The Windsor Lancers Women's Hockey team is set to open their 2011-12 OUA regular season this weekend at South Windsor Arena.

The Lancers will host the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday afternoon at 4:10pm followed by a featured match-up with the Laurier Golden Hawks on Sunday afternoon also at 4:10pm.

Head Coach Jim Hunter's squad is coming off a solid 2010-11 season that saw them ranked in the CIS Top Ten in Canada for the first time in program history and also earn a return trip to the OUA playoffs.
 
The graduation of key veterans Jamie Tessier, Cassandra Finn, and Julie Hamilton leaves some spots to fill in the line-up, but graduation brings opportunity for other to step up and shine.
 
On offense, fifth year forward Candace Rapchak is set to lead the Lancers and will be this year's team captain. Rapchak, along with fellow fifth year forward Manon Davis, provide  a wealth of experience that will hopefully lead the Lancers back into the CIS top ten for the second straight season.
 
Courtney Spoors, a 2010-11 OUA all-rookie team member and the team's leading scorer, will also be counted on for her offensive flair and scoring touch.

Defensively, the Lancers will be lead by second year defenseman, and 2010-11 all rookie team member, Adalina Tridico. An athlete who can play all situations, Tridico will be looked to lead a young Lancer defense.
 
Head coach Jim Hunter has also brought in an impressive recruiting class for 2011-12.

Headlining the group of seven are a pair of NCAA transfers in Alyssa Baldin and Bree Polci. Both standout forwards are eligible immediately and are expected to add significant scoring punch to the Lancer line-up this year.
 
Baldin joins the Lancers after playing three season with the Wayne State Warriors, where she served as team captain in 2010-11. The Mississauga native finished in the top ten in goal scoring in the CHA conference last year.
 
Polci, a transfer from Quinnipiac University and a native of London, Ontario is a talented forward who is transferring back to Canada. She sat out this past season while playing for Brampton in the Canadian Women's Hockey League, and is expected to make a major impact in the OUA this coming season.
 
Also included in the group are defenseman Annie Armstrong from Aurora of the PWHL, Tania Mills from Brampton (PWHL), goaltenders Julia Ouroumis from Whitby and Karlyle Robinson from Ridley College and forward Caitlin Connell from Edmonton.
 
“This year's recruiting class is very talented and very deep,” commented Hunter. “We feel with this year's team, we have kept pace with a number of very gifted teams in the OUA.”

Be sure to catch this year's Lancers Women's Hockey team this weekend as they open the 2011-12 regular season at home against the Waterloo Warriors and Laurier Golden Hawks.