Top Moments of 2008-2009, No. 5 Women’s Ice Hockey Plays First Game

When Athletic Director Darryl Gross took over at Syracuse in 2005, he said he was shocked when he found out the University didn’t have either a male or female varsity hockey team. After a controversial decision to add the women’s ice hockey program as a school sanctioned sport, but at its expense, drop the swimming and diving program, the hockey team was ready to play its first season ever.

The Orange hired Paul Flanagan to lead the ‘Cuse; Flanagan led St. Lawrence University to five Frozen Fours in just nine seasons. In 10 seasons at St. Lawrence, Flanagan amassed an average of 23 wins a year.

Flanagan needed Division I talent in order to have any shot at competing in the team’s first season. He brought in eight transfers from other programs, the most notable being the Orange’s starting goaltender, Lucy Schoedel. She transferred from D-I powerhouse New Hampshire who reached the Frozen Four in 2008.

Lucy Schoedel

With his roster, Flanagan’s team skated with Colgate on October 1st, 2008 for the squad’s inaugural game. It took just nine seconds for freshman Megan Skelley to tally the first goal in program history and give the team its first lead ever.

Another freshman, left winger Janelle Malcolm scored the Orange’s second consecutive goal and it looked for the first 10 minutes SU might win its first game in program history. But Colgate stormed back, scoring the next four goals.

The Raiders went on to win the game 4-3 as Malcolm tallied her second goal in the third period.

The Orange Ice Hockey team went on to finish the season with a record of 10-18-3, but did win six consecutive games after starting the season 4-16-3.