Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey

History

The Cornell women's hockey program was started in 1971. It would only be in 1972 that the team would play its first game; it was a 4–3 victory over Scarborough. In 1972, they played eight games and lost four. In addition, the Big Red lost twice to the Pandas's program.

In 1976, Brown hosted the first ever Ivy League women's ice hockey tournament. Cornell bested Brown, Princeton and Yale to win the tournament.

On March 7, 2010, sophomore Kendice Ogilvie beat Clarkson goaltender Lauren Dahm at 7:52 mark in overtime. With the victory, Cornell won its first ECAC Tournament, and earns its first trip to the NCAA Frozen Four.

On March 13, 2010, Cornell defeated the Crimson by a score of 6–2 to earn its first ever trip to the NCAA Frozen Four. At the 2010 Frozen Four championship game, Cornell goaltender Amanda Mazzotta set a record for most saves in an NCAA Championship game with 61 saves. The former record holder was Bulldog goaltender Patricia Sautter. She had the old record of 41 set in 2003.

On January 7 and 8, 2011, Cornell freshman goaltender Lauren Slebodnik earned two shutouts in her first two career starts. On January 7, she made her NCAA debut by shutting out Yale by a 5–0 margin. With Cornell dressing just 12 skaters, she stopped all 23 Yale shots. The following night, Slebodnik shut out the Brown Bears by a 3–0 mark. Cornell only dressed 11 skaters for the game and she stopped all 15 shots.

In Jillian Saulnier's college debut versus the Colgate Raiders on October 25, she netted four goals. In her first three career NCAA games, she registered ten points (seven goals, three assists), along with a +6 rating. Her four-goal night was the first for Cornell since Jessica Campbell scored four against Robert Morris in the second game of the 2010–11 season. She scored her first career goal when she was out on the Big Red's first power play of the game. In her next game versus the Yale Bulldogs, she registered one goal and two assists, while scoring two goals in her third game versus the Brown Bears squad. For the month of October 2011, she was tied for first in the ECAC in goals scored (while the other player appeared in eight games). In a game on November 1, 2011, the Cornell Big Red scored at least nine goals in one game for the third consecutive contest. It was senior captain Chelsea Karpenko's 100th career game, as Saulnier led all Big Red players with two goals and three assists in a 9–2 triumph over the Syracuse Orange.

The Big Red had a standout year in 2019, finishing the season atop the standings in the ECAC. They lost in the ECAC championship game against Clarkson.

In 2020, Cornell finished first in the ECAC for the second year in a row, with an undefeated season in conference play at 19-0-3 ( 28-2-3 overall). They dominated the league and had an unbeaten streak of 22 games from November 30, 2019 to March 7, 2020. The Big Red easily won their 15th Ivy League championship. In the ECAC tournament, Cornell beat perennial rival Harvard Crimson in the semi-final by a score of 4-0. In a surprising upset in the championship game, they lost in overtime to the Princeton Tigers by a score of 3-2. Jessie Eldridge finished the season fourth in the ECAC in points, with 43, followed by her teammate Kristin O'Neil, who tallied 41 points on the year. Izzy Daniel won Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Lindsay Browning, the Big Red's junior goalie, won Ivy League Player of the Year honors, and the MAC Goaltending Goalie of the Year. Jaime Bourbonnais won Ivy League Best Defenseman honors, and was selected as a First Team All-American. Head Coach Doug Derraugh was recognized with two Coach of the Year awards: the Ivy League Coach of the Year (his fourth in a row) and the ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year (second in a row).

Cornell earned a berth in the 2020 NCAA women's ice hockey tournament, but the event was cancelled due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. In July 2020, the Ivy League announced there would be no league play in the fall of 2020, due to continuing concerns about health. Cornell, along with fellow Ivy League teams Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton and Yale, resumed athletics in the fall of 2021.

The new Toronto Six Women's National Hockey League team signed Cornell alumna Amy Curlew in 2020.

Year by year

Ivy League Champions: (17) 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981*, 1990, 1996, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013*, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2024, 2025

** denotes shared title*

Series records

Roster

2025–26 Big Red

As of October 29, 2025.

