The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) enters the 2026-27 women's hockey season with another competitive race expected. Adrian returns as a nationally ranked program and the preseason coaches' poll favorite, while Concordia Wisconsin and St. Norbert are among the teams expected to challenge for the conference title. With five NCHA players earning All-American recognition following the 2025-26 campaign, the league also returns significant individual talent. A challenging nonconference schedule, important November conference series and the race for the Slaats Cup will help shape the season.

National Rankings Put Adrian in the Top 10
The latest USCHO Division III Women's Hockey Poll, released October 26, features Adrian as the lone NCHA representative in the national rankings. The Bulldogs sit at No. 10 with 130 points, maintaining their position in the top 10 entering the season. The national recognition gives Adrian an early opportunity to establish itself among the country's top Division III programs while providing the NCHA with a nationally ranked team to watch throughout the season.

Adrian Leads the 2026-27 Preseason Coaches' Poll
Adrian enters the season as the coaches' choice to capture the NCHA championship after receiving seven of the 10 first-place votes and 95 total points. Concordia Wisconsin finished second with 87 points and one first-place vote, while St. Norbert was third with 81 points and one first-place vote. Lake Forest rounded out the top four with 66 points and one first-place vote. Marian (59) and MSOE (52) were picked fifth and sixth, respectively, while Aurora (41), Trine (30), Dubuque (27) and Lawrence (12) completed the preseason rankings. The top three teams in the poll all have recent experience competing for the Slaats Cup, setting up another competitive race at the top of the conference. Concordia Wisconsin, in particular, will look to build on a program-best 24-win season in 2025-26.

Four Returning All-Americans Highlight NCHA Talent
The NCHA features four returning CCM/AHCA Division III Women's Hockey All-Americans on rosters for the 2026-27 season. Adrian leads the group with two returning selections. Senior forward Paige Pomerleau and junior goaltender Kiera Stack both return for Adrian after earning All-American recognition following the 2025-26 campaign. Pomerleau was a First Team All-American after recording 43 points on 23 goals and 20 assists. Stack earned Second Team honors after posting a 21-6-0 record, a 1.30 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage. She also recorded eight shutouts.

Concordia Wisconsin returns two Second Team All-Americans in senior Mackaylan McGown and sophomore Abby Hansberger. McGown, an NCHA Co-Player of the Year, finished the 2025-26 season with 20 goals and 17 assists for 37 points. Hansberger made an immediate impact as a freshman, finishing with 19 goals and 27 assists for 46 points. Her performance earned her NCHA Freshman of the Year recognition, All-Conference honors and an All-American selection. 

Slaats Cup Rematches Set the Stage for November
Four teams reached the 2026 Slaats Cup semifinals: Adrian, Concordia Wisconsin, St. Norbert and Lake Forest. All four will be looking to return to the championship stage this season. Adrian defeated Lake Forest, 5-0, in the semifinals, while St. Norbert advanced with a 3-2 victory over Concordia Wisconsin. The Green Knights and Bulldogs then met in the championship game, where Adrian captured its 10th Slaats Cup title with a 4-3 overtime victory. Hunter Reardon scored the championship-winning goal 2:09 into overtime.

Important Dates for the 2026-27 Calendar
The 2026-27 schedule provides an immediate opportunity for those four programs to measure themselves against one another. Key Slaats Cup rematches:

• November 13-14: Adrian hosts Lake Forest in a two-game series. The teams met in last year's semifinal, with the Bulldogs advancing.
• November 13-14: Concordia Wisconsin and St. Norbert meet in another semifinal rematch. The Falcons host Friday before the series moves to De Pere on Saturday.
• November 20-21: Concordia Wisconsin and Lake Forest meet in the Border Battle Cup series.
• December 4-5: Adrian hosts St. Norbert in a rematch of the 2026 Slaats Cup Championship.
• January 8-9: St. Norbert hosts Lake Forest in another series featuring two of last season's semifinalists.

The November 13-14 weekend is particularly important, as it features both semifinal rematches from the previous season during the opening weekend of conference play.

Nonconference Schedule Features Nationally Ranked Opponents
The NCHA will have several opportunities to test itself against nationally ranked competition outside of conference play. According to the October 26 USCHO poll, UW-River Falls is the nation's No. 1-ranked team, while Augsburg sits at No. 7. Both programs appear on NCHA schedules this season.

Some of the most notable matchups include:

• November 7: Aurora travels to Minneapolis to face No. 7 Augsburg.
• November 28: Marian travels to Minneapolis to take on No. 7 Augsburg.
• November 29: St. Norbert faces No. 7 Augsburg in Minneapolis.
• December 12: St. Norbert hosts No. 1 UW-River Falls at Schneider Family Arena in De Pere.

These games provide valuable opportunities for NCHA programs to gain national recognition and test themselves against teams expected to contend for the NCAA Division III championship.

Adrian's No. 10 national ranking also creates several important conference matchups. The Bulldogs will face NCHA preseason No. 2 Concordia Wisconsin on November 6-7, travel to face St. Norbert on December 4-5 and host a number of other conference opponents throughout the season. With three teams in the latest USCHO top 10 represented on NCHA schedules, the conference will have plenty of opportunities to strengthen its national profile. 

Important Dates on the 2026-27 Calendar
The regular season begins Friday, October 30, with several NCHA programs opening their schedules with nonconference opponents. A full slate of NCHA games begins November 13-14. Several dates stand out as the season progresses:

• October 30-31: Opening weekend of regular-season competition
• November 13-14: Full NCHA conference schedule begins; Lake Forest at Adrian and Concordia Wisconsin vs. St. Norbert rematches
• November 28-29: Marian and St. Norbert face nationally ranked Augsburg over the weekend
• December 4-5: Adrian visits St. Norbert for the championship rematch
• December 12: St. Norbert hosts No. 1 UW-River Falls
• February 12-13: Final weekend of regular-season conference matchups
• February 19-20: Slaats Cup quarterfinals
• February 27: Slaats Cup semifinals
• March 6: Slaats Cup Championship

The final weekend of regular-season play, February 12-13, will be especially important as teams look to secure their postseason positions. The conference tournament then begins February 19-20, with the semifinals scheduled for February 27 and the championship game set for March 6. 

Adrian captured both championships in 2025-26, finishing atop the regular-season standings before defeating St. Norbert in the Slaats Cup final. The Bulldogs also earned the NCHA's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Championship.