ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University women's ice hockey team has announced its full 2026-27 slate. Head coach Mike Sisti and the Lakers will take on a mix of familiar conference opponents and nationally recognized programs throughout the upcoming campaign.

The Lakers will kick off the season with back-to-back home games against RPI on September 18th and 19th, maintaining their tradition of opening the season on home ice for the eighth consecutive year. 

The team will face a series of away games early in the season, traveling to compete against UMD on September 25th and 26th, before returning home on October 2nd and 3rd to take on Syracuse. This series is followed by games at Lindenwood on October 8th and 9th, and UConn on October 23rd and 24th. These away games will test the Lakers' resilience and provide valuable experience on the road. Mercyhurst will close out the month of October at home against Assumption on the 30th and 31st.

A highlight of the season will be the much-anticipated home series against Penn State on November 13th and 14th, marking a rematch of last year's AHA Championship. They will see the Nittany Lions again on January 22nd and 23rd at the Pegula Ice Arena. 

In November the Lakers will also travel to Delaware on Nov. 6th and 7th, they will then head to RMU on Nov. 20th before the Colonials take a trip to Erie on the 21st. The Lakers will close out their November slate hosting RIT on the 27th and 28th. 

Before 2026 comes to a close, the Lakers will host Lindenwood on December 4th and 5th for a home series. 

The Lakers will return from the holiday break with a home series against Colgate on January 1st and 2nd, before traveling to Syracuse on January 8th and 9th.

The Lakers will face RMU again on January 29th and 30th, hosting the Colonials on Friday before traveling to Robert Morris on Saturday. Mercyhurst will then return home for a two-game series against Delaware on February 5th and 6th. The Lakers will close out the regular season with a road series at RIT on February 12th and 13th.

The Lakers will close out the regular season with the AHA Semifinals scheduled for February 26th to 28th, with locations to be determined.

View the full schedule here.