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| Union Game Notes • Colgate Game Notes (coming soon) • Cornell Game Notes (coming soon) |
AT HOME: Women's Hockey heads west on I-90 to Colgate University for a 3:00 p.m. puck drop Friday, then travels southwest on Route 13 to Cornell University for a 3:00 p.m. puck drop on Saturday.
LAST WEEKEND: Women's Hockey lost 7–3 to Brown University on Friday night and 5–2 to #10 Yale on Saturday afternoon. On Friday,
Maddie Leaney opened the scoring with
Megan Duplantie and
Karianne Engelbert recording assists. Leaney followed up with a short-handed goal in the second period, assisted by
Emma Fulawka. Engelbert capped Union's scoring on the power play, with Duplantie and Fulawka earning the assists. Goaltender
Emily Evans tallied 22 saves in net. On Saturday,
Klara Kenttälä opened the scoring for the Garnet Chargers, while
Mallory Mauracher added Union's second goal. Fulawka and
Jill Willis earned assists on Kenttälä's tally, while
Amanda Quan and
Giavanna Mancy assisted on Mauracher's goal.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS: Colgate earned a weekend sweep of Harvard University and Dartmouth College. On Friday night against Harvard, Madeline Palumbo opened the scoring for the Raiders, followed by goals from Emma Pais and Elyssa Beiderman. Brooke Davis tallied 24 saves in net to earn the shut out. On Saturday afternoon, Borgiel opened the scoring for the Raiders followed by goals from Chloie Goofers and Emma Beauchamp. Goaltender Farah Walker tallied 20 saves in net for the Raiders.
ABOUT THE BIG RED: Cornell earned a commanding 5–0 victory over Dartmouth College on Friday night. Avi Adam, Georgia Schiff, Beatrice Perron-Roy, Rose Dwyer, and Karel Prefontaine scored for the Big Red, while goaltender Annelies Bergmann made 23 saves to record the shutout. On Saturday afternoon, Harvard upset the Big Red, 3–1. Prefontaine scored Cornell's lone goal, and Bergmann finished with 22 saves in net.
M&T BANK CENTER
This season, Union Hockey will call the state-of-the-art M&T Bank Center its home, becoming the primary tenant of the 100,000-square-foot multi-purpose venue. The arena boasts a capacity of 2,200 for hockey games and expands to 3,600 for other sporting events, trade shows, special events, and conventions. Highlights include seven luxury suites, a spacious hospitality suite, two full-service concession stands, and an elegant bar overlooking the Mohawk River. Convenient on site parking is available, with an additional 700-space lot within walking distance.
TWO-TIME TAKEDOWN
For the second consecutive season, Union pulled off an upset against Cornell University in its first meeting of the season.
On November 21, 2025, at M&T Bank Center, Union defeated #4/5 Cornell 4–3 in overtime, marking the program's first-ever win over a top-five opponent. The victory was highlighted by Leaney's hat trick, which included the overtime game-winner. Sophomore
Karianne Engelbert also contributed a goal, while goaltender
Monja Wagner made 43 saves to backstop Union to the win.
The win follows last season's historic victory on November 1, 2024, when the Garnet Chargers snapped Cornell's 20-season winning streak with a 3–2 win - marking Union's first win at Lynah Rink and over a Top-10 ranked opponent. Engelbert and
Jill Willis scored two of Union's three goals in that game, and Engelbert added an assist on
Paige Greco '25's goal. Before the wins, Union's last triumph over the Big Red was on February 28, 2004, a 3–1 decision.
Last season, Union also faced Cornell in the best-of-three quarterfinal series after winning its first-ever first-round playoff game against Brown University on February 28, 2025. In the series, Union was just 1:09 away from forcing a decisive third game against #3 Cornell, but the Big Red scored a game-tying goal and then the game-winner 27 seconds later. In that game, Leaney tallied the equalizer in the second period, while
Maren Friday '25 had netted the go-ahead goal with a minute remaining in the second period.
