The Women’s Hockey East Association has an impressive track record in the women’s hockey world. Over its first 15 years of operation, its member teams have produced 19 U.S. Olympians, numerous others in other countries and a number of impact NWHL and CWHL players. The list of Olympians is likely going to grow in the coming year.
Marie-Philip Poulin, a force on Team Canada’s past two Olympic gold medal-winning teams, went to Boston University. Alex Carpenter and Kelli Stack, the second- and third- ranked scorers in the NWHL and mainstays on the U.S. national team, went to Boston College.
Those three are among the many who had already established their world-class flair before even debuting on campus, then lived up to the hype as rookies. This list ranks the top 10 all-time individual rookie seasons on Women’s Hockey East teams.
10. Jana Budgen, Providence, 2002-03
Budgen backboned the Friars earn the inaugural women’s Hockey East regular-season and postseason championships with her play in goal. Overall, she went 20-5-5 with a .925 save percentage and 1.69 goals-against average. These were by far the best numbers among freshman goalies that year.
Budgen was also second in the nation with seven shutouts during her first year. Her performance earned her all-rookie team honors within Hockey East.
9. Makenna Newkirk, Boston College, 2015-16
Newkirk, a native of Scottsdale, Ariz., enjoyed an impressive freshman year on a very strong BC team (40-1-0) that included another player mentioned later on this list. She ended up fourth on the team that year with 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 points in 41 games played.
Newkirk earned Hockey East’s top-rookie honors and was a unanimous selection to the all-rookie team for her performance. She and the Eagles then carried an undefeated record all the way into the NCAA championship game, where they lost to a Minnesota dynasty.
8. Kendall Coyne, Northeastern, 2011-12
Coyne was a Hockey East first-team all star and the rookie of the year during her freshman season. She scored 26 goals and added 19 assists for 45 points in 31 games. This ranked first on her team and second among rookies in the nation that season.
Coyne also helped Northeastern to the 2011-12 regular-season conference championship, the only such title in school history to this point.
7. Allie Thunstrom, Boston College, 2006-07
Thunstrom was one of many impact freshmen to debut in 2006-07. She tallied 30 goals and 17 assists for 47 points in 36 games. Her goal total was tied for third in the nation that year. Perhaps more impressively, she scored six while killing penalties, which was tied for the most in the country.
Thunstrom’s performance was slightly overshadowed by that of a fellow BC freshman forward, but was nonetheless noteworthy. She was a unanimous all-rookie team selection and named to the all-conference first team.
6. Sam Faber, New Hampshire, 2005-06
Faber was tied for first in the nation among rookies with 51 points in 37 games during her rookie year. This point total ranked sixth among all players in the country that year, and third in the conference (only behind two teammates).
Faber was named Hockey East rookie of the year for her performance, in what was an impressive year for the Wildcats. The team won the regular-season title and first of four straight Women’s Hockey East championships, then ended up reaching the national semifinals.
5. Marie-Philip Poulin, Boston University, 2010-11
Poulin, one of the top women’s hockey players in the world today, rose to the scene with an impressive rookie year at BU. She scored 24 goals and added 23 assists for 47 points in just 28 games played. This point total ranked second on her team (first among rookies) and fourth among rookies nationally that season.
Poulin is in the NCAA record book for a performance during her second career NCAA game. She tallied two shorthanded goals in a 6-2 victory over North Dakota, tying her for the most in a single game in NCAA women’s hockey history. She was also the Women’s Hockey East rookie of the year.
4. Katie Burt, Boston College, 2014-15
Burt went 30-2-2 with a 1.11 goals-against average and .941 save percentage during her freshman year. She led the nation in wins and GAA while setting the BC single-season record for wins.
Her win percentage and GAA both rank in the top 15 for a single season in women’s NCAA history. She was named Hockey East’s top goalie and was unanimously selected to the all-rookie team. Burt was also the only freshman to make one of the conference all-star teams that season, earning second-team honors.
3. Kayley Herman, New Hampshire, 2007-08
Herman’s most impressive collegiate season came as a rookie. She went 29-3-1 with a .938 save percentage and 1.07 goals-against average and nine shutouts. This performance earned her the designation of Hockey East goalie of the year and a spot on the all-rookie and second all-star teams. Her GAA ranks 10th all-time for a single season.
Herman and the Wildcats dominated that year, going unbeaten in conference play while earning the league regular-season and postseason titles. Her play in the league tournament had her named to the all-tournament team. They eventually lost in the national semifinals to Minnesota-Duluth.
2. Haley Skarupa, Boston College, 2012-13
Skarupa tallied 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 33 games during her freshman year. This ranked first among freshmen in her conference, and second overall. It was also the 13th best point total among all players in the country that year.
Skarupa scored the game-winning goal five times for the Eagles that year. This performance earned her the Hockey East top-rookie award, a unanimous selection to the all-rookie team and a spot on the second all-star team.
1. Kelli Stack, Boston College, 2006-07
Stack ranked sixth nationally and second among rookies with 17 goals and 37 assists for 54 points in 36 games during the aforementioned freshman-dominant year. That year a fellow freshman, who will undoubtedly show up in a future ranking, led the nation in scoring.
Her 37 assists ranked fifth overall in the nation that season. Within the conference, she really stood out, earning the player and rookie of the year awards. Unsurprisingly, she was a unanimous all-rookie team selection and earned a spot on the all-conference first team.
Stack and fellow freshmen led the way for the team. Three of the top five scorers, including the top two were rookies, as well as the top goalie. The very young Eagles went on to lose in the national semifinals in double-overtime that season.
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