ELMIRA, N.Y. – Entering his first season as the Elmira College women’s ice hockey head coach, Greg Haney has released the 2023-24 schedule for the Soaring Eagles. The Purple & Gold will play 11 contests at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena and 14 contests on the road. An early favorite to contend for the New England Hockey Conference Championship, the Soaring Eagles finished last season with a 21-6-0 overall record and the program’s second consecutive undefeated regular season against league opponents.
Elmira will participate in the Utica University Kickoff Tournament to open the season as the Soaring Eagles will face the Adrian Bulldogs on October 27. EC will wait to see who its opponent will be the following day as both consolation and championships contests will be held on October 28.
The NEHC schedule for the Purple & Gold opens with two contests on the road against New England College on November 3 and against Norwich on November 4. Elmira will look to avenge its loss against Norwich from a year ago in the NEHC Championship contest as the Cadets defeated the Soaring Eagles 2-0 on home ice to earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA DIII Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament. Elmira owns a 15-9-4 record in 28 previous meetings against the Cadets.
Elmira returns to the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena to open the home portion of its 2023-24 schedule as the Soaring Eagles host Salem State on November 10 at 6:00 p.m. followed by a matchup against Southern Maine on November 11 at 3:00 p.m. The Purple & Gold welcome SUNY Cortland to the MAC for a non-conference matchup on November 21 as the two programs faceoff for the first time since 2017 and the 35th overall.
The Soaring Eagles will play just four times during December as the Purple & Gold return to NEHC action on the road with a contest on December 1 against Johnson & Wales (RI) followed by a matchup against UMass Boston on December 2. Elmira will then make its annual appearance in the 13th Annual East-West Classic hosted by Norwich. EC matches up against the Nazareth Golden Flyers on December 9 and will wait to see if will face either Norwich or Plattsburgh State on December 10 in either a consolation or championship tilt.
The 2024 portion of Elmira’s schedule opens with five consecutive contests at the MAC against four NEHC opponents. Elmira welcomes Castleton to the Twin Tiers on January 5 and then Plymouth State on January 6. EC takes a short break from league action with a non-conference contest against Hamilton on January 9 before hosting NEHC foes New England College (January 12) and Norwich (January 13).
Following its homestand to open the new year, Elmira embarks on a four-game road trip that begins with a non-conference matchup against SUNY Cortland on January 16. EC returns to NEHC action over the weekend with contests on January 19 against Southern Maine and on January 20 against Salem State. The Soaring Eagles then close the month with a home-and-home series against William Smith College as the Purple & Gold travel to Geneva on January 26 before hosting the Herons on January 27.
The final month of the regular season for the Soaring Eagles opens with two contests at the MAC against UMass Boston (February 2) and Johnson & Wales (RI) (February 3). The Soaring Eagles wrap up the regular season with a pair of road contests against Plymouth State (February 9) and Castleton (February 10).
Playoffs for the NEHC will be held on February 17 (Quarterfinals), February 24 (Semifinals), and March 2 (Finals). The winner of the NEHC Tournament receives an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA DIII Women’s Ice Hockey Championships.