FUELED BY FULAWKA
Junior
Emma Fulawka tallied three assists over the weekend against Brown and #10 Yale. She recorded assists on
Maddie Leaney's shorthanded goal and Engelbert's power-play goal against Brown on Friday night. Fulawka followed up with an assist on Kenttälä's goal on Saturday afternoon versus #10 Yale.
Fulawka is producing the best single-season campaign of her career. She tied her personal best of seven points (four goals, three assists) with a goal against Harvard on Friday, December 5, before surpassing that mark this past weekend. With three assists over the weekend, Fulawka now has four goals and six assists for 10 points on the season.
An instrumental part of Union's second line and a key contributor on the power play, two of Fulawka's four goals this season have come with the man advantage (vs. Merrimack on Friday, October 3, and at Harvard on Friday, December 5). She also assisted on
Maddie Leaney's power-play goal against Cornell on November 21.
DYANMIC DUO
With two goals on Friday night against Brown, junior
Maddie Leaney tied senior captain
Stephanie Bourque for Union's all-time points record with 68 points, a mark that had stood for 16 years by Elise Nichols '07.
Leaney and Bourque are both having standout seasons, producing some of the best single-season campaigns in program history.
Leaney opened Union's 2026 goal scoring by tallying the game's first goal on Friday, January 2 against #15/14 Yale University. She followed with an assist on sophomore
Karianne Engelbert's goal later in the first period. The next day, she added another assist on Bourque's goal against #15 Brown on Saturday, January 3, finishing the weekend with three points.
Leaney followed up recording two points—a goal against St. Lawrence University on Friday, January 16 and an assist against #11/12 Clarkson University on Saturday, January 17.
Her standout performances came after an exceptional first half of the season. In November, Leaney tallied nine goals, the most by any player in a single month in Union's Division I era. The month began with a four-point weekend against crosstown rival Rensselaer, including two goals in a 7-4 victory on Saturday, November 7. Leaney continued her hot streak with a hat trick, including the game-winning goal, in Union's historic overtime upset of #4 Cornell on Friday, November 21—the program's first victory over a top-five opponent. This was the second hat trick of her career, making her the first player in program history to record multiple hat tricks. She added another goal the following day against #13/12 Colgate.
Leaney capped the month with two goals against Delaware, including her eighth career game-winning goal, breaking the program's all-time record. Her dominance earned her ECAC Hockey Forward of the Week honors twice in November—following the Rensselaer and Cornell weekends—making her the first player in program history to earn the award twice in a single season and the second to do so twice in a career. She was also named ECAC Hockey Forward of the Month, the first Union player to receive the honor.
She concluded the first half of the season with an assist on
Emma Fulawka's power-play goal at Harvard on Friday, December 5. Through 101 career games, Leaney has totaled 36 goals and 32 assists for 68 points.
Bourque tallied an assist in the Mayors' Cup 4-3 victory on Saturday, January 24, tying the all-time points record.
She also opened the second half of the season by scoring Union's lone goal against Brown University on Saturday, January 3, in the second period.
Bourque ended the first half of the season by assisting on
Jill Willis's goal on Friday, December 5, against Harvard, extending her streak to seven points in three consecutive games. On Friday, November 28, Bourque scored her first goal of the season and recorded the primary assist on Union's final four goals in a 7-0 win over the University of Delaware. Her five-point performance tied the program's Division I single-game points record, while her four assists matched the second-highest single-game total. She added her sixth point of the weekend by assisting on
Maddie Leaney's goal in Saturday's 3-0 win against the Blue Hens on Saturday, November 29.
Following her strong showing against Delaware, Bourque earned ECAC Defender of the Week honors on Tuesday, December 2.
Through 135 career games played, Bourque has recorded 16 goals and 52 assists for a total of 68 career points.
OLYMPIC BOUND
Junior goaltender
Monja Wagner was named to Switzerland's Olympic Team as announced by the Swiss Hockey Federation on Wednesday, January 7.