Notable players

• Rebecca Johnston
• Digit Murphy
• Johnston was the first Big Red player to be named first-team ECAC Hockey and receive rookie of the year honors. She has also been named first-team All-Ivy and Ivy League Rookie of the Year. In the 2008–09 season, Johnston's 37 point total (by mid-February) were the most points in a season for Cornell since the 1991–92 campaign (Kim Ratushny with 21 goals and 17 assists). Johnston's 37-point total in mid-February led the entire ECAC league in overall points. She was also second in the league and sixth in the NCAA in points per game with 1.85. In the 2008–09 season, Johnston's 37-point total were the most points in a season for Cornell since the 1991–92 campaign (Kim Ratushny with 21 goals and 17 assists).
• During the 2008–09 season, freshman Catherine White was second on the team in scoring (34 points). White has recorded the most points by a rookie since Dana Antal (36 points, 17 goals, 19 assists) in the 1995–96 season.
• Cyndy Schlaepfer holds the school record for points in a season with 89 during the 1976–77 season.
• Megan Shull joined the Big Red in 1987. Her on-ice career shortened by injury, Shull went on to become a children's book author. While earning her doctorate at Cornell, Shull created, The Cub Club, a mentoring program matching local girls' ice hockey players with members of the Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey team. The Cub Club still thrives today.

Olympians

• Dana Antal, Team Canada 2002 Olympics - Gold Medal

• Rebecca Johnston, Team Canada 2010 Olympics and 2014 Olympics - Gold Medal, 2018 Olympics - Silver Medal

• Laura Fortino, Team Canada 2014 Olympics - Gold Medal, 2018 Olympics Silver Medal

• Brianne Jenner, Team Canada 2014 Olympics - Gold Medal, 2018 Olympics - Silver Medal

• Lauriane Rougeau, Team Canada 2014 Olympics - Gold Medal, 2018 Olympics- Silver Medal

• Jillian Saulnier, Team Canada 2018 Olympics - Silver Medal

• Former head coach Melody Davidson was head coach of Canada's gold medal winning women's Olympic hockey teams in 2006 and 2010.

Awards and honors

• Dianna Bell, 2002 Sarah Devens Award
• Brooke Bestwick, Defense, 2002 ECAC North Second Team
• Lindsay Browning, 2019–20 Ivy League Player of the Year
• Izzy Daniel, 2019–20 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• Izzy Daniel, 2023–24 Patty Kazmaier Award
• Devon Facchinato, 2021 ECAC Mandi Schwartz Student-Athlete of the Year
• Laura Fortino, Defense, Freshman, 2010 First Team All-Ivy
• Laura Fortino, 2010 ECAC All-Rookie Team
• Rebecca Johnston, Ivy League Rookie of the Year 2007–08, Cornell (Freshman), Unanimous selection
• Rebecca Johnston, First Team All-Ivy League, 2007–08, Forward, Cornell (Freshman)
• Rebecca Johnston, 2009 First Team All-ECAC
• Chelsea Karpenko, Forward, Sophomore, 2010 Second Team All-Ivy
• Chelsea Karpenko, 2011 ECAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player
• Amanda Mazzotta, ECAC Defensive Player of the Week (Week of November 2, 2009)
• Amanda Mazzotta, Goaltender, Sophomore, 2010 First Team All-Ivy
• Kristin O'Neill, 2018 Ivy League Player of the Year Award
• Kendice Ogilvie, 2010 ECAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player
• Lauriane Rougeau, Defense, Freshman, 2010 First Team All-Ivy
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2010 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2010 ECAC All-Rookie Team
• Jillian Saulnier, ECAC Rookie of the Month (Month of October 2011)
• Catherine White, 2009 ECAC Rookie of the Year
• Catherine White Cornell, 2009 Second Team All-ECAC
• Catherine White Cornell, 2009 ECAC All-Rookie Team
• Catherine White, 2010 ECAC Player of the Year award
• Catherine White, led the ECAC in assists in 2009–10 with 24
• Catherine White, 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America Second Team
• Catherine White, Forward, Sophomore, 2010 First Team All-Ivy
• Catherine White, 2010 Ivy League Player of the Year
• Doug Derraugh, 2010 Coach of the Year
• Doug Derraugh, 2019 CCM/AHCA Women's National Collegiate Coach of the Year
• Doug Derraugh, 2020 CCM/AHCA Women's National Collegiate Coach of the Year

