PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville women's hockey team will honor members of the Stamford Sharks Squirt 'A' team and recognize all of Stamford Youth Hockey on November 23, when the Valiants will host Trinity College at the Terry Connors Ice Rink in Stamford, Connecticut at 7 p.m.
The Sharks captured the 2010 Connecticut State Tier 3A Championship in Bolton, Conn., last March by defeating the South Windsor Knights squirt 'A' team, 4-1.
Manhattanville rose a notch in the national rankings for the second straight week to #8 after a weekend split against last week's eighth-ranked team, Elmira College. After dropping a tough 4-3 matchup on Friday night in Pine Valley, the Valiants came back on Saturday afternoon to pick up a big 2-1 win over the Soaring Eagles and earn a split of the season series between the ECAC rivals. Freshman and reigning ECAC East Rookie of the Week Haleigh Hutchinson (Southgate, Mich.) scored the game-winner midway through the third period in Saturday's victory, while sophomore Emy Cote (Saint-Hubert, Que.) made a career-high 40 saves in the win.
The Manhattanville women's hockey team is the most successful program in school history, as the team has never endured a losing season in 11 seasons and has never lost more than eight games in a single campaign. Under third-year head coach Eric Lang, the Valiants have dominated the ECAC East Conference since its inception in 2001-02, capturing a combined 13 ECAC East championships: seven ECAC East Tournament titles (2002-2008) and six ECAC East regular-season titles (2002-06, 2010).
The state of Connecticut is well represented by the Valiants as sophomore Mary Rose Morrison (Ridgefield, Conn.) is a native of Ridgefield, while freshman Tori Pizzuto (Waterbury, Conn.) is from Waterbury. The Valiant coaching staff also has some Nutmeg flavor as first-year assistant coach Erin Brawley (Lordship, Conn.) hails from Lordship.
A four-year letterwinner on the ice, Brawley scored 10 goals from the point while adding 48 assists for 58 career points. With the Valiants, Brawley helped her team capture two ECAC East Conference regular-season and tournament championships and make two NCAA Tournament appearances. As a junior, she was a key member of the 2007-08 squad that made the national championship game for the third time in program history.
Just a short drive from Stamford to Hartford is where the Bantams of Trinity College calls home. The Bantams finished last season ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III national rankings, and currently are ranked #10 entering as their first game of the season against the Valiants.
Tickets for the contest will be $5 for general admission and $3 for parents accompanying members of the Stamford Youth Hockey Organization. All players wearing Stamford Youth hockey jerseys will be admitted free.
