DII women’s hockey embarks on journey toward another ACHA National Championship run

Friday, September 12

Tampa, FL

7:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

University of Tampa

The Lady Flames have added eight newcomers to their 25-player roster, making it the largest, and potentially the most talented, in program history. (Photo by Simon Barbre)

DII women’s hockey embarks on journey toward another ACHA National Championship run

9/10/2025 12:54:00 PM | Women's D2 Hockey

The Lady Flames return most of the team that advanced to the past two national tournaments near St. Louis, and have added recruits who could help them get out of their pool next spring.

Back-to-back appearances in the ACHA Division II National Championships has raised the expectations and aspirations for Liberty University's DII women's hockey team, which has reloaded for a potential return trip to nationals near St. Louis in March.

The Lady Flames flaunted their offensive firepower and defensive prowess in their exhibition openers this past weekend, sweeping the Queen City (N.C.) Royals U19 AA Juniors program by an 8-3 count in Saturday's opener and 15-0 rout in Sunday's rematch at the LaHaye Ice Center.

"It's been good so far," Head Coach Rena Leone said of the progress shown by the team that features 17 returning players and eight newcomers. "We have our largest team ever this year, with 25 players, and we are looking forward to a very competitive season."

DII women's hockey schedule 2025-26 — Graduate defenseman Hunter DiGrazia is the Lady Flames' head captain this season.

Leone's eight-player recruiting class is one of if not the strongest and deepest in program history. It features five freshman forwards: Pim Wilhelmy from Tennessee Ridge, Tenn., Arianna Pastoor from Woodstock, Ontario, Sabrina Honeycutt from Byron Center, Mich., Sasha Haring from Midlothian, Va., and Emma Bardwell from Sarasota, Fla.; two defensemen: freshman MJ Petisce from Methuen, Mass., and sophomore Kelsea Barta from Oceanside, Calif.; and junior goalie Abby Nakamura from Catlett, Va.

The Lady Flames' formula for success starts at the top, with Leone complemented by second-year Assistant Coaches Holly (Turner) Carpenter and Justin Forth, who served in the same role for several seasons on the DI women's team.

Liberty's captaincy corps is extremely experienced, led by head captain Hunter DiGrazia, assisted by fellow graduate assistants and defensemen Madison Natter and Kate Walhof (the Lady Flames' fifth-leading scorer last season with 11 goals, 11 assists) and complemented by junior forward Cora Williams.

The offense is sparked by sophomore Calissa Klein (Liberty's leading scorer as a freshman with 16G, 13A), and Williams (17G, including 5 game winners, 9A), who finished tied for second in scoring. Sophomore forward Patricia Misiak (13G, 3 GWG, 6A) and senior forward Guin Donovan (10G, 9A) tied for sixth in points last season, and senior defenseman Izzy (Crossman) Pomerleau (7G, 11A) and sophomore forward Abigail Rogers (4G, 14A) tied for eighth.

Spiritually, the Lady Flames are led by four Disciple Makers: senior defenseman Emma Wallace, senior goalie Abby Hodsden, Pomerleau, and sophomore forward Trish Misiak.

In net, Hodsden will platoon with two other goalies named Abby — fellow senior Manzewistch and junior Nakamura — as well as senior Kylie Mebs, who is in her final semester of eligibility.

Liberty may have a more difficult path to return to the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo., this year as the Southeast Region has expanded to 30 teams with the addition of 13 programs that switched over from the AAU.

Only the winners of the end-of-season tournaments for College Hockey East and the Delaware Valley College Hockey Conference — in which the Lady Flames finished runner-up to Villanova last season — will receive autobids to nationals, along with the top two other teams in the final Southeast Region rankings and four teams from each of the Central, Northeast, and West Regions.

Liberty (27-5) finished No. 1 in those rankings last season before going 1-2 and being eliminated in pool play for the second season in a row at nationals.

The Lady Flames will leave on their first of six consecutive road trips this semester on Thursday, destined for the University of Tampa, which they will face at 7:30 p.m. Friday. They will then spend Saturday at the beach to promote team bonding before visiting Columbia, S.C., to play the University of South Carolina for the first time, Sunday at 1:30 p.m., on the trip back home.

Both Tampa and South Carolina are newcomers to the Southeast Region this season after previously playing in the AAU.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Jordan Chamberlain/Club Sports Video & Media Coordinator