveters | PHF | 2 | |||
| Brooke Baker[33] | Forward | Metropolitan Riveters | PHF | 1 | |||
| Brinna Dochniak[34] | Defense | Connecticut Whale | PHF | 1 | |||
| Kandice Sheriff[35] | Forward | Buffalo Beauts | PHF | 1 | |||
| Terra Lanteigne[36] | Goaltender | PWHPA | 1 | ||||
| Logan Land[37] | Defense | PWHPA | 1 |
| Player | Draft year | Selection | Team | |
| Sarah Dagg[38] | 2011 CWHL Draft | 16 | Burlington Barracudas | |
| Katie Stack | 2011 CWHL Draft | 23 | Toronto Furies | |
| Erin Zach[39] | 2016 CWHL Draft | 32 | Toronto Furies | |
| Jetta Rackleff | 2016 CWHL Draft | 52 | Brampton Thunder |
| Player | Draft year | Selection | Team | |
| Kendall Cornine[40] | 2018 NWHL Draft | 6 | Metropolitan Riveters | |
| Logan Land[41] | 2020 NWHL Draft | 26 | Buffalo Beauts |