Union Releases 2011-12 Schedule

Union Women's Ice Hockey 2011-12 Schedule

SCHENECTADY, NY – Union College women's ice hockey head coach Claudia Asano released the 2011-12 schedule, which includes 34 contests against 10 non-league opponents and the 11 members of ECAC Hockey. The season begins on Friday, September 30 with a 7:00 p.m. contest at Minnesota. It will mark the first ever meeting between the Dutchwomen and the Gophers, who made the NCAA Tournament last season.

“We are very excited to start our year with a road trip and playing one of the best teams in the country,” Asano said. “It will be a great trip and a wonderful way to start the season.” 

Union will conclude its Minnesota trip with a game against St. Cloud St. on Oct. 1 before returning to Messa Rink on Oct. 8 for the team's home opener against Sacred Heart at 4:00 p.m.

The Dutchwomen will hit the road for two straight weekends with a trip to Boston to face Northeastern and NCAA finalist Boston University on Oct. 14-15, followed by a two-game set at Syracuse on Oct. 21-22.

Union will open conference play at home with games against Princeton and Quinnipiac on Oct. 28-29, followed by a visit to Messa Rink from North Country foes Clarkson and St. Lawrence.

“We also are looking forward to another competitive year in the ECAC,” Asano said. “We have some great players coming to our team and many other talented players have also joined the ECAC, so the games will be competitive and strong.”

The Dutchwomen continue ECAC play with road games at Yale and Brown on Nov. 11-12 before hosting Providence of Hockey East on Nov. 27 at 2:00 pm. Two days later, Union will travel to Durham to face New Hampshire on Nov. 29 before returning to conference play with games at St. Lawrence and Clarkson on Dec. 2-3.

Union will face a fourth opponent from Hockey East when it hosts Maine for a two game series on Dec. 9-10. After a four-week break, Frozen Four participant Cornell (Jan. 6) and Colgate (Jan. 7) visit Messa Rink. Union completes its non-conference slate with a rare Tuesday night road contest at Connecticut on Jan 10.

The Dutchwomen start a run of 12 ECAC Hockey contests with road contests at Harvard and Dartmouth, which also made the eight-team NCAA Tournament field last season, on Jan. 13-14.

Union hosts Brown and Yale on Jan. 20-21 before a home and home series against Rensselaer, starting with a contest at Messa Rink on Jan. 27. The Dutchwomen open February with games at Colgate and Cornell on Feb. 3-4 before returning to Messa Rink for their final home series of the year against Dartmouth (Feb. 10) and Harvard (Feb. 11).

Union will conclude the regular season with games at Quinnipiac (Feb. 17) and Princeton (Feb. 18).

Last season, Union finished 2-29-3 with a 1-19-2 conference record.