This marks Wagner's inaugural appearance on Switzerland's Olympic team, and the first Union women's hockey player named to an Olympic roster. She is one of only four NCAA women's hockey players representing Switzerland, alongside Alessa Baechler of Northeastern University, Naemi Herzig of the College of the Holy Cross, and Laura Zimmerman of St. Cloud State University.
Wagner, Baechler, Herzig, and Zimmermann will be teammates with notable figures including Alina Muller of the PWHL's Boston Fleet and Nicole Vallario of the PWHL's New York Sirens at the Olympic games set to take place from February 5–22. Switzerland is participating in Group A alongside the United States, Canada, Finland, and Czechia.
Wagner has previously represented Switzerland five times, including earning a spot on the National Team for the second consecutive season. She participated with Switzerland's National Team at the 2025 Lidl Hockey Games in Ängelholm, Sweden (November 5–8), and the Finnish Tournament in Lahti and Hämeenlinna, Finland (December 10–12), as part of the 2025 Women's Euro Hockey Tour. Wagner made her international debut in net at the Lidl Hockey Games, earning her first international win in a 2-1 shootout victory over Sweden and Player of the Game honors on November 7.
Wagner secured a spot on the National Team in the 2024–25 season and represented Switzerland at the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championships in České Budejovice, Czechia. She also competed internationally with Switzerland's Under-18 Team at the 2019 and 2020 IIHF U18 Women's World Championships in Obihiro, Japan, and Bratislava, Slovakia, respectively.
BRICKWALL BRIGADE
Union enters the season with a four goaltenders consisting of senior
Emily Evans, junior
Monja Wagner, sophomore
Sara Da Silva, and first-year Emma Rhéaume.
Wagner has started 17 games for Union this season, posting a 5–9–3 record with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. Her wins came against Franklin Pierce (Sept. 26), Merrimack (Oct. 3), Saint Anselm (Oct. 17), #4 Cornell (Nov. 21), and Rensselaer (Jan. 24). Wagner also earned ties against Merrimack (Oct. 4), New Hampshire (Oct. 10), and Dartmouth (Dec. 6). Her losses came against #1 Wisconsin (Oct. 18), #9 Clarkson (Oct. 24), #7 Quinnipiac (Oct. 31), #13/12 Colgate (Nov. 22), Harvard (Dec. 5), #15/14 Yale (Jan. 2), #15 Brown (Jan. 3), #9 Princeton (Jan. 9), and St. Lawrence (Jan. 16).
Among Wagner's highlights was backstopping Union to an overtime upset victory against #4 Cornell on Nov. 21, stopping 43 shots. The performance came shortly after her return from the Lidl Hockey Games with Switzerland's National Team as part of the 2025 Euro Hockey Tour, held Nov. 5–8.
Wagner also recorded her second shutout of the season on Dec. 6, making 35 saves against Dartmouth. The shutout marked the third of her career and moved her into second place on Union's all-time shutout list. It also represented the fifth shutout of the season by Union goaltenders. Wagner and first-year Emma Rhéaume combined for consecutive shutouts against Franklin Pierce on Sept. 26 and 27, becoming the first goaltending duo in program history to accomplish the feat. Later in the season, senior
Emily Evans and Rhéaume recorded back-to-back shutouts against Delaware on Nov. 28 and 29, marking the second time Union goaltenders achieved consecutive shutouts this season.
Rhéaume has appeared in 11 games this season, posting a 3–7–0 record with a 2.67 GAA and a .912 save percentage. She earned her first collegiate win and shutout in a 2–0 victory over Franklin Pierce on Sept. 27. Rhéaume picked up her second career win against cross-town rival Rensselaer on Nov. 1, stopping 22 shots in a 7–4 victory, and recorded her second shutout of the season and of her career against Delaware on Nov. 29. Her losses came against New Hampshire (Oct. 11), Saint Lawrence (Oct. 25), Princeton (Nov. 1), and Rensselaer (Nov. 7), #7 Quinnipiac (Jan. 10), #11/12 Clarkson (Jan. 17), and Yale (Jan. 31). Rhéaume also appeared in relief against #7 Quinnipiac on Oct. 31 and Harvard on Dec. 6, making 18 and five saves, respectively.
