ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Nazareth women’s ice hockey team is gearing up for a significant weekend as they aim to secure their first NCAA tournament win. This marks their fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament, a remarkable achievement for a program that didn’t exist before 2018.

The Golden Flyers are coming off a successful season, boasting a top-five scoring offense with an average of four goals per game. “Being hungry for one, the first goal and then the second goal and playing with heart,” says junior Corsica Skibinski.

Their defense is equally impressive, allowing less than one goal per contest. Head Coach Chris Baudo emphasizes the team’s commitment to defense, saying, “Our whole team buys into the idea of defending wins.”

Under Baudo’s leadership, the team has won four straight UCHC championships and has consistently been ranked in the top 15 since 2022. “We don’t have to change much. We just got to be ourselves, play to our identity and give ourselves the best chance of success,” Baudo states.

Senior Sydney Swanson reflects on the team’s journey, noting, “Once we accomplished that goal of winning the tournament, we were like wow, we are one of the best of the best.” She adds, “People don’t expect a lot from us. We continue to come back every year. And I think that’s a testament to our culture.”

As the team prepares to face Endicott in the first round on Saturday, the players are aware of the significance of this moment. “Practicing and playing games for over 100 days now,” says Skibinski.

The Nazareth women’s hockey team hopes to make history this weekend by advancing past the first round for the first time. “Those experiences have really prepared us and given us a lot more determination and motivation,” Baudo concludes.

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