Funny story: we forgot to publish this online last season! The blog wrote all our predictions, just like the next, for the BU Women’s Hockey team for 2024-25, and they never saw the daylight.
Well, kind of. Even funnier story: we held Print our predictions in our annual hockey problem (a physical newspaper, we mean), and we all had the terriers with a loss record and a first or second round of conference tournament loss.
The terriers noticed and were more than happy to remind us after they only won Hockey East.
Rest assured, the blog is much more optimistic about BU if we enter the third season of the Tara Watchorn era. But how do the Terriers follow one of the most exciting and unexpected seasons in program history?
Our five writers predicted the answer. Let’s dive into it:
Eli Cloutier
Regular seasonal record: 18-13-2
Postseason Finish: Loss in Hockey Eastern semi -final
MVP: Michelle Pasieechnyk
The most improved: Keira Healey
Daring forecast: Michelle Pasieechnyk again wins NCAA goalkeeper of the year.
Tara Watchorn has reduced the BU Women’s Hockey program from the dead. After an incredible but unexpected last season, I expect the near future for the terriers. It will be difficult to replicate last year’s success, given the enormous amount of experience and important players who graduate. The BU defending core was extremely stable last season. This year’s blue line will look much different. Seniors Maeve Carey and Maeve Kelly play comfortably together and must be consistent attendees on game-to-game. Sophomore Keira Healey played a top-four role as a first-year student and this season will be on much more familiar-I like it that she is taking a step this year and scored a number of goals. In the front, the terriers return various important players. Seniors Luisa and Lilli Welcke were demonstrably BU’s two best attackers last season, and it seems reasonable that their production is increasing. Add Senior Riley Walsh with the Welcke Twins, and that is the topline of the Terriers. But I do think BU will score by commission again. That is why I take late addition Michelle Pasienyk as my team MVP. Despite the fact that I was off for a year from the sport after graduating at Clarkson, I expect PasieTechnyk to start most of the matches in the net before the terriers. She left College Hockey at the top of her game and I predict her to continue where she had left. With all that said, Hockey East got better, and I am not sure if BU did.
Sam Robb O’hagan
Regular seasonal record: 21-10-2
Postseason Finish: Loss in Hockey East Final
MVP: Luisa and Lilli Welcke
The most improved: Kaileigh Quigg
Daring forecast: Bu wins his first beanpot since 2018.
After talking to various people in and around the program this season, it is clear that there is a relentless trust that BU is here to stay. I’m going to drink the cabbage AID and predict that the terriers are taking a step forward this year, after about 10 in 2024-25 in 2024-25, despite losing one ton From critical players. I think they will take a competition from Minnesota or Colgate to start the season and win the second beanpot of the program – to beat their Kryptonite, northeastern ones, in the process. Let’s go with a strange choice for MVP and the Welcke Twins, Luisa and Lilli, select together. Why not? So much of their impact is because of their assets as a collective, and at the end of last season they dominated matches together. Sophomore Kaileigh Quigg, with its size, speed and offensive versatility, will be a top points scorer. I am worried about the defensive core, but BU has an elite goalkeeper with the late addition of Michelle Pasieechnyk, and I certainly trust Tara Watchorn to develop defenders. BU will end with a better regular seasonal record than last season, but loses East-Finale (probably against UConn) in the Hockey, because everything can happen in tournos hockey dear, BU went to four Overtimes in three HE Tourney matches last year. I also wonder if there is a potential for a big offer for the NCAA tournament from Hockey East.
Henry Dinh-Price
Regular seasonal record: 19-12-2
Postseason Finish: Loss in Hockey East Final
MVP: Michelle Pasieechnyk
The most improved: Keira Healey
Daring forecast: BU will enter the friendship of January with a loss record.
