Saint Anselm College, a founding member of the NEWHA women's hockey conference, announced that its women's hockey program will drop from NCAA Division I to Division III beginning with the 2026‑27 season.
Strategic Realignment
The decision is part of a larger realignment that will see four of the school's programs — including women's hockey, golf, and men's hockey — move to the Little East Conference at the Division III level.
College officials say the shift is driven by a desire to create a more sustainable competitive environment for student‑athletes, allowing them to develop within a conference that better matches their athletic ambitions.
A Legacy of Excellence
The move comes despite the program's recent successes, highlighted by a NEWHA championship in 2019 when the team posted a 25‑3‑1 record and defeated Post for the title.
Since joining NEWHA in 2017, the program has earned three Player‑of‑the‑Year awards: Kelly Golini in 2023, Katie Meehan in 2019, and Brooklyn Schneiderhan in 2024.
Brooklyn Schneiderhan, the 2024 NEWHA Player of the Year, will continue her career professionally in Switzerland after completing her collegiate stint at Saint Anselm.
The team also celebrated a Rookie‑of‑the‑Year award for Tyra Turner in 2022, underscoring the program's talent pipeline.
Although the 2023‑24 season ended with a 19‑18‑1 record and a narrow 2‑0 loss to Franklin Pierce in the championship game, the administration remains confident that the transition will position the program for long‑term growth.
Athletic leaders emphasized that the new conference alignment is intended to provide a stronger platform for competition and development, reflecting the college's commitment to maintaining excellence in women's hockey.