Evans has made three appearances in net this season. Evans made her season debut in relief against #7 Quinnipiac on Oct. 31, playing 26 minutes and making 10 saves on 12 shots. She earned her first career start on Nov. 28 against Delaware, recording her first collegiate win and shutout. Evans made her second season start against Brown University on Friday, January 30, tallying 22 saves in the loss.
GOING STREAKING
Senior
Stephanie Bourque (135 games) and junior
Maddie Leaney (101 games) are both riding multi-year iron-woman streaks, having appeared in every game of their three- and two-year careers, respectively. Sophomore
Jill Willis also skated in all 37 contests as a first-year and has currently appeared in all 29 games in the 2025-26 season.
OH CAPTAINS, OUR CAPTAINS
Senior blueliner
Stephanie Bourque will serve as team captain for the Garnet Chargers, while junior defenseman
Megan Ognibene returns as an assistant captain for a second consecutive season. Senior forward
Mallory Mauracher joins the leadership group as a first-time assistant captain.
COACHES CORNER
Tony Maci was named the fifth head coach in the history of Union women's hockey on July 31, 2024, and begins his second season behind the bench for the Garnet Chargers in 2025-26. Maci and his staff made an immediate impact in his first season in Schenectady, leading the Garnet Chargers to the most wins in program history and earning the team's first-ever postseason victory. Union finished the season with a 13-23-1 record and won a program-record eight conference games as part of a very challenging ECAC Hockey slate, including the team's first-ever win over a top-10 opponent with a 3-2 win at #9 Cornell University in November. Playing a total of 19 games against nationally ranked foes, eight losses came by a single goal and Union was less than 70 seconds away from taking eventual conference champion and national semifinalist #3 Cornell to a third game in their ECAC Hockey Quarterfinal series. The squad also set new program records for most goals scored and fewest goals allowed in a season in the school's Division I era, while also earning the program's first ECAC postseason honor since 2008 with first-year
Karianne Engelbert's All-Rookie Team nod.
HERE TO ASSIST
Joining Maci are second-year coaches
Shawn Skelly,
Tina Shortridge, and
Courtney Hall. Skelly, Shortridge, and Hall were all a part of a staff that made an immediate impact in their first season in Schenectady, leading the Garnet Chargers to the most wins in program history and earning the team's first-ever postseason victory. Union finished the season with a 13-23-1 record and won a program-record eight conference games as part of a very challenging ECAC Hockey slate, including the team's first-ever win over a top-10 opponent with a 3-2 win at #9 Cornell University in November. The squad also set new program records for most goals scored and fewest goals allowed in a season in the school's Division I era, while also earning the program's first ECAC postseason honor since 2008 with first-year
Karianne Engelbert's All-Rookie Team nod.
RETURNING ROSTER
The team is comprised of 18 returners, including nine forwards (sophomores
Mikayla Blomquist,
Karianne Engelbert,
Klara Kenttälä, and
Jill Willis; juniors
Emma Fulawka and
Maddie Leaney; and seniors
Amanda Quan,
Greta Kropp, and
Mallory Mauracher), six blueliners (sophomores
Lauren Johnson and
Giavanna Mancy; juniors
Quinn Dunkle,
Brigitte McGuire, and
Megan Ognibene and senior
Stephanie Bourque), and three goaltenders (sophomore
Sara Da Silva, junior
Monja Wagner, and senior
Emily Evans).
NEW BLOOD
Union welcomes six first-year players— forwards
Natalie Andelova,
Megan Duplantie, and
Reanna Loberg; blueliners
Isabel Powers and
Kaitlyn Toner; and goaltender
Emma Rhéaume—along with two transfers, forward
Hayley Kelleher and blueliner
Peyton O'Neill, to the program for the 2025-26 season. The class represents two countries, three provinces, and three states, and features four forwards, three blueliners, and one goaltender.