The vibes could not be higher in the 2025-26 season after the terriers shocked almost everyone outside their dressing room by winning the Hockey East title, just a year away from a defeat in the first round. Tara Watchorn has brought this program to life and BU seems well positioned for another strong campaign. However, I believe that the Terriers will achieve a slow start, partly because of a difficult schedule and partly because of a younger, inexperienced defensive core that time needs to hit his pass. BU starts his season against Minnesota and in Colgate and has a home-and-home series with the other five hockey East teams that ended in the top six last season before the middle point in Belfast, Northern Ireland. I predict the terriers to win the friendship four, a victory that will push them to a strong second half. Michelle Pasieechnyk will be phenomenal in the net and is my choice to win Hockey East Goaldder of the Year. BU’s attack will look great, led by the recurring scorer from a season ago, Sydney Healey, and the line of Luisa Welcke, Lilli Welcke and Riley Walsh. After BU has graduated much from his defensive core, the runway is cleared for Keira Healey to take a step forward in a greater role, hence my most improved choice. The Terriers will again compete for the title of Hockey East, but in the end winning hockey East is not an easy task and I predict that BU is hindered in the title game.
Hannah Connors
Regular seasonal record: 20-10-3
Postseason Finish: Loss in NCAA Regional semi -final
MVP: Riley walsh
The most improved: Kaileigh Quigg
Daring forecast: BU deserves a big offer for the NCAA tournament.
Last season, Tara Watchorn proved that Boston University is a hockey school on both the men’s and women’s side, which won BU’s first hockey -AST title in a decade. It is clear that Watchorn has one goal: sustainable success, and the best way to achieve that is simple: winning. BU returns a strong core. I expect that Luisa and Lilli Welcke, together with Riley Walsh, are again large contributors. The trio led the attacking indictment in last year’s late season, and I expect that they will wear the same sentiment in the new season. Adding Michelle Pasieechnyk is also an important boost for the terriers. Although she is off for a year, her performance speaks to Clarkson volumes in her last season. She posted an impressive 25-5-1 record and a .945 savings percentage. Her experience and skill between the legs will be an important asset this season for BU. That said, BU may need time to find his rhythm early in the season. With much of the graduation of the defensive depth of the terriers, the incoming underclass will take the time to adapt to the pace of college hockey. If BU can start strong in their opening weekends against Minnesota and Colgate, they have a real chance to climb in the purple rankings-my-my-daring prediction for a large NCAA bid feels within reach. Still, while Bu clearly has taken a step forward, other teams in Hockey East have. Last season’s championship run was unforgettable, but it is worth mentioning that all three of the Postseason victories came over time, so I am not sure if back-to-back hockey titles are in the cards this year. Yes, the terriers delivered when it mattered the most, but in hockey everything can happen and repeating that kind of performance is never guaranteed.
Marcus Antonelli
Regular seasonal record: 20-11-2
Postseason Finish: Loss in Hockey East Final
MVP: Michelle Pasieechnyk
The most improved: Keira Healey
Daring forecast: Anežka čabelová contentds for Hockey East Third Team.
The women’s program won their first hockey East title in a decade. A primary part of this was the Welcke-Walsh line (Luisa and Lilli Welcke + Riley Walsh), which was wearing the score tax in the play-offs. Bringing to this year that year will be a huge boost attacking. In addition, Sydney Healeey returns as the team’s height and scorer; Expect the top-six score to play as a supplement to that first line. The Terriers lost some experience in defense. Senior Meave Kelly should be a great mentor at the back, as well as Junior Transfer Ella Belfry, who came in from a cleared program in Colgate. The big focus in Walter Brown Arena is not only the fresh new renovations, but also a big name that becomes a member of the Terriers; Michelle Pasieechnyk, who took a year of gap from hockey. She joined the program as a late addition to the target group and has a decent CV. In four seasons at Clarkson, she definitely dominated with a 1.58 goal average and a .935 savings percentage over that period. That addition immediately increases the competitive opportunities of the Terriers with her and Junior Mari Pietersen in Doel. I would like both to be used as a tandem, given their amazing figures, but we will see what Tara Watchorn has her sleeve to compete for a second conference title.
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