Ravens will compete one more season as varsity independen program in 2013-14

RINDGE, N.H. (May 9, 2013) -- The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and its ECAC East Women's Ice Hockey League announced recently that Franklin Pierce University and its women's ice hockey program will join the conference beginning with the 2014-15 season. The announcement was made by ECAC Interim Commissioner Steve Bamford. 

Franklin Pierce will once again compete as a varsity independent program in 2013-14, and then take on a full league schedule the following season. In addition to Franklin Pierce, the University of New England was also accepted into the conference, pushing ECAC East to a 14-team league, which makes it the largest women's ice hockey conference in the nation. Scheduling options for the conference in 2014-15 are still to be finalized.

"Franklin Pierce is excited to be joining a great league such as ECAC East," Director of Athletics Bruce Kirsh said. "I would like to thank all of the administrators and ECAC officials for working with us and accepting us into the league. (Head Coach) David Stockdale and all of his players worked extremely hard this past winter during the program's inaugural season. The team continued to get better each day throughout the season and I believe that our program will help to enhance an already strong league."

Franklin Pierce finished with a 7-14 record during its inaugural season of 2012-13. The seven victories were the most by a Division II/III first-year program this season.

"I'm very excited for the opportunity to compete in ECAC East," Stockdale said. "There are a lot of great teams in the league and our program is looking forward to building exciting rivalries which will help to grow the sport of women's college ice hockey."

Franklin Pierce announced in September 2011 that it would begin sponsoring the sport at the varsity level beginning in 2012-13. Stockdale was hired a month later and set out recruiting a full roster for the following year, which he was able to accomplish.

The Ravens played the first game in program history on Oct. 26, 2012 versus Salve Regina and then picked up their first win on Nov. 16, 2012 with a 6-1 triumph over UNE. All 21 of Franklin Pierce's contests this season came against varsity competition, including several games against Sacred Heart, a Division I school, which the Ravens defeated, 3-2, on Feb. 15.

Franklin Pierce also experienced success in the classroom as nine student-athletes were named to the FPU Athletic Department Academic Honor in January for earning grade point averages of 3.30 or higher.

The Ravens play their home games at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena on the campus of The Winchendon School in Winchendon, Mass. The facility, which is located approximately eight miles from campus, features a locker room solely dedicated to the women's ice hockey program, which it uses for preparation for practices and games.

For more information on Franklin Pierce women's ice hockey, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's ice hockey apparel can do so on the athletic department's online store at athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)