BRISTOL, R.I. — Nearly two years after Roger Williams University announced the addition of women's ice hockey, the Hawks are ready to begin the first varsity season in program history.

Roger Williams will play its inaugural varsity game Friday, Oct. 30, when the Hawks travel to Nashua, New Hampshire, to face Rivier at 4 p.m. at Conway Arena.

The historic opener will mark the beginning of a new chapter for Roger Williams Athletics and the culmination of more than a year of program building by head coach Lora Ardoin.

Building the Foundation

Ardoin was named the inaugural head coach of the women's ice hockey program in April 2025 and has since worked to assemble the program's first coaching staff, recruit its inaugural class and establish the foundation for the Hawks' identity.

Ardoin arrived at Roger Williams after serving as an assistant coach at Utica during the 2024-25 season. She previously coached at Clarkson, Union, Stevenson and Elmira after playing ice hockey and lacrosse at SUNY Canton.

Her experience includes helping build a young program as a student-athlete. Ardoin captained the SUNY Canton women's ice hockey team during the early seasons of its history, giving her firsthand experience with the challenges and opportunities that come with establishing a new program.

Ardoin is joined by assistant coaches Collin Felton, Annabel Ziskin and Braly Crawford-Hiller.

Ziskin brings recent collegiate playing experience after appearing in 88 games as a defender at William Smith. She recorded 43 career points on 12 goals and 31 assists, earned All-New England Hockey Conference honors twice, and served as an assistant captain during the 2024-25 season.

Crawford-Hiller provides experience in goal after playing at Boston University from 2010-14. She appeared in five games for the Terriers, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. Crawford-Hiller also brings previous coaching experience from Bishop Stang High School.

A Roster Built Together

Roger Williams begins its first season with 26 student-athletes, including 22 first-year players. The roster features 15 forwards, eight defenders and three goaltenders representing nine states and two Canadian provinces.

With nearly the entire roster beginning its Roger Williams career together, the Hawks enter the season without an established hierarchy or returning statistical leaders. Every role, line combination, and position within the lineup will be formed for the first time.

That youth also provides Roger Williams with an opportunity to build a core capable of growing together throughout the program's opening seasons.

Ardoin has been encouraged by the group's early chemistry and the relationships the players have developed away from the rink. That connection will be important as the Hawks navigate a schedule that includes 25 regular-season games and 16 Conference of New England contests.

Forwards Look to Establish Identity

First-year winger Grace Collins (Billerica, Mass.) is expected to be one of the Hawks' early offensive contributors.

Collins arrives from Tilton School and was identified in the CNE season preview as a powerful and dynamic forward. Her combination of physical play, shooting ability, and hockey intelligence gives Roger Williams a potential scoring threat on the wing.

First-year forward Emily Hester (Portsmouth, N.H.) brings a different element to the group. The Berwick Academy product is a tenacious and hard-working player expected to help the Hawks establish a fast pace and aggressive approach.

Junior forward Abby Mellen (Rockport, Mass.) provides valuable collegiate experience after transferring from Manhattanville. Mellen appeared in 48 games during two seasons with the Valiants, recording seven points. She also received Krampade/American Hockey Coaches Association All-American Scholar recognition and was twice named to the United Collegiate Hockey Conference All-Academic Team.

Her experience adjusting to the college game should provide an important resource for a forward group otherwise composed entirely of first-year players.

The Hawks' offensive depth also includes Bryn Maguire (Toronto, Ontario), Brynn Rice (Whitby, Ontario), Mia Tamburo (Phoenix, Ariz.), Morgan Vesco (Kamas, Utah), Isabel Dove (Whitby, Ontario), Remy LeBel (Damariscotta, Maine), Emma Stortz (Holyoke, Mass.), Meghan Grace (Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.), Ella Maldonado (Norwalk, Conn.), Greta Tucker (Billerica, Mass.), Noelle Pezzelli (Coventry, R.I.) and Rory McNeill (Wakefield, Mass.).

Young Blue Line Takes Shape

Roger Williams will rely on a young defensive unit featuring seven first-year players and senior Lexi Yost (Swansea, Mass.).

First-year defender Jordan Nash (Lyman, Maine) arrives from North Yarmouth Academy and is expected to make an immediate impact. Nash combines speed and skill with a physical approach that can help set the standard for the Hawks' defensive group.

Jordan Downey (Winnipeg, Manitoba) gives Roger Williams additional size and offensive potential from the blue line. The 5-foot-10 first-year defender brings technical ability and is expected to contribute to the Hawks' transition game and offensive-zone play.

The group also includes Tori Donahue (Coventry, R.I.), Aly Roark (Chelmsford, Mass.), Alex Martin (West Hartford, Conn.), Kennedy Jensen (Seattle, Wash.) and Meagan Rinko (Madbury, N.H.).

Experience Between the Pipes

Sophomore transfer Gabi Brazeau (Timmins, Ontario) brings NCAA experience to the Hawks' goaltending group after spending her first collegiate season at SUNY Morrisville.

Brazeau appeared in eight games and made six starts for the Mustangs, recording 208 saves. Her experience facing collegiate competition will be valuable as Roger Williams works to establish its defensive structure.

Sophomore Kelly McKenna (Boston, Mass.) and first-year Morgan Murphy (Marshfield, Mass.) complete the three-player goaltending group.

Entering a Competitive CNE

Roger Williams joins a nine-team CNE that features an established defending champion, several experienced postseason contenders and another new conference member.

Endicott enters the season as the defending CNE champion after finishing 21-5-2 overall and 15-2-1 in conference play. The Gulls advanced to the NCAA Tournament and begin the season ranked No. 15 nationally.

Western New England returns much of the roster that finished 18-8-1 and reached the CNE Championship game. The Golden Bears bring back their top scorers, Jenna Lynch and Mabel Gerard, along with All-American defender Michaela Birmingham and goaltender Rachael Irving, who posted a .945 save percentage last season.

Johnson & Wales is coming off a program-record 14-win season and its first appearance in the CNE semifinals. The University of New England also reached the conference semifinals and returns CNE Goaltender and Rookie of the Year Kyleigh Matola, who recorded a 1.76 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage.

Salve Regina rejoins the conference after finishing 14-11 as an independent last season, adding another experienced program to the league.

The Road Ahead

Roger Williams prepared for its varsity opener with exhibitions at Keene State on Oct. 23 and against Framingham State on Oct. 24 at Driscoll Arena.

The Hawks begin official competition at Rivier before hosting Nichols in the program's first varsity home game Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m.

Conference play begins three days later when Roger Williams travels to Curry on Nov. 6. The Hawks host the Colonels the following evening before facing home-and-home series against the University of New England and Suffolk to complete the fall portion of the schedule.
Roger Williams returns from the semester break with six non-conference games over nine days. That stretch includes matchups with Salem State, Framingham State, MCLA and Manhattanville.

The Hawks resume conference competition against Johnson & Wales in Jan. 15-16 before closing the regular season with CNE series against Nichols, Salve Regina, Western New England and Endicott.

The final two weekends will place Roger Williams against the two programs that competed in last season's conference championship game. The Hawks face Western New England on Feb. 5-6 before hosting Endicott on Feb. 12 and traveling to Beverly, Massachusetts, for the regular-season finale Feb. 13.

The CNE Tournament begins Feb. 24.