By Devin Serra · 2023-2024 Chippewa Women’s Hockey Season Preview Aug. 17, 2023 By Devin Serra | CMU Club Hockey Network MT. PLEASANT, Mich . - Fresh off the winninge…
2023-2024 Chippewa Women’s Hockey Season Preview
Aug. 17, 2023
By Devin Serra | CMU Club Hockey Network
MT. PLEASANT, Mich . - Fresh off the winningest season in program history and a first-ever national tournament appearance, the Central Michigan Women’s DII Hockey Team is set to once again begin play for the 2023-24 campaign.
The Chippewas will look to improve upon last season, which saw them finish second in the CCWHA regular season with a conference record of 12-4-0 and an overall record of 13-6-2-0. The 13 wins last season set a program record and they’ll look to repeat a hot start where they shot out to a 9-1 record in their first ten games.
New Additions
The Chippewas feature some exciting new members, including four forwards, two defensemen , and a new goaltender. These seven recruits bring depth, competitiveness, and experience from successful programs that will bring the expectation to continue that success wearing the action C.
Gabby Lepore is a freshman from Park Ridge, Illinois. Lepore previously skated for Maine High School. Lepore will play at defense, representing the maroon & gold wearing the number 16.
Another Illinois addition is freshman forward Alyssa Gray . The Bloomington native played for the Central Illinois Revolution 19u team of the Central Illinois Girls Hockey Association (CIGHA), where she appeared in 15 games scoring three goals in 22-23' for the club. Alyssa will wear number 21.
For the second straight recruiting cycle, a new face arrives from north of the border. Tate Hutchinson , a native of Calgary, Alberta, last played with the Southern Express Female Elite Hockey u18 AA. As one of only two defensive recruits in this year’s class, Hutchinson joins the club with hopes of adding much-needed depth to the Chippewas blueline. She will wear number 17.
The lone goalie in this class is Zoey Lawrence , a freshman from Sterling Heights, Michigan. Joining fellow St. Clair Shores alumna and team captain Mac Barnett, Lawrence comes to CMU with years of experience between the pipes in St. Clair. She will bring more security to an already great goaltending group that includes Lauren Abraham and Briana Schroer and will wear number 30.
An additional Michigander that signed with the Chips over the offseason, Isabel Fleser hails from Commerce Township, Michigan. The freshman has a decade of experience playing hockey, with different clubs at the high school level, tier 2 travel, and now joins the Chippewas as a dual-threat player, skating as a listed forward with the potential to play defense.
Making a major splash in this offseason, the Chippewas secured transfer forward Zoe Bergen of Memphis, Michigan. Bergen played last season with Aquinas College of ACHA Women's Division I, putting up four goals in 18 games with the Saints. Known for her speed & ability to move quickly with the puck, Bergen arrives in Mount Pleasant as a junior and will wear number 40.
Last but certainly not least in this class is forward Chloe Darche , a freshman from Naperville, Illinois. Darche played high school hockey with the Naperville Sabres , where she helped secure a NIHL Championship, a Presidents Cup, and a State Championship in ‘21-22 with the 16u team. Her experience with a winning program will play a vital role in the competitiveness of the Chippewas.
Third year head coach Chris Haney added that much of the anticipation with this class is through their ability to add depth to the roster. “What I am excited about adding those players too is that we’re going to have a lot more depth than we’ve ever had,” he told CCHN. “Last year going into the playoffs and nationals, we had a couple of forwards, a defenseman, and a goalie injured. This year we’re going to have 22, maybe 23 players that if something happens then with 20-minute period games, the length of the season, that will make as much of a big impact if we lose somebody.”
“It’s going to make things pretty challenging in practice too, because we’re going to have 4 lines, 3 sets of D , and 3 goalies,” Haney continued. “I’m looking forward to practice just being a little more competitive, people are going to be trying to grab roles in practice and I think that will only make us better as we get to the games.”
Who Returns? Everyone
The Chippewas retained nearly every player from their ‘22-23 roster, including All-Athletic forward and breakout star Kylie Del Re , CCWHA All-Season First Team goaltender Abraham and All-Season Second Team Leah Palmer , along with 4 of the top 50 players in points in ACHA Division II including Del Re, Zoie Sawdy , Gabriella Nixon , and Kaitlyn Williams . These four freshmen combined for 56 goals, 55 assists, 112 points last season for the Maroon and Gold.
The Last Ride
Providing veteran leadership is fifth year defensemen Mac Barnett in her third season as captain. This past year she became the all-time games played leader in club history, passing former captain and current assistant coach Anastazia Hartman . Barnett has established herself as one…