BEVERLY, Mass. - The 2025-26 Conference of New England men’s ice hockey season is set to build on last winter’s thrilling campaign that saw historic milestones, postseason breakthroughs, and rising national recognition across the league. With perennial powers looking to defend their spots atop the standings and several programs retooling with impactful newcomers, the stage is set for another year of high-level competition and memorable matchups on the ice.

Curry Men’s Ice Hockey
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners: 21 | graduated: 6 | newcomers: 8)
2024-25 Results (25-4-0, 16-2-0 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE First Seed, CNE Champions, NCAA Semifinals
 
Last year was a historic year for the Colonels on the rink, as they made the program’s first ever Frozen Four, falling to the host Utica in OT in the national semifinals. The team team will look to make a return trip to the Frozen Four this season, to be hosted again by Utica.
 
With 21 returners, it is an experienced team, led by 11 seniors. Of the Colonels 10 leading goal scorers from last season, they return eight, led by the trio of Grady Friedman, Karim Gayfullin, and Nolan McDonough, who all were second on the team with 11 goals. 
 
The Colonels will however be without their best player from the past season, as the Sid Watson Award (given to the best player in the country) winning Shane Soderwall moved on to play at DI SUNY Clarkson. He has already made his mark there, beating two top 10 ranked teams this season.
 
Looking to fill Soderwall’s shoes, the Colonels looked to the transfer portal, and brought in DI transfer Thomas Heaney. Heaney, who played for UConn last year. He appeared in three games, but against very tough competition, with one being against #1 ranked Boston College, and another against #2 ranked Boston University. He picked up the win over Boston College in that game.
 
While the goaltender has changed, the other key component of this team has not, as the DIII Coach of the Year, Peter Roundy, is back behind the Colonels bench. Roundy has won the last two CCC/CNE Coach of the Year awards, and has taken the program to new heights. He will look to continue that, and will look to lead the Colonels into the National Championship conversations once again.
 
 
Endicott Men’s Ice Hockey
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners: 21 | graduated: 13 | newcomers: 13)
2024-25 Results (19-8-1, 14-3-1 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE Third Seed, CNE Finalist
 
The No. 14 Endicott men's ice hockey team opens up its 2025-26 season on the road against Salem St. on Sunday, November 2 at 7 PM. The Gulls lone returning all-conference selection from last year’s squad is Primo Self. Endicott also brings back John Goldowski who was named NCAA Division III Statistical Champion for shorthanded goals the 2024-25 season. The Blue and Green will look to capture their fifth conference championship this season and first-ever CNE Championship. Endicott takes on two preseason nationally ranked opponents this season (No. 4 Curry and No. 9 University of New England), both programs that made the NCAA Tournament last winter. The Gulls were ranked No. 14 in the United States College Hockey Organization (USCHO) preseason poll.
 
JWU (Providence)
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners: 20 | graduated: 6 | newcomers: 8)
2024-25 Results (9-14-2, 4-12-2 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats 
The Wildcats return five of their six top scorers from last season’s squad which posted the program’s highest win total since the 2016-17 campaign. Junior Harout Torosian paced JWU with 12 assists and 18 points to go along with a pair of game-winning goals. Sophomore Bret Beale potted a team-high eight goals while junior Chris Alexander and sophomore Cullen Hennessy each collected five tucks. 
 
Juniors Joe Freeman and Ryan Walsh anchor the backend which does not feature one senior, but rather three juniors, a pair of sophomores (Coby Fox and Joe Sciabarra), and four freshmen. Junior Jake Inzirillo posted a .923 save pct. In 20 starts last year in goal while sophomore Maxim Zinchenko won a pair of games and provides head coach Eric Graham with a steady 1-2 punch between the pipes.
 
 
Nichols Men’s Ice Hockey
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners:18 | graduated: 5 | newcomers: 13)
2024-25 Results (9-13-4, 5-9-4 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE Fifth Seed, CNE First Round
 
The Nichols men’s ice hockey team returns to Levy Rink for head coach Alex Gacek’s fourth season. The Bison will look to make the playoffs again following last year’s 9-13-4 (5-9-4 CNE) record, when they qualified for postseason play but were knocked out in the first round. Graduate assistant Liam Barnicle is back for his second year on the coaching staff, while Dylan Knox joins the team as an assistant coach. 
 
The Bison will be captained by senior defenseman Brendan Schmidt, who will look to build off his strong performances from last season. Assisting Schmidt are forwards Aaron Hamel, Zach Vandale, and Rocco Bianculli, who combined for 27 points last season. CJ Zezima and Luca Ricci, who each tallied 11 points, will also be key contributors for the Bison.
 
Nichols returns three goaltenders, junior Nick Anderson, sophomore Michael Del Trecco, and sophomore Liam Choquette, and welcomes freshman Ryan Henry, with all four expected to compete for time between the pipes.
 
The Bison will kick off their season on Friday, October 31, when they compete in the first round of the WooCup against Anna Maria College. Their first Conference of New England matchup will be at home against Roger Williams University on November 8. 
 
 
Roger Williams Men’s Ice Hockey
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners:0 | graduated: 0 | newcomers: 33)
The Roger Williams University men’s ice hockey team is entering its first year of NCAA competition in school history in 2025-26, with the Hawks bringing in former Babson assistant Chris Hall as the program's first head coach.
 