All-Americans

• Laura Fortino, 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America First Team
• Laura Fortino, 2011 First Team All-America selection
• Rebecca Johnston, 2011 Second Team All-America selection
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America Second Team
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2011 Second Team All-America selection
• Laura Fortino, 2011–12 CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-American: First Team
• Rebecca Johnston, 2011–12 CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-American: First Team
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2011–12 CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-American: Second Team
• Jaime Bourbonnais, 2019-20 CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-American: First Team Lindsay Browning, 2019-20 CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-American: Second Team

ECAC All-Decade Team

• Brianne Jenner, First Team All Star
• Jillian Saulnier
• Laura Fortino
• Lauriane Rougeau

All-ECAC Hockey honors

• Rebecca Johnston, 2011–12 ECAC Hockey Player of the Year
• Jillian Saulnier, 2011–12 ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year
• Chelsea Karpenko, 2011–12 ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2011–12 ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman
• Rebecca Johnston, 2011–12 All-ECAC Hockey First Team
• Brianne Jenner, 2011–12 All-ECAC Hockey First Team
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2011–12 All-ECAC Hockey First Team
• Laura Fortino, 2011–12 All-ECAC Hockey First Team
• Jillian Saulnier, 2011–12 All-ECAC Hockey Second Team
• Jillian Saulnier, 2011–12 All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team
• Jaime Bourbonnais, 2019-2020 ECAC First Team
• Lindsay Browning, 2019-2020 ECAC First Team
• Kristin O’Neill, 2019-2020 ECAC Second Team
• Micah Zandee-Hart, 2019-2020 ECAC Second Team
• Maddie Mills, 2019-2020 ECAC Second Team

All-Ivy honors

• Laura Fortino, 2010–11 Ivy League Player of the Year
• Brianne Jenner, 2010–11 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• Brianne Jenner, 2010–11 First Team All-Ivy
• Rebecca Johnston, 2010–11 First Team All-Ivy
• Chelsea Karpenko, 2010–11 First Team All-Ivy
• Laura Fortino, 2010–11 First Team All-Ivy
• Catherine White, 2010–11 Second Team All-Ivy
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2010–11 Second Team All-Ivy
• Rebecca Johnston, 2011–12 Ivy League Player of the Year
• Jillian Saulnier, 2011–12 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• Rebecca Johnston, 2011–12 First Team All-Ivy
• Brianne Jenner, 2011–12 First Team All-Ivy
• Lauriane Rougeau, 2011–12 First Team All-Ivy
• Laura Fortino, 2011–12 First Team All-Ivy
• Amanda Mazzotta, 2011–12 Second Team All-Ivy
• Jillian Saulnier, 2011–12 Honorable Mention All-Ivy
• Catherine White, 2011–12 Honorable Mention All-Ivy
• Chelsea Karpenko, 2011–12 Honorable Mention All-Ivy
• Alyssa Gagliardi, 2011–12 Honorable Mention All-Ivy
• Kristin O'Neill, 2017-18 Ivy League Player of the Year
• Maddie Mills, 2017-18 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• Doug Derraugh, 2017-18 Ivy League Coach of the Year
• Kristin O'Neill, 2017-18 First Team All-Ivy
• Maddie Mills, 2017-18 First Team All-Ivy
• Jaime Bourbonnais, 2017-18 First Team All-Ivy
• Marlène Boissonnault, 2017-18 First Team All-Ivy
• Lenka Serdar, 2017-18 Honorable Mention All-Ivy
• Jaime Bourbonnais, 2019-2020 Ivy League Player of the Year
• Izzy Daniel, 2019-2020 Rookie Player of the Year
• Jaime Bourbonnais, 2020 First Team All-Ivy
• Kristin O’Neill, 2020 First Team All-Ivy
• Micah Zandee-Hart, 2020 First Team All-Ivy
• Maddie Mills, 2020 Second Team All-Ivy
• Lindzi Avar, 2024–25 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• Lindzi Avar, 2024–25 First Team All-Ivy
• Ashley Messier, 2024–25 First Team All-Ivy
• Rory Guilday, 2024–25 First Team All-Ivy
• Annelies Bergmann, 2024–25 First Team All-Ivy
• Alyssa Regalado, 2024–25 Second Team All-Ivy

