MULE WEEKLY RECAP January 12, 2026

Women’s Ice Hockey Sweeps Hamilton in Home Series

Colby picked up a pair of wins on Mayflower Hill this weekend, sweeping the Continentals in their second NESCAC series of the season. The victories help #15 Colby improve to 7-2-0 overall and 3-1-0 in conference play.

Colby opened the series Friday night with a close 3–2 win. Emily Olsthoorn, Beth Sinson, and Courtney Schumacher each scored for the Mules, with Schumacher’s power-play goal early in the second period giving Colby a key 3-1 cushion. Hamilton scored the lone goal of the third, but the Mules held on for the one goal victory. Sophia Kennedy had a pair of assists in the contest. 

The Mules followed up with a 4-1 victory Saturday afternoon to complete the sweep. Molly Lefebvre opened the scoring on a power play in the first period, and Mallory Farrell added a goal in the second. The Continentals managed one goal late in the second period, but Schumacher netted two third-period goals, one on the power play, to secure the win. Colby’s strong discipline and execution on the man-advantage were critical in both games.

Women’s Ice Hockey will hit the road this week facing Suffolk Tuesday before heading to Conn. College for a two game series Friday and Saturday. 

Women’s Basketball Rolls to 3–0 Week, Opens NESCAC Play With Pair of Wins

The Mules delivered one of their strongest stretches of the season, winning all three games this week, including back-to-back NESCAC victories over Conn. College and Tufts on the road.

Colby opened the week with a strong all-around performance in a 63-48 win over MIT. The Mules shot 41% from the floor and controlled the interior with 38 points in the paint, while holding the Engineers to just 30% shooting. Amelia Hanscom set the tone with 20 points and nine rebounds, with Kate Olenik adding 17 and Chelsea Ibenegbu contributing eight points and six boards. A decisive second quarter pushed the lead out to double digits, and Colby never looked back.

In the contest, Olenik became the 20th member of the Colby Women’s Basketball 1,000 point club. She is the first since Ainsley Burns ‘20 reached 1k in 2020. Kaye Cross ‘84 sits at the top of the list as the all time leading scorer (1,452 points).

Tuesday's momentum carried into the conference opener as the Mules earned a 64–43 road victory against the Camels. After the first four minutes of play, Colby led the rest of the way and put together one of its top defensive outings of the season, holding Conn. to just 2-of-22 from three. Lydia Mordarski caught fire with a season high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-7 from deep, while Hanscom anchored the paint with 13 rebounds. The Mules owned a 52–28 advantage on the glass and stretched the lead as high as 25 in the fourth. Colby closed the week with a gritty 67–64 win at Tufts, a game that featured 13 lead changes and 10 ties before the Mules delivered in the final minutes. Colby shot an efficient 50% from the field and received a massive boost from its bench, particularly Caroline Hartley, who poured in 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Olenik led the way with 17 points and Hanscom added 12 in the Saturday afternoon victory.

Women's Basketball (9-4 overall record, 2-0 NESCAC record) will continue their five game road trip at Husson Wednesday and Bates Sunday.

Nordic Skiing Places Four in the Top-11 at St. Lawrence Sprint

After kicking off the 2026 carnival season last Sunday in Lake Placid, the EISA held the second scored event on Tