Worcester State Women's Ice Hockey Announces 2025-26 Schedule

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State women’s ice hockey team has announced its 2025–26 schedule as the program prepares for its fifth season under head coach Eliza Kelley. The Lancers are coming off a 13–11–2 campaign in 2024–25, which included a tie for Regular Season champions and a trip to the MASCAC semifinals in the league’s inaugural year after capturing three straight ECHA Championships. This season, Worcester will be led by a strong veteran group, including senior Kelsey Czerniawski (Chicopee, MA), the reigning MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year, and sophomore Emily Johns (Clinton, MA), the MASCAC Rookie of the Year. The Lancers return four of their top five offensive producers from last season with Johns, senior captain Cailey Ryan (Acton, MA), junior forward Madelyn Franta (Superior, WI) and senior defender Lea Gaspar (Chelmsford, MA) who are all back in the blue and gold.

“This team is excited, motivated and has all the tools to have a benchmark season. We are strong in all three position groups and there is definitely a sense of unfinished business within our room” says Kelley. “We have an extremely competitive schedule and I can’t wait to see what this group of Lancers is able to accomplish together.”

Worcester State opens its season at home on Halloween night, welcoming Western New England to the Fidelity Bank Ice Center. The Lancers then hit the road for a matchup at New England College on November 1, before beginning conference play on November 8 at Framingham State. A non-conference trip to Salve Regina follows on November 11.

The Blue and Gold return home for their conference home opener against Anna Maria on November 14, then host Rivier the following day. The Lancers travel back to Framingham on November 19, before closing out the calendar year with three home matchups: Salem State (Nov. 22), Amherst (Nov. 30), and Connecticut College (Dec. 5).

The 2026 portion of the schedule begins at the Castleton Tournament, where Worcester faces SUNY Potsdam on January 2, followed by either Castleton or Anna Maria the next day. The Lancers then travel to UNE on January 8 before returning home to host Curry on January 9. A road contest at Utica is set for January 14, followed by a home-and-home series with MCLA on January 23–24, with Worcester hosting the opener. The Lancers will then host Salem State on January 30 before heading west to face MCLA again on January 31.

February opens with a home matchup against Framingham State on February 6, followed by a trip to Rivier on February 7. On Valentine’s Day weekend, Worcester faces Anna Maria in a home-and-home series, visiting the AMCATs on February 13 and hosting them on February 14. The regular season concludes with a trip to Salem State on February 20 and Senior Day at home against Rivier on February 21.

The MASCAC Tournament begins on February 25, with the championship scheduled for March 6.

Follow all the action and stay up to date on schedule changes at wsulancers.com