Merrimack Warriors women's ice hockey

The women's ice hockey program began play in the 2013-14 academic year. The team initially played a club schedule before transitioning to the NCAA in 2015-16 and joining Hockey East.[3] The college added women's ice hockey, swimming, and water polo as part of its six-sport expansion plans following a settlement with U.S. Department of Education related to a Title IX gender-discrimination complaint.[4][5]

Erin Hamlen, née Whitten, is the head coach for the Warriors. As a player-athlete at the University of New Hampshire, she was a goaltender for the Wildcats, and won the ECAC Goaltender of the Year award in 1992. She returned to her alma-mater as a coach, working as an assistant coach and then Associate Head Coach for the women's ice hockey team, from 2000-2010. In 2010, she became the first head coach for the Boston Blades in the Canadian Women's Hockey League.

In the 2018-2019 season, forward Katelyn Rae became the first player in program history to reach 100 points in her career. At the time of her graduation in 2019, she was the all-time points leader with 112 points. She earned a 2018-2019 Hockey East First Team All-Star selection. She was also the first Merrimack Warrior to be selected for the New England Hockey Writers Association All-Star team.

Three members of the Warriors were selected in the 2018 National Women's Hockey League draft. Rae was drafted by the Connecticut Whale as the 12th pick overall, in the 3rd round, officially becoming the first woman in program history to be drafted for professional hockey.[6] Warriors' forward, Paige Voight, was selected as 16th overall pick in the fourth round, by the Metropolitan Riveters. Voight played on the US U-18 national women's ice hockey team that won Gold in Buffalo, NY.[7] She joined the PWHPA in the New England region for the 2019-2020 season.[8] Dominique Kremer, who played defense for the Warriors, was also selected by the Connecticut Whale, as the 17th pick overall, in the 4th round. [9][10]

Mikyla Grant-Mentis was nominated for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year award. She set a new program record for points, with 117 points, on 56 goals and 61 assists. She ranks second in goals scored. She earned Hockey East Player of the Month honors in November 2019. The same season, she was a Hockey East Second Team All-Star and the New England Hockey Writers Association named her as a Division I All Star.[11]