The return of varsity ice hockey at Roger Williams marks the first time since the 1990s that the institution has sponsored a program at the varsity level. The Hawks have 33 players on the roster, with four having prior NCAA-level experience. 
 
RWU will open their season on Friday, Oct. 31 at 7:00 pm against UMass Dartmouth in Driscoll Arena.
 
Suffolk Men’s Ice Hockey
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners: 24 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 9)
2024-25 Results (13-11-3, 7-9-2 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE Fourth Seed, CNE Semifinals  
 
Suffolk men’s ice hockey had its most successful season in a decade last year as it went 13-11-3 overall, made the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament for the first time since 2022 and won its first postseason game since 2008.
 
Under fourth-year head coach Shawn McEachern the Rams look to carry that momentum into 2025-26, which gets underway this Saturday, Nov. 1 with a showdown versus Salem State at the Rams’ barn, Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink in East Boston.
 
All-CNE Second-Team honoree Josh Milso (3g,10a) headlines the 24-returners that includes Scott McManus(6g, 8a), Nick Liotino (2g, 9a), Gavin Havens (5g, 5a) and Ryan Webb (5g, 5a), all of whom pitched in double-digit points to Suffolk’s 58-goal scoring unit. 
 
Kannon Flageolle has the most experience in between the pipes with nine games played over the last two years. Junior Max Banoun is back in the fold as well as Austin McNicholas, one of nine newcomers on Suffolk’s squad. 
 
 
University of New England Men’s Ice Hockey
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners: 22 | graduated: 6 | newcomers: 8)
2024-25 Results (18-8-1, 14-4-0 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE Semifinals (#2 Seed), NCAA 1st Round
 
The University of New England and 11th-year head coach Kevin Swallow bring back four all-conference performers and one All-America selection from the 2024-25 squad that finished second in league play and qualified to host a game in the NCAA Championship. Junior forward Dominic Murphy was an AHCA third team honoree last season, to go with a first team All-CNE pick. UNE's other top-line nod went to senior defenseman Chip Hamlett, who has two years worth of first team accolades to his credit. Paired with Hamlett is senior Kevin O'Keefe, who was previously a third team selection. Up front, Murphy still gets to skate with junior Drew Olivieri, who landed all-conference second team status a year ago.
 
The Nor'easters have returned 13 of their top 15 point-getters from the last campaign, including senior Juraj Elias, sophomore Cam Bergeman, senior Jayden Price, and senior Nathan Chickering. All five senior defenseman are part of that group, as well.
 
UNE -- which has won at least 17 games in each of the past seven seasons -- also has sophomore goalie Stefan Carney back, who posted the better numbers while splitting time between the pipes.
 
 
Wentworth Institute of Technology Men’s Ice Hockey
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners: 24 | graduated: 5 | newcomers: 6)
2024-25 Results (7-17-2, 5-12-1 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE Sixth Seed, CNE First Round
 
Jason Pecora enters his 12^th season at the helm of the Wentworth Institute of Technology men’s hockey team. The Leopards finished with a 7-17-2 record last season and a 5-12-1 mark in conference play and have made the postseason tournament the last seven years. Wentworth brings back last year’s top five point getters and a strong defensive group, with 24 letterwinners returning from last season.
 
Among those returning are veteran goaltender Jack McGovern and top scorer George Kolovos, who tallied 14 points in 17 games. Up front, Wentworth brings back Alex Walicki, Nikolas Sombrowski, and Ethan Lim, who combined for 39 points last season.
 
The Leopards welcome an exciting class of six newcomers to the team looking to make an immediate impact. The season begins on Friday, October 31 at Skidmore. 
 
 
??Western New England Men’s Ice Hockey 
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Roster (returners: 16 | graduated: 8 | newcomers: 14)
2024-25 Results (5-18-2, 1-15-2 CNE) | 2024-25 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: None
 
The Western New England men’s ice hockey team will have a different look in 2025-26 under the direction of first-year head coach Matt Smith. Smith brings in 14 newcomers to the team this year, including 12 true freshmen, looking to make a big impact right from the get-go this season. Smith’s squad sees 16 returners from last season’s roster, including the likes of Everest Schneider, Brayden Patricia, and Matty Zdanowicz, all of whom will captain the 2025-26 Golden Bears’ squad.  
 
The WNE offense will look for production from the captains, along with graduate student Matthew Dougherty, who netted four goals and had seven assists a season ago for the blue and gold. In his short four-game stint with the Golden Bears last season, rising sophomore Philippe Longchamps impressed on the ice, scoring a pair of goals and adding an assist, going +2 for the season.
 
The Golden Bears will lean on their returning defensemen in Jimmy Mettler and Daniel Demchuk this season, both of whom produced on the offensive end in 2024-25 for Western New England. Just one of WNE’s starting three goalkeepers returns this season, as Luca Scaglione played two games a season ago for the blue and gold, while a pair of transfer goalkeepers in Lochlan Lauer and Nikita Volsky will look to help Western New England in goal. 
 
WNE men’s ice hockey opens its campaign this Friday, October 31, on home ice, hosting Westfield State University at 8:10 PM at the Olympia Ice Center. 

 
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND
Originally founded in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and reconstituted as the Conference of New England (CNE) in 2024, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference composed of 11 full member and five associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition and a meaningful student life. The Conference administers championships in 21 intercollegiate sports.