ESSEX (12-5-0)
Coach: John Maddalena
A perennial state title contender, the Hornets will have plenty of new faces this year and have a young and inexperienced squad. A key will be how quickly the younger players develop as the season goes on.
There will be three senior leaders up front, so expect a lot from Abby Smith (28 pts), Dylan Line (13 pts) and Ashleigh Gernander.
Senior Cassidy Daniels will be a key piece on defense. A new goalie will come from the pre-season.
BFA St. Albans
BELLOWS FREE ACADEMY (22-0-0)
Coach: Luke Cioffi
The defending Division 1 champions, who ran the table last winter, will have ample senior leadership as they go for a repeat charge to a state crown.
Offense will be powered by returning senior Annika Fersing (7 goals) and junior Bri Jarvis (28 pts). A freshman ready to go is Gabby Fraties.
Seniors Molly Smith (19 pts) and Rowan Howrigan (11 pts) are blue-line cornerstones for the Comets. Adding depth are new sophomore Jillian Mathieu and freshman Jillian Smith.
BFA has the luxury of two returning experienced netminders in junior Makenna Montgomery and sophomre Erin Jackson.
BURLINGTON/COLCHESTER (5-13-1)
Coach: Molly Beauregard/Jamie Rozzi
After a sub-par 21-22 campaign, the SeaLakers are confident they will be a challenger for Division 1 supremacy this winter with what should be a deep team.
Leaders in the forward ranks are junior Camryn Poulin (15 pts), sophomore Fiona McHugh, senior Gussie Guyette and junior Brooke DeShaw. The group is bolstered by the talented sophomore Holley McLellan, senior Karissa LeClair and freshman Brynaa Sift-Herzog.
The defensive braintrust has senior Georgia Wool, junior Molly Rublee and sophomore Norra Moody.
The team is blessed with three experienced goaltenders in senior Olivia Dallamura, junior Paige Codega-Ryan and sophomore Leah Boyd.
SOUTH BURLINGTON (6-12-0)
Coach: Courtney Barrett
Playing strong team defense and finishing hard at both ends of the ice will be keys to success for the Wolves, who also must develop a starting goalie during the pre-season.
Up front, Barrett will look to junior Sabrina Brunet (23 goals) to be the go-to forward. Other keys back are juniors Ava Hershberg and Jordan Larose.
Juniors Kiley Burke and Cait Barlett, and sophomore Annika Erickson lead the South Burlington defensive crew.
CHAMPLAIN VALLEY/MT. MANSFIELD
Coach: Scott Bushweller
In a late move, Bushweller returns as head coach of this co-op. Prior to last season, he had coached the club for three years. The team will be senior-laden.
A large group of forwards return in Samara Tucker, Riley Erdman, Tess Everett, KerriBeth Aldrich, Hannah Schmid, Georgia Bruneau and Megan Rexford, all seniors, and sophomores Mackenzie Rivard and Megan Rivard.
A deep defense has seniors Karina Bushweller, Alyssa Benson and Sasha Miller, and sophomores Rose Brien and Sophie Brien.
Senior Grace Ferguson returns between the pipes.
STOWE (4-17-0)
Coach: Molly Burke
The Raiders return everyone from last year’s team, and with a handful of additions, look to be an improved club this season.
Offensively, junior Isabel Dona (29 pts) and junior Kate Tilgner, will be the catalysts.
Junior Falon Forrest and freshman Lydia Wilson are important cogs on the blue line, and junior Ian Cloutier returns in the nets.
