NCAA Women’s Hockey Power Rankings: Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota flex their muscles
We are well into the NCAA Women’s Hockey season, and we’ve already seen some exciting games, with the traditional powerhouses proving they are going to be forces to be reckoned with once again.
Even with the WCHA dominance staying at the forefront, other teams are trying to make their mark in the early weeks of the 2025-26 season.
Let’s take a look at this week’s Top 10 teams around the country:
1. Wisconsin
Record: 4-0-0
Last week: 1st
Will the Badgers ever get scored on again? In two games against Maine last weekend, Ava McNaughton turned away all 38 shots she faced, while the team in front of her took care of business, sweeping the Black Bears by a combined score of 10-0. Laila Edwards scored two goals and four points across the two games, while Kirsten Simms also posted four points against Maine. Dating back to their opening weekend against Bemidji State, the Badgers have posted shutouts in three straight games.
Wisconsin will have a tougher test this coming weekend as Minnesota Duluth heads to Madison on Saturday and Sunday.
2. Ohio State
Record: 2-0-0
Last week: 2nd
The Buckeyes partook in probably the biggest marquee matchup of the weekend…and dominated. Heading into Hamilton to take on Colgate, Ohio State seemiginly left no stone unturned. They swept the Raiders, outscoring the home school by a combined score of 14-7. The score was surprisingly close given that OSU outshot Colgate 100-35 over the two games. All the big guns came to play. Joy Dunne scored twice on Friday night, while Hilda Svensson scored the first two goals of her college career on Saturday, ending the weekend with four points.
Ohio State begins WCHA play this weekend with a pair of home games against Bemidji State.
3. Minnesota
Record: 4-0-0
Last week: 3rd
After hammering Boston College at home to start the new season, the Golden Gophers headed up to Boston University and continued their offensive onslaught at the expense of the Terriers. Abbey Murphy had a ho-hum weekend, potting five goals, including a hat trick in the 5-2 win on Saturday. Defender Nelli Laitinen also scored twice in the weekend sweep. Hannah Clark was exceptional on Friday, posting a 24-save shutout.
Minnesota jumps into WCHA play this weekend at Ridder against St. Cloud State.
4. Cornell
Record: 0-0-0
Last week: 4th
The Big Red still has yet to play a game, but until they do (or if Duluth does something crazy this weekend), the defending ECAC champions will stay right here. They might not have the offensive power as the top WCHA teams, but their defensive structure, highlighted by goaltender Annelies Bergmann, made teams miserable last season. I expect a similar tale to be told this season.
Cornell doesn’t play its first game until Oct. 17 against Boston College.
5. Minnesota Duluth
Record: 4-0-0
Last week: 5th
The Bulldogs still have to prove themselves against the “Big Three” in the WCHA, but early returns show the added experience for the young core should prove dividends this year. Minnesota Duluth was off last week after kicking off its season-opening six-game road trip by sweeping Atlantic Hockey America schools Mercyhurst and Syracuse, with a variety of characters contributing to the team’s strong start.
Duluth will have its chance to prove itself this weekend in a pair of games, on the road, against No. 1 Wisconsin.
6. Penn State
Record: 4-0-0
Last week: 6th
The Nittany Lions continued their strong start to the new season on the road against Vermont. They heavily outshot the Catamounts in both games, and saw timely goals from Tessa Janecke and Maddy Christian to come away with the sweep. Janecke and defender Leah Stecker each had three points on the weekend. I still think the team from Hockey Valley has more to give, but I expect them to ramp things up over the next month.
Penn State begins its AHA schedule this weekend on the road against first-year program Delaware.
7. Quinnipiac
Record: 4-0-0
Last week: NR
It’s quite a jump from not even being in the top 10, but Quinnipiac flexed its muscle on the road against Hockey East side Providence, with a couple of players standing out. Alex Law potted a hat trick in the game on Friday night, before Aynsley D’Ottavio found the back of the net twice. The Bobcats outscored the Friars 10-2 over the two games, giving some of us the confidence that they can be a contender in the ECAC.
Quinnipiac is on the road this weekend against Syracuse for a pair of games.
8. Colgate
Record: 0-2-0
Last week: 7th
Last weekend was tough to watch if you were a Colgate fan. The Buckeyes rolled into town and left no doubt against a retooled Raiders team. The only reason Friday night’s game ended 5-3 was because Farah Walker played out of her mind. The dam burst on Saturday, though, as Walker gave up eight in the first two periods, leading to a 9-4 loss. That said, I think it was a learning lesson for Colgate, as they saw, firsthand, where they need to be if they want to be considered a top team in the country.
The Raiders have a chance to get into the win column this weekend against winless Boston University.
9. Clarkson
Record: 2-2-0
Last week: 8th
Speaking of ECAC standouts, Clarkson is coming off a hard-fought split against Connecticut. Although they secured a solid 2-0 win on Friday, with Holly Gruber standing tall with a 24-save performance, the Golden Knights had a chance to bury the Huskies on Saturday, controlling the play from puck drop. Yet, they lost 3-2. It was one of those games that showed Clarkson is trying to find its groove after so many good players in the PWHL this past year.
The Golden Knights are on the road this coming weekend, facing Providence for a couple of games.
10. St. Cloud State
Record: 3-1-0
Last week: 9th
The Huskies had this past week off from action, giving them a chance to regroup before their difficult conference schedule gets underway. Their strong effort against UConn two weeks back proved to me that they can win in enemy territory. St. Cloud State will only be able to rely on goaltending for so long. If the team can get its offense going, it will be a tougher out later this season.
The competition ramps up this weekend for the Huskies, as they head to Minneapolis to open their WCHA schedule against Minnesota.
Honorable Mention: St. Thomas (4-0-0), Connecticut (2-2-0), Northeastern (2-0-0), St. Lawrence (1-3-0)