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Colgate University Athletics

WIH Raider Report

Raider Report | Women's Hockey Opens With Ohio State

| By: Christian Locker

#6 Colgate squares off with #2 Ohio State for a Top-10 matchup

HAMILTON – The Colgate women's ice hockey team is set to open up its season on Friday against No. 2 Ohio State. Puck drop is slated for 6 p.m. inside Class of 65 Arena.

The Raiders open the season ranked No. 7/6 in the nation. Last season, the team reached the Regional Final before a 3-2 loss against Minnesota Duluth concluded another memorable season for Colgate under head coach Stefan Decosse, now entering his second campaign at the helm.

It was a historic season for Colgate. Their second-leading scorer, forward Kalty Kaltounkova, was selected with the first overall pick in the 2025 PWHL draft by the New York Sirens. She was the first-ever Colgate alumna to be selected with the league's top pick. Goaltender Hannah Murphy was selected in the second round by Seattle. Head coach Decosse led the team to 30 wins, becoming the first coach in program history to accomplish the feat in their debut season.

This will be the second time in three years that Colgate hosts Ohio State for the opening two games of the season. In 2023, the teams split the two-game series. The Raiders won the first game, 3-2. The Buckeyes earned an overtime victory by the same score in the second game. 

Colgate has won its opening game of each season since 2014. The Raiders have also never lost a home opener since Class of 65 Arena opened in 2016. While keeping those streaks alive will be a challenge against a strong Ohio State team, the Raiders are returning plenty of key contributors from last season's roster to battle the Buckeyes. 

KEY PLAYERS 

Senior, Elyssa Biederman, Forward

2024-25 Stats: 39 games, 19 goals, 32 assists, 51 points

Despite losing the top prospect in the PWHL, Colgate is still returning their top scorer. Biederman, a Michigan native, has been an impact player since she first stepped onto the ice as a Raider. She has logged 17 or more goals and over 20 assists in each of her first three seasons.

Biederman was selected to take part in the Collegiate Select Series, where Canadian and American NCAA players compete in preseason exhibition matches. She logged 2 assists across two games in the three-game series. 

Biederman was the Raiders lone All-ECAC preseason team representative after finishing last year as a member of the second-team. Back in Hamilton, she understands she will be leaned on to produce points and create opportunities. She is ready to meet the challenge. 

"I just want to continue to produce and do what I can (for the team)," she said. 

Senior, Casey Borgiel, Defender

2024-25 Stats: 39 games, 3 goals, 26 assists, 29 points

Borgiel made an immediate impact in her first season at Colgate after transferring from Holy Cross. Her 29 points were the highest total of all Raider defenders. Another Michigan native, she was selected to play alongside Biederman at the Collegiate Select Series.  

In her three year collegiate career across Holy Cross and Colgate, she has tallied 7 goals, 38 assists and 45 points across 104 games. 

Junior, Emma Pais, Forward

2024-25 Stats: 39 games, 19 goals, 19 assists, 38 points

Pais was lethal on the power play for Colgate last season. Ten of her goals came on the advantage, with Biederman's seven coming in second. The London, Ontario native also had a knack for timely goals. She was tied for the team lead with six game-winning tallies.

Pais was also chosen to play in the Select Series for Canada. They lost the series, 2-1, and Pais is preparing for her American Colgate teammates to poke fun at her over the result. 

"I think they'll slide it into little comments every once in a while," she said. "But we kinda can laugh it off. It was really fun to play against teammates."

Pais was also named as one of the team's captains. She will be tasked with leading a group of largely familiar faces. However, six of the eight newcomers are Canadians. Pais' familiarity with her countrymates will be valuable in assimilating them to the program. 

Junior, Madeline Palumbo, Forward

2024-25 Stats: 39 games, 10 goals, 18 assists, 28 points

Palumbo is a player who will be tasked with stepping up in the absence of players like Kaltunkova. The Ontario native was the fourth member of the Raiders to play in the Select Series. 

She is no stranger to living up to the moment. In 2024, she scored the game-winning goal in the ECAC championship game against Clarkson. 

She has high expectations this season, and, like Pais, has been helping her new Canadian teammates get used to life in the states. 

"We've brought everyone together and we're just a big family," she said. 

EXPECTATIONS

Despite losing Kaltounkova, Colgate was ranked second in the ECAC heading into the year, trailing only No. 4 Cornell. 

This year's ECAC championship will be held in Lake Placid for the first time. The game will be held in the historic Herb Brooks Arena.

"ECAC Championship, Frozen Four, National Championship… Those are all things that not only I have in the back of my head but also everyone in the program," Biederman said. 

While the team certainly has lofty expectations for themselves, Palumbo said they will take a day-by-day approach to reach those goals. 

"Our goal is to get as far as we can," she said. "But (also) make sure we're making progress every day, every game, and every step of the way."

COLGATE PUCK DROP SHOW

Tune in to the first ever Colgate Puck Drop Show Friday, Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. exclusively on Youtube.

ECAC Preseason Poll

1. Cornell
2. Colgate
3. Clarkson
T4. St. Lawrence
T4. Quinnipiac
6. Princeton
7. Yale
8. Brown
9. Union
10. Harvard
11. Dartmouth
12. RPI

National Top 10 (USCHO)

1. Wisconsin
2. Ohio State
3. Minnesota
4. Cornell
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. Penn State
7. Colgate
8. Quinnipiac
9. Clarkson
10. St. Lawrence

National Top 10 (USA HOCKEY/THE RINK LIVE)

1. Wisconsin
2. Ohio State
3. Minnesota
4. Cornell
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. Colgate
7. Penn State
8. Quinnipiac
9. Clarkson
10. St. Lawrence
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