6 new players to join UMaine women's ice hockey team

Jul. 16—A Hungarian National Team player and a Dartmouth College transfer are among the six incoming players who will join the University of Maine's women's ice hockey program this season.

UMaine has reached the Hockey East semifinals the past two seasons, losing to Providence 1-0 in overtime in the semis this past season.

Richard Reichenbach's Black Bears went 8-9-1 while having to play all of their games on the road due to COVID-19 restrictions in Maine.

Since the NCAA didn't dock any student-athletes a year of eligibility this past year due to the pandemic, UMaine will return all but two players: defensemen Anna Zikova and Daria Tereshkina, who were both chosen in the National Women's Hockey League draft on June 29.

Reichenbach said he likes the incoming class and said they will be able to develop without being under pressure because "we have the most complete group of returning players we've ever had."

Mira Seregely will be the first Hungarian woman to play at UMaine. She had 18 goals and 23 assists in 2019-20 for the Ontario Hockey Academy but last season was wiped out by the pandemic. She had four goals and an assist in her last 13 games for Hungary.

Jen Costa is a forward who played in 83 games at Dartmouth College and had seven goals and five assists, including four goals and three assists in 29 games in 2019-20. Dartmouth didn't have a season in 2020-21 due to the pandemic.

Six-foot defenseman Bailey Oakes could be an immediate contributor on defense, according to Reichenbach. She notched five goals and 10 assists in 36 games for the Toronto Aeros in the Provincial Women's Hockey League in 2019-20.

Forward Alyssa Wruble from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, had 18 goals and 14 assists for the Philadelphia Junior Flyers in 2019-20.

Darci Matson spent parts of the past four seasons with the Alaska All-Stars 19U Team and led her team to the Pacific District championship after recording 14 points in four games. She was recommended to the UMaine coaching staff by fellow Alaskan and former UMaine All-American goalie and Hobey Baker Award finalist Jeremy Swayman, who is now playing for the NHL's Boston Bruins.

Courtney Colarullo is a swift-skating defenseman from Ayer, Massachusetts, who played the last three seasons for the New Hampton School in New Hampshire.

Reichenbach said Seregely is a highly skilled player who can play in all situations and can both score goals and be a playmaker. She also has good defensive awareness.

Oakes will have one of the hardest shots on the team, while Costa will provide valuable leadership and will be a two-way player. Matson has potential to eventually evolve into a top-six forward during her career. Colarullo is smart with the puck and can break it out of the defensive zone and Wruble is a gritty player who will be a good checker and penalty killer.