At a glance: Women's college hockey

In March, the top four women's college hockey teams in the country will converge on Boston University's Agganis Arena for the Frozen Four. It's the first time the women's NCAA Tournament has come to Boston, and local teams will spend the season jockeying to get in position to show off the Hub's reputation as a hockey hotbed.

HOCKEY EAST

New Hampshire (33-4-1) lost 10 skaters from its Hockey East championship team, and has just 17 players listed on its roster. Nevertheless, the five-time conference regular-season and three-time conference tournament champion is favored to win again, topping the preseason coaches' poll. UNH is ranked No. 4 nationally.

Boston College (14-13-7), ranked No. 2 in the preseason Hockey East poll and 10th in the nation, is led by top scorer Kelli Stack (22-16 -38).

Providence (16-16-4) earned the No. 3 spot in the preseason poll and a No. 9 national ranking. Danielle Ciarletta (2.21 GAA, .911 save percentage) will anchor the team in goal, and four top scorers return.

Connecticut (22-8-5) has last season's Hockey East Player of the Year, Dominique Thibault (24-25 -29), powering its offense.

Boston University (15-17-3) has 10 seniors and seven juniors, led by Melissa Anderson (16-13 -29) and Gina Kearns (8-16 -24).

Vermont (8-25-1) earned its highest preseason conference ranking, a tie for sixth. Northeastern (7-24-3) has a new coach, Dave Flint, who will try to turn around the beleaguered Huskies. Maine (4-27-3) has strength in goal with senior Genevieve Turgeon.

ECAC

Harvard is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll and led by Canada's Sarah Vaillancourt (26-36 -62), winner of last season's Patty Kazmaier Award as the nation's top player. The Crimson (32-2-0) have a remarkable 21 returning players.

St. Lawrence (28-10-1) is ranked No. 2 in the league and seventh in the nation. Junior Tara Akstull (14-28 -42) leads 16 returning players.

Dartmouth (18-9-6) is ranked third in the ECAC and eighth in the country. The Big Green offense features Olympian Sarah Parsons (15-19 -34) of Dover.

Clarkson (24-9-5) comes in at No. 4 in the league, followed by Cornell, Princeton, Colgate, Yale, Rensselaer, Brown, Quinnipiac, and Union.