Women's Hockey | 10/15/2026 10:00:00 AM

Despite a strong start to the 2025-26 season for the York University Lions women's hockey team, winning five of their first seven games and going 4-2-1-0 over that span, the team struggled from there on out and missed the postseason after qualifying in each of the two previous years.

Looking ahead to this season, a young Lions group – featuring 16 players in their first or second years with the program – will look to take the things they learned last season and use them to make their way back into the postseason mix.

"We were disappointed, and there were factors beyond our control," said head coach Dan Church, who enters his 23rd season atop the Lions bench, "but we want to learn from those lessons, being a little bit more resilient, sticking with our structure and playing with a plan, and hopefully we'll carry those lessons into this year."

Given the youth of the Lions roster, the veterans who are around will be relied upon heavily to show their younger teammates the ropes of playing in a league with the quality of competition the OUA provides.

"It's all about leaving a legacy," Church said. "Their first job this year is to lead by example and teach the younger ones what it means to compete in this league, and if they can do that, it allows us to have success as we go through the season."

A key area of focus during the preseason, where the team was able to play eight games, is to be better without the puck, putting themselves in better positions to defend and in better positions offensively when they get the puck.

"When we don't have it, we want to be able to forecheck, kill the other team's defensive zone exit, backcheck well and have good structure in our defensive zone," Church said. "We can influence the game a lot more if we're good at that, and that allows you time to grow when you have the puck."

In terms of the Lions forward group, while younger, Church sees his lineup as more complete from top to bottom, leaving him able to trust a variety of players in a variety of situations up and down the lineup.

"We're more balanced, and we have more depth," he said of his forwards. "I'm looking at scoring that will go across all four lines with different lines stepping up at different times, so that balance gives you some flexibility.

"Having third and fourth lines you can play against anyone's top two lines allows us play the hot hand against matchups we like, whether that's strength on strength or extra shifts against the other team's third or fourth line."

As for the defence corps, the theme of balance remains for a group that possesses some offensive upside with some solid two-way players and really strong stay-at-home defenders who will make it tough for the opponent to generate offence.

"We have a really good blend," Church said. Mikayla Totten is a really good offensive defender who can make things happen with her skill, Clara Liu has taken a really big step, Dielle Hall Paradis and Nicole York can shut things down and make a good first pass, then you have Avery Shortridge is big and strong, plays well defensively and can shoot."

The Lions have three first-year blueliners in Chloe Delaquis, a member of the Winnipeg Ice team that competed in the 2026 Esso Cup, as well as Tien Woo and Erica Miko, all of whom bring strong two-way games, according to Church, with Delaquis being someone her new head coach says brings a winning pedigree and the experience of playing in big games.

In goal, the Lions will be without Emma Wedgewood for the entire season, after missing her for the second term of the 2025-26 campaign, providing a real opportunity for Oliva Tran and Alix Walchuk to take hold of the net as second-year netminders.

"She's a really important part of our team and one of our co-captains this year, and that's a tough role to play when you're not on the ice, but she's doing a great job," said Church on Wedgewood, who was recently selected to Hockey Canada's Creating Coaches program. "The other two have had great preseasons, learned a lot and for both of them it's an opportunity to continue to grow, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the growth in their games."

Newly-minted captain Lola Massey, who returns for her fifth and final year as a Lion is someone Church keyed in on as a player who will be a big piece for the Lions this season.

"She's looking to have a really big year," Church said. "She's looking to take her game to the next level and have a really big impact on our team, and I think she can."

Other important veteran pieces include fellow fifth-year Natalie Mamone, who Church described as a player who "does everything the right way, is a really hard worker and a great leader on and off the ice." Additionally, Kaitlin Teixeira and Natasha Lange, now entering their third season at York, are players Church expects big things from.

"I think she's one of the most skilled players in the OUA," he said of the Mississauga native. "We've seen growth in the preseason, so now we're hoping that can carry forward into the regular season."

As for Lange, she is going to be someone the Lions rely on to be an extremely impactful player.

"She's going to shoulder a bigger load, and she's been looking forward to that opportunity," Church said. "She can play a power game, be a good centre and is someone we should really watch out for to have a great season."

Another key area will be the development of last season's rookie class, namely Molly and Oliva Battram, and Ashna Johal, who Church thinks will have major impacts on all sides of the puck, speaking to the Battram twins' hard-nosed style of play and the skill of Johal, each of them using their individual skillsets to be thorns in the side of opponents.

As for the Lions current rookie class, the York bench boss is optimstic about what they will bring not only this year but as they develop their games at this level moving forward.

"I'm really looking forward to coaching them," he said. "They can really play, but they need to learn to compete at this level on a nightly basis, so that will be fun to watch."

The Lions open up the 2026-27 season with a pair of games on home ice starting Friday night against the Western Mustangs in a rematch of last year's home opener. They then take on the Windsor Lancers on Saturday. Puck drop for both games is 7:00 p.m. from Canlan Ice Sports. You can get your tickets at yorkulions.ca/tickets, or watch both games live on OUA TV.