The NCAA’s top programs were all in action this week as all 15 nationally ranked women’s college hockey teams played.
For Northeastern, Boston University, Harvard and Boston College, it was also a final chance to tune up ahead of the 2026 Beanpot tournament that begins Tuesday, with the finals next week at Boston’s TD Garden.
For the first time, programs like Yale, Clarkson and Colgate showed they might soon move into these national power rankings as well.
While familiar squads lead the top three, Penn State and Minnesota-Duluth swapped places in the top 10 from last week.
Here’s a look at the top 10 NCAA women’s hockey programs this week:
Women’s college hockey power rankings
1. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
After returning a week later than other programs in 2026, Wisconsin stumbled out of the gate, tying Minnesota-Duluth 1-1 and losing in the shootout. They looked more like themselves in Game 2 of the weekend series as stars Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey, Kirsten Simms, Kelly Gorbatenko and Adela Sapovalivova found the back of the net in a balanced 5-1 win. Wisconsin has been so consistent this season that it was bound for a blip.
2. Ohio State University (WCHA)
Kaia Malachino has added another threat to Ohio State’s forward group. Coach Nadine Muzerall seemingly gets a contribution from someone new each game as they had nine different goal-scorers across their 4-0 and 5-1 sweep of WCHA conference rival St. Cloud State. Rookie Hilda Svensson continues to lead the Buckeyes in scoring and sits third nationally behind only American Olympians Abbey Murphy (Minnesota) and Caroline Harvey (Wisconsin).
3. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Can anybody stop Minnesota captain Abbey Murphy? She pushed her nation-leading goal and point totals to 28 goals and 50 points in 22 games after scoring four goals and seven points in a sweep over conference rival Minnesota State this weekend. While she recorded a hat trick, it was her highlight-reel, lacrosse-style assist that drew attention.
4. University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA)
After a troublesome trip to Northern Ireland for the Bulldogs, they answered in a big way, beating Wisconsin in a shootout to open their weekend before falling 5-1 on Saturday. Eve Gascon made 38 saves and stopped all shootout attempts on Friday’s shootout win, and she did it only hours after finding out she had been cut from Canada’s Olympic team. The response from their team, and one of the top goalies in the nation, was strong.
5. Quinnipiac (ECAC)
The Quinnipiac Bobcats continued to roll this past weekend, beating RPI and Union by identical 5-1 margins after returning from a positive showing at the Friendship Series in Belfast. Forwards Kahlen Lamarche and Emerson Jarvis continued to power Quinnipiac’s offense. No goaltender in NCAA hockey has played more than Felicia Frank, and few have played as well as she sits third in the nation in goals-against average (1.38) and save percentage (.943).
6. Penn State (Atlantic Hockey America)
Mercyhurst has been a thorn in Penn State’s side recently. That continued last weekend as Penn State shut out the Lakers 3-0 before falling 4-3 in overtime. It’s just not an outcome the Nittany Lions can accept if they want to prove they can compete with the best programs from ECAC and the WCHA. The program is set to lose Tessa Janecke, Kendall Butze, Maddy Christian, Katie DeSa, Katelyn Roberts and Leah Stecker after this season.
7. Cornell (ECAC)
Cornell tied Clarkson but won the shootout and beat St. Lawrence. What was promising about the results was that the typically offensively starved Big Red scored 10 goals in two games. Their tie against Clarkson coincided with an uncharacteristic off-night from netminder Annelies Bergmann, who has been one of college hockey’s most consistent goaltenders for three seasons.
8. Princeton (ECAC)
Issy Wunder had five goals in two games as Princeton beat Union and RPI. They’ve got another tune-up week against a pair of Ivy League schools this week before they return to matchups against nationally ranked programs.
9. Northeastern (Hockey East)
After being shut out by Yale in a mid-week game, Northeastern bounced back, beating Providence 5-2. Rookie Stryker Zablocki led the way with her second hat trick of the season. Providence, however, outshot Northeastern. They won’t dip far in the national rankings, but they powered down this week, not up.
10. Connecticut (Hockey East)
UConn swept Maine, but it wasn’t convincing. Maine outshot them on the weekend, and UConn narrowly held on for 2-1 and 4-3 wins. After Yale posted back-to-back shutouts over Northeastern and Dartmouth, UConn will need a stronger showing this week against Merrimack to stay in the top 10.
