# 2015–16 Syracuse Orange women's ice hockey season

The Syracuse Orange women represented Syracuse University in CHA women's ice hockey during the 2015-16 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. The Orange finished conference play in second place, and advanced to the CHA Tournament Final, before losing to the Mercyhurst 4-3 in overtime. It was the second consecutive year that the Orange took the championship into overtime. Senior Melissa Piacentini was named CHA Player of the Year, while Nicole Renault was the CHA Defenseman of the Year.

## Offseason

* July 8: Fourteen players were named to the CHA All-Academic Team.
* August 13: 2015 graduate Allison LaCombe signed a professional contract with the Vienna Sabres of EWHL.

### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Lindsay Eastwood | Defense | Canada | Played with Team Canada U18 |
| Allie Munroe | Defense | Canada | Competed with New Hampton |
| Karleigh Scully | Forward | Canada | Competed with Nepean Jr. Wildcats alongside Lindsay Eastwood |
| Sarah Stuehr | Forward | United States | Attended Warner Hockey School |
| Maddi Welch | Goaltender | United States | Played for Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles |

## Standings

2015–16 College Hockey America standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Mercyhurst†* | 20 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 55 | 26 | 35 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 92 | 74 |
| Syracuse | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 30 | 56 | 28 | 36 | 19 | 14 | 3 | 96 | 77 |
| Penn State | 20 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 33 | 35 | 37 | 12 | 19 | 6 | 65 | 76 |
| Robert Morris | 20 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 18 | 52 | 57 | 38 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 108 | 97 |
| Lindenwood | 20 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 31 | 46 | 37 | 9 | 24 | 4 | 64 | 102 |
| RIT | 20 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 60 | 36 | 8 | 27 | 1 | 51 | 108 |
| Championship: Mercyhurst † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Current rankings: USCHO.com Division I women's poll |||||||||||||||
* Rankings based on number of wins in the conference

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||
| October 6 | #5 Clarkson* | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 1–3 | 0–1–0 |
| October 9 | at Northeastern* | Matthews Arena • Boston, MA | Jenn Gilligan | L 4–5 | 0–2–0 |
| October 10 | at New Hampshire* | Whittemore Center • Durham, NH | Jenn Gilligan | W 3–2 | 1–2–0 |
| October 17 | at Connecticut* | Freitas Ice Forum • Storrs, CT | Maddi Welch | L 3–4 | 1–3–0 |
| October 18 | at Providence* | Schneider Arena • Providence, RI | Jenn Gilligan | W 4–0 | 2–3–0 |
| October 21 | RIT | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 7–1 | 3–3–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 24 | at St. Lawrence* | Appleton Arena • Canton, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 2–3 | 3–4–0 |
| October 30 | at Robert Morris | RMU Island Sports Center • Neville Township, PA | Jenn Gilligan | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 4–4–0 (2–0–0) |
| October 31 | at Robert Morris | RMU Island Sports Center • Neville Township, PA | Jenn Gilligan | L 0–2 | 4–5–0 (2–1–0) |
| November 6 | at Lindenwood | Lindenwood Ice Arena • Wentzville, MO | Jenn Gilligan | W 3–1 | 5–5–0 (3–1–0) |
| November 7 | at Lindenwood | Lindenwood Ice Arena • Wentzville, MO | Jenn Gilligan | T 1–1 $^{OT}$ | 5–5–1 (3–1–1) |
| November 10 | at #4 Clarkson* | Cheel Arena • Potsdam, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 1–5 | 5–6–1 |
| November 14 | #4 Cornell* | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 2–5 | 5–7–1 |
| November 18 | at RIT | Gene Polisseni Center • Rochester, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 5–1 | 6–7–1 (4–1–1) |
| November 20 | at Colgate* | Starr Rink • Hamilton, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 1–2 | 6–8–1 |
| November 27 | #9 North Dakota* | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 0–3 | 6–9–1 |
| November 28 | #9 North Dakota* | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Abbey Miller | W 5–2 | 7–9–1 |
| December 4 | Penn State | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 3–1 | 8–9–1 (5–1–1) |
| December 5 | Penn State | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 1–1 $^{OT}$ | 8–9–2 (5–1–2) |
| December 10 | #2 Boston College* | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 2–7 | 8–10–2 |
| January 4, 2016 | #10 Colgate* | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 8–10–3 |
| January 12 | at Union* | Achilles Center • Schenectady, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 4–0 | 9–10–3 |
| January 15 | Mercyhurst | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 2–0 | 10–10–3 (6–1–2) |
| January 16 | Mercyhurst | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 1–3 | 10–11–3 (6–2–2) |
| January 22 | at RIT | Gene Polisseni Center • Rochester, NY | Jenn Gilligan | L 1–2 $^{OT}$ | 10–12–3 (6–3–2) |
| January 23 | RIT | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 3–0 | 11–12–3 (7–3–2) |
| January 29 | at Mercyhurst | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Jenn Gilligan | L 1–4 | 11–13–3 (7–4–2) |
| January 30 | at Mercyhurst | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Jenn Gilligan | W 2–1 $^{OT}$ | 12–13–3 (8–4–2) |
| February 5 | at Penn State | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, PA | Jenn Gilligan | W 3–2 $^{OT}$ | 13–13–3 (9–4–2) |
| February 6 | at Penn State | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, PA | Jenn Gilligan | W 2–1 | 14–13–3 (10–4–2) |
| February 12 | Robert Morris | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 6–1 | 15–13–3 (11–4–2) |
| February 13 | Robert Morris | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion • Syracuse, NY | Jenn Gilligan | W 3–2 | 16–13–3 (12–4–2) |
| February 19 | Lindenwood | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Abbey Miller | W 6–1 | 17–13–3 (13–4–2) |
| February 19 | Lindenwood | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Maddi Welch | W 2–0 | 18–13–3 (14–4–2) |
| CHA Tournament |||||||
| March 4 | vs. Penn State* | HarborCenter • Buffalo, NY (Semifinal) | Jenn Gilligan | W 3–2 $^{3OT}$ | 19–13–3 |
| March 5 | vs. Mercyhurst* | HarborCenter • Buffalo, NY (CHA Championship Game) | Jenn Gilligan | L 3–4 $^{OT}$ | 19–14–3 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||

## Awards and honors

* Melissa Piacentini, CHA Player of the Year
* Nicole Renault, Defenseman of the Year
* Jessica Sibley, Stephanie Grossi (tie), CHA Scoring Trophy
* Jessica Sibley, CHA Best Defensive Forward
* Stephanie Grossi F, All-CHA First Team
* Nicole Renault D, All-CHA First Team
* Melissa Piacentini F, 2014-15 All-CHA Second Team
* Jessica Sibley F, 2014-15 All-CHA Second Team
* Megan Quinn D, 2014-15 All-CHA Second Team