Big Red in professional hockey

References

References

1. (February 22, 2007). "Ivy Women's Hockey". Ivy Women in Sports: profiles of women from the Ivy League's history.
2. "ECAC HOCKEY CHAMPIONS! Ogilvie's OT Gamewinner Lifts Cornell Past Clarkson".
3. "Women's Hockey To Face Mercyhurst In NCAA Semifinals".
4. "UMD Bulldogs - Women's Hockey".
5. "ECAC Hockey".
6. "Saulnier Notches Four Goals in First Career Game As Cornell Tops Colgate".
7. "ECAC Hockey".
8. "Women's Ice Hockey Scores Nine Goals For Third Consecutive Game In Blowout of Syracuse".
9. "Newly-Minted No. 1/1 Cornell Turns Attention to ECAC Hockey Title".
10. "Fourteen Ivies Reap ECAC Hockey Postseason Accolades".
11. Staff, USCHO. (2020-03-24). "Northeastern has three players, Clarkson, Cornell, Ohio State, Wisconsin two each among 2020 women's hockey All-Americans".
12. Staff, USCHO. (2020-07-10). "Ivy League announces no fall sports for 2020, ECAC Hockey teams impacted".
13. Short, Robin. (April 29, 2020). "Amy Curlew of Happy Valley-Goose Bay drafted by NWHL's Toronto squad".
14. Murphy, Mike. (2020-05-22). "Toronto's offense already looks dangerous".
15. "2025-26 Women's Ice Hockey Roster".
16. "Women's Hockey Set to Play Host to Harvard and Dartmouth".
17. (September 2, 2014). "Megan Shull, a positive storyteller for young readers". Cornell Chronicle.
18. (November 24, 2010). "Big Red women hockey players mentor local girls". Cornell Chronicle.
19. "Dartmouth's Haggard named ECAC-North Player of the Year".
20. (26 February 2020). "Women's Ice Hockey Sweeps Ivy League Major Awards, Five Named All-Ivy".
21. (March 23, 2024). "Izzy Daniel Wins 2024 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award".
22. Release, ECAC Press. (2021-03-02). "Devon Facchinato Named Mandi Schwartz Student-Athlete of the Year".
23. "Ivy League Sports".
24. (March 3, 2009). "Nicole Stock and Paige Pyett Named All-ECAC Hockey". Brown Athletics.
25. "Women's Hockey Claims Back-To-Back League Titles With 3-0 Win Over Dartmouth".
26. "ECAC Hockey".
27. "All-League & All-Rookie Teams Announced - ECAC Hockey".
28. (March 3, 2009). "Nicole Stock and Paige Pyett Named All-ECAC Hockey".
29. "League's Player of the Year Awarded to White - ECAC Hockey".
30. "Women's Hockey Trio Garners All-American Honors".
31. (February 25, 2010). "Freshman Katie Jamieson Receives All-Ivy Accolades".
32. "American Hockey Coaches Association".
33. Staff, USCHO. (2020-03-24). "After taking Cornell to 28-2-3 season, Derraugh repeats as national women's hockey coach of the year".
34. "American Hockey Coaches Association".
35. (March 19, 2012). "OhioStateBuckeyes.com Natalie Spooner Earns All-America Honors :: The Ohio State University official athletic site :: Women's Ice Hockey".
36. (24 March 2020). "2019-20 CCM/AHCA Women's University Division All-Americans Announced".
37. "Four Women's Ice Hockey Alumnae Named ECAC Hockey All-Decade".
38. "League Announces Postseason Awards - ECAC Hockey".
39. "Women's Ice Hockey All-Ivy -- 2011 - Ivy League".
40. "Women's Ice Hockey All-Ivy -- 2012 - Ivy League".
41. (February 22, 2018). "WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY ALL-IVY, POSTSEASON AWARDS ANNOUNCED".
42. "Women's Ice Hockey All-Ivy, Postseason Awards Announced".
43. (February 26, 2025). "Women's Ice Hockey All-Ivy and Major Award Winners Announced".