Revenge. Redemption. Retribution. All of these words in vocabulary of the sports world mean one thing: “we’ll see you next year.” For the Amherst College women’s hockey program, making it to the D-III national championship game two out of the last three years is quite an accomplishment. However, the title of “national runner up” doesn’t quite have the luster and ring as the title “national champion” does in the mind of a dedicated athlete. The biggest question of course heading into the 2025-26 season is whether or not the Amherst Mammoths can overtake the D=III juggernaut known as Wisconsin-River Falls and finally stake a claim to the national title come next spring.
Amherst women’s hockey is rock solid in the coaching department.
It goes without saying that Amherst has a real hockey gem in their midst when talking about Head Coach Jeff Matthews and the impact he’s already imparted on the program and in the lives of his past and current players. Matthews’ own resume at Amherst is the stuff of legends as he heads into his 14th season with the Mammoths. With no less than a winning season while at the helm at Amherst, Matthews has helped the Mammoths women’s program garner three of the last five NESCAC titles and earned a spot in the D-III national championship game two out of the last three years running.
With a career record of 209-81-34, Jeff Matthews has the most wins of any active D-III coach with less than 19 seasons at the helm of any program. In addition, Matthews added muscle to the Amherst women’s program by bringing in Adrian College legend Kathryn Truban as an assistant coach this upcoming season.
Truban was a two-time All-American blueliner at Adrian and played in more games than any other player in school history. The addition of Kathryn Truban to the Amherst staff means that the Mammoths will be getting an added boost of coaching from a D-III defensive star who knows what it takes behind the blue line, and with 95 career assists, Truban knows how to take a shot or two between the opponent pipes as well.
The Amherst Mammoths will lean heavily on upperclassman leadership this season.
With a 23-6-1 season, a NESCAC championship and a return to the D-III national championship game last season, Amherst’s no doubt setting their sights high as the new 2025-26 campaign approaches. With now-seniors Gretchen Dann and Natalie Stott anchoring the Mammoth’s roster this season, Amherst exudes experienced leadership as both players earned the DIIIHockeyNews.com East first team honors after last season and more will be expected of this defensive duo this year to anchor the program.
Stott, a Franklin, MA native, enters the season after a 2024-25 solid campaign with a .957 save percentage, a .950 goals-against-average and only allowing 27 goals in 29 games. With a career record of 66-14-3, Stott also earned first team All-American and first team All-NESCAC honors as well. As long as Natalie Stott is minding the net for the Mammoths on a routine basis, the future for Amherst this season looks as equally bright as last season.
Dann, a Hanover, NH native, equally provides additional firepower behind the blue line and with 28 blocked shots last season, her lock-down style of play helped propel Amherst into the national championship game. Along with a DIII Hockey News East first team selection, Dann also earned All-American awards and was also honored as the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year. With Dann’s defensive resumé, the Mammoths should have little trouble shutting down their own defensive zone this upcoming season.
Final season predictions.
It should go without saying that the Amherst College women’s program will certainly make it to the NCAA postseason and how far they advance toward another Frozen Four invitation is entirely up to the program. Could another UW-River Falls vs. Amherst national championship rematch be in the cards next spring? The Mammoths were ranked third in the DIIIHockeyNews.com preseason poll for the upcoming season and will likely make another deep run in the postseason. Will the Amherst mantra this season be “redemption” or “revenge“? Stay tuned for some excitement in the D-III women’s bracket this upcoming season.
