The UConn Huskies women’s hockey team opens the 2026-27 regular season in one week, hoping to duplicate – or better -- a program-record 28 wins from last season.

The Huskies made a run toward the Frozen Four and fell just one game short, but the 2025-26 season was an unquestioned success, nonetheless. Consider:

The Huskies won their second Hockey East title in three seasons, qualifying them for the NCAA Tournament in each – their first tournament trips since UConn added women’s hockey in the 2000-01 season.

The Huskies won their first NCAA Tournament game in school history with a 4-1 victory over Princeton in the first round of the NCAA regional.

Goalie Tia Chan, since graduated, set UConn single-season program records in wins (27), saves (1,122), and save percentage (.951). She earned first-team All-America and Women's College Hockey Goalie of the Year honors.

Three players, including Chan, were drafted by Professional Women’s Hockey League teams.

The Huskies extended their streak of consecutive weeks ranked in the national polls to 28, finishing the season at No. 6 in both the USCHO and USA Hockey polls. They ended the season with a 28-9-2 record.

UConn will play an exhibition game Saturday against Quinnipiac at the Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs, Conn., at 3 p.m. ET.

The regular season opens with a two-game set at St. Cloud State in Minnesota on Sept. 25-26. 

Chris MacKenzie enters his 14th season as the UConn head coach. On Jan. 13, 2024, he became the program’s winningest coach with his 164th victory, surpassing the mark of 163 set by his predecessor, Heather Linstad, in 2013.

The Huskies made a good enough impression last season that they start the 2026-27 season ranked No. 7 in both polls. That’s the highest preseason ranking ever for the UConn women.

Among the early opponents, Quinnipiac is ranked No. 6 in both polls. St. Cloud State is unranked.

Chan is gone, selected No. 28 overall by San Jose in the PWHL draft in June. Forwards Kyla Josifovic (No. 39, Detroit) and Megan Woodworth (No. 42, Hamilton) also were taken in the draft. They were among the seven seniors and grad students on the roster last season.

Josifovic led the Huskies in scoring last season with 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists), and Woodworth had 27 (16 goals, 11 assists).

Returning to lead the Huskies’ offense are junior Claire Murdoch, named a team captain, and senior Julia Pellerin. Murdoch was second in scoring last season for the Huskies with 39 points, with her 27 assists tying a UConn single-season record.

UConn has 17 returning players and seven new ones on the roster.

*Numbers in front of team names indicate rankings in the two preseason polls: USCHO Division I Women's Poll/Preseason USA Hockey Women's College Hockey Poll

Sept. 19: 6/6 Quinnipiac (exhibition)
Sept. 25: at St. Cloud State
Sept. 26: at St. Cloud State
Oct. 2: 12/12 Clarkson
Oct. 3: 12/12 Clarkson
Oct. 16: at 8/8 Princeton
Oct. 17: at 8/8 Princeton
Oct. 23: 15/14 Mercyhurst
Oct. 24: 15/14 Mercyhurst
Oct. 29: at Holy Cross
Oct. 30: Holy Cross
Nov. 5: at Boston College
Nov. 6: Boston College
Nov. 13: Providence
Nov. 14: at Providence
Nov. 20: at Vermont
Nov. 21: at Vermont
Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m.: Sacred Heart (Nutmeg Classic at Hamden, Conn.)
Nov. 28: Opponent TBA (Nutmeg Classic at Hamden, Conn.)
Dec. 4: at Boston University
Dec. 5: Boston University
Jan. 8: Maine
Jan. 9: Maine
Jan. 15: at Merrimack
Jan. 16: Merrimack
Jan. 22: 5/4 Northeastern
Jan. 23: 5/4 Northeastern
Jan. 29: at New Hampshire
Jan. 30: New Hampshire
Feb. 4: at Maine
Feb. 6: New Hampshire
Feb. 12: Vermont
Feb. 13: at Holy Cross
Feb. 18: Boston College
Feb. 20: at 5/4 Northeastern