ITHACA, N.Y. - The No. 6-ranked Cornell women's ice hockey team will return to the ice on Friday, October 18 for a two-game weekend series against Mercyhurst at Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Big Red returns a wealth of experience to the ice in 2024, which bodes well for the chemistry of the group.

GAME 1 INFORMATION
#6 Cornell vs Mercyhurst
SITE: Mercyhurst Ice Center – Erie, Pa.
RECORDS: Cornell (0-0-0, 0-0-0 ECAC Hockey), Mercyhurst (1-5-0, 0-0-0 AHA)
SERIES RECORD: 15-17-6
BROADCAST: FloHockey

GAME 2 INFORMATION
#6 Cornell vs Mercyhurst
SITE: Mercyhurst Ice Center – Erie, Pa.
RECORDS: Cornell (0-0-0, 0-0-0 ECAC Hockey), Mercyhurst (1-5-0, 0-0-0 AHA)
SERIES RECORD: 15-17-6
BROADCAST: FloHockey

The Last Series vs Mercyhurst
Game One: 
The Cornell women's ice hockey team tied the opening game of a back-to-back with Mercyhurst, 3-3 at Mercyhurst Ice Center. Izzy Daniel (two) and Georgia Schiff registered the Big Red goals in the contest. Ashley Messier (two), Katie Chan, and Rory Guilday were credited for helpers.

Game Two: 
The Cornell women's ice hockey team earns a 3-1 victory over Mercyhurst from Mercyhurst Ice Center. ECAC Hockey Forward of the Week Izzy Daniel (two) and Kaitlin Jockims scored Big Red goals on the night. Lily Delianedis, Grace Dwyer, Karel Prefontaine, and Katie Chan registered helpers in the contest.

Notable Departures
The Big Red lost a trio of Cornellians last season. Most notably, Izzy Daniel, who after a spectacular 2023-24 season on the ice was named the program's first Patty Kazmaier Award winner. Daniel accounted or assisted on roughly half of Cornell's goal production last season. She bolstered 59 points coming on 21 goals and 38 assists which climbed her up the Big Red all-time rankings.

"Izzy was obviously an amazing player and leader on our team.  No one player will replace Izzy so we need to fill that void as a team.  We will need to be responsible and disciplined defensively because we lost a big part of our scoring.  Collectively we will need to produce offensively", Doug Derraugh, the Everett Family Head Coach of Women's Ice Hockey mentioned.

Key Returners
Replacing the high-volume of production that Daniel brought to the Big Red last season will be a tall-task, but one Cornell is certainly poised for. Lily Delianedis, 2024-25 All-ECAC Preseason Team member, was Daniel's line-mate and top target to dish helpers to. Delianedis registered 34 points last season by way of 16 goals and 18 assists. She led the team in game-winners (four) and power-play (four) tallies.

Also returning to the ice for the Big Red is unsung hero Kaitlin Jockims. Jockims finished the season third in total points with 25, and displayed the proverbial "ice in her veins" time after time. Jockims was tied for the team-lead in game-winners with Delianedis at four, and also potted an impressive three short-handed goals along the way. Although she was 10th on the team in shot attempts all season with 52, Jockims made them count finishing third on the team in goals with 13.

Katie Chan returns to the line-up from an injury that side-lined her for the majority of last season. Before missing action, Chan was the Big Red's second leading point-scorer notching 19 points on nine goals and ten assists.

The Big Red will have the benefit of zero departures coming from the defensive-core. Among returners in a group that finished top-five in the nation in scoring defense are defenders Rory Guilday and Grace Dwyer. This pair combined for 82 total blocks. These two blue-liners held their own on the offensive side as well, combining for 41 points on 14 goals and 27 assists.

