DANBURY, Conn. - Colgate women's hockey was voted to place second in the ECAC Hockey Preseason Poll, the league announced on Thursday. The Raiders finished with two first place votes with senior forward Elyssa Biederman landing on the six-player Preseason All-League team.

The poll results mark the second straight year the Raiders were picked to place second in the conference. Head coach Stefan Decosse enters his second year at the helm after leading Colgate to the conference championship game last season.

The Raiders added eight newcomers to the 14 returners from last year, but lost two key pieces to the Professional Women's Hockey League Draft.

Biederman returns for her fourth season in maroon and white after a Second Team All-League selection last season. The Raiders lone ECAC Preseason All-League representative posted a team-high 51 points in the 2024-25 including 32 assists which tied for most in the ECAC.

Emma Pais returns after a third team All-League selection last season where she posted 19 goals and 19 assists in 39 games. The junior scored six game-winning goals last year which ranked first in the conference and seventh in the country.

The Raiders return to Class of 65 arena on Friday, Sept. 19 for an exhibition game against St. Lawrence. Colgate will kick off the 2025-26 regular season with a top-10 matchup against Ohio State on Friday, Oct. 3.

1. Cornell - 8 first place votes
2. Colgate - 2 first place votes
3. Clarkson - 2 first place votes
T4. St. Lawrence
T4. Quinnipiac
6. Princeton
7. Yale
8. Brown
9. Union
10. Harvard
11. Dartmouth
12. RPI

G - Annelies Bergmann, Cornell (unanimous)
D - Grace Dwyer, Cornell
D - Andrea Trnková, Clarkson
F - Issy Wunder, Princeton
F - Elyssa Biederman, Colgate
F - Mackenzie Alexander, Princeton