BOSTON, Mass. - The Penn State women’s hockey team was picked to finish first in the AHA Preseason Poll, while junior Grace Outwater was named AHA Preseason Player of the Year and joined sophomore Danica Maynard on the Preseason All-Conference Team, Atlantic Hockey America announced Monday afternoon.
Atlantic Hockey America Pre-Season Coaches Poll
Penn State is coming off the most successful season in program history, securing its fourth consecutive Atlantic Hockey America tournament title. The Nittany Lions also shut out No. 6 UConn, 3-0, while hosting an NCAA regional for the first time. With the victory, Penn State earned its first Frozen Four berth and pushed No. 2 Wisconsin to overtime in the national semifinal.
The Nittany Lions earned a program-record 33 victories (22 conference wins), and broke seven single-season program records, including goals scored (165), assists (252), points (417), shots on goal (1,505), power-play goals (34) and shutouts (16). Penn State also posted a single program record of 1.38 goals against average.
Grace Outwater • Pre-Season Player of the Year • Pre-Season All-Conference Team
Junior Grace Outwater enters the 2026-27 season following a standout sophomore campaign in which she recorded career highs of 24 goals, 16 assists and 40 points. Outwater contributed 31 points (19G, 12A) in 24 conference games, capturing the AHA scoring title. Her 40 total points ranked third overall in the conference and tied 27th in the nation.
Outwater's 24 goals set the sophomore signal season record which also ranked second in Atlantic Hockey America and tied 11th nationally. She contributed six game winning goals, which ranked second in the AHA and tied fourth nationally while her two shorthanded goals tied for first in the conference and sixth nationally. Outwater capped her season earning All-AHA First Team honors.
Danica Maynard • Pre-Season All-Conference Team
Sophomore Danica Maynard emerged as one of the nation’s top rookie defensemen, tying the program’s single season defenseman points record with 33 points while her nine goals tied the record for most by a defenseman in team history. Five of Maynard’s nine goals came on the powerplay which tied for fifth in the AHA and 27th nationally.
Her 33 points tied for second nationally amongst all freshman defenseman, sixth nationally amongst all defenseman, 13th nationally amongst all freshmen. In the conference, Maynard's points ranked first amongst AHA defenseman, fourth amongst all AHA freshmen, and seventh amongst all AHA skaters.
Her 24 points tied for fourth amongst all AHA skaters, second amongst freshman defenseman, eighth among all defenseman, and eight nationally amongst all freshmen. Her average of 0.63 assists per game ranked eighth amongst all AHA skaters. Maynard’s +45 plus/minus rating also led the AHA.
Maynard also earned AHA Rookie of the Year honors for recording 26 points on nine goals and 17 assists in 24 conference games played. She also added All-USCHO Third Team honors and All-USCHO Rookie Team honors to her accolades.
Pre-Season Poll (1st place votes)
1. Penn State (6)
2. Mercyhurst (1)
3. RIT
T-4. Lindenwood
T-4. Syracuse
6. Robert Morris
7. Delaware
Pre-Season Player of the Year
Grace Outwater, Penn State
Pre-Season All-Conference Team
F - Grace Outwater, Penn State
F - Jessica MacKinnon, Robert Morris
F - Julia Perjus, Mercyhurst
D - Danica Maynard, Penn State
D - Emma Pickering, RIT
G - Magdalena Luggin, Mercyhurst
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