Backing a strong and experienced Cornell blue-line will be stout net-minder and reigning Ivy League Rookie of The Year Annelies Bergmann. In her first season in the net, she collected 660 saves (.927) and 20 victories which included four shutouts. Bergmann put on an array of impressive performances last season, with the most notable one coming on the road against the one-loss (to Cornell) Clarkson Golden Knights. As she stared across the ice toward Clarkson goaltender and NCAA Goalie of the Year Michelle Pasiechnyk, Bergmann proceeded to put on a 43-save shutout to aid in Cornell's 3-0 victory to hand the Golden Knights their second loss of the year.

New Additions
The Cornell women's ice hockey team added three new first-years and a sophomore transfer to a deep and experienced roster. Lindzi Avar (forward), Rose Dwyer (defense), and Jeanne Lortie (goaltender) will join the Big Red this season as members of the Class of 2028.

Coach Doug Derraugh is pleased with the quality over quantity aspect of his newcomer group. "We do not have a lot of newcomers, but we are very happy with our incoming class.  We feel each of our first year players, Jeanne Lortie, Rose Dwyer, and Lindzi Avar,  can step in and play immediately," he mentioned.

Lindzi Avar - Foward
Avar's addition should give Big Red fans a lot to be excited about. Hailing from Minnesota, she is cut from the cloth of familiar Cornell skaters Rory Guilday '25 and Izzy Daniel '24. If that is not enough to get you excited about her, Avar exploded for 55 points on 23 goals and 32 assists as a senior at Minnetonka High School and was a finalist for Ms. Hockey Minnesota. She was a member of the Under-18 United States National Team in 2023 taking bronze at the IIHF World Championships.

"Lindzi is a strong powerful forward with a hard shot." - Derraugh

Rose Dwyer - Defense
Dwyer's addition adds depth to a deep and experienced defensive-core. She will join her sister, Grace Dwyer '26, on a defensive unit that ranked ninth in the nation last year. Dwyer was a member of the Under-18 United States National Team in two consecutive years taking bronze in 2023 and gold in 2024 at the IIHF World Championships.

"Rose is a D who plays with vision, poise, and creativity." - Derraugh

Jeanne Lortie - Goaltender
Lortie will join the goaltender room as a young piece in a critical time where it features one sophomore and two seniors. In the short-term she will add depth to a room with a couple of experienced netminders in Brynn Dulac '25 and Belle Mende '25, and a standout young goaltender in Annelies Bergmann '27. In the longterm, Lortie will give Cornell stability and experience in a room that will feature her, Bergmann, and other future Cornellian goalies.

"Jeanne is a real athletic and hard working goalie." - Derraugh

Delaney Fleming - Forward
Fleming will be going into her sophomore season. Last year as freshman for the Buckeyes, she helped the squad capture an NCAA National Championship when they took down Wisconsin 1-0 at Whittemore Center Arena.

She registered a pair of assists in her debut campaign, with one coming against ECAC Hockey foe St. Lawrence. Prior to Ohio State, Fleming registered 110 points on 53 goals and 57 assists over the course of three seasons for Shattuck St. Mary's Prep. Fleming will add another layer of production to an already-studded and deep Big Red roster.

"Delaney is a competitor and dangerous scorer." - Derraugh

ECAC Hockey Preseason Poll
The full ECAC Women's Hockey Preseason Poll results are as followed:

Clarkson - 113 points (6)
Colgate - 109 points (3)
Cornell - 103 points (2)
St. Lawrence - 92 points (1)
Quinnipiac - 82 points
Yale - 69 points
Princeton - 65 points
Brown - 47 points
RPI - 35 points
Harvard - 27 points
Dartmouth - 23 points
Union - 18 points

Coach Derraugh, who enters his 18th season coaching in this conference spoke about the growth that the league has seen since his arrival. "The Women's ECAC has become such a competitive league.  Last year there was five teams in the top 10 in the NCAA. It is strong from top to bottom which makes for exciting games every night", he added.

Follow The Action
Puck drop between the Big Red and the Lakers is slated for 6:00 p.m. on Friday, and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at Mercyhurst Ice Center. Game action will be broadcast on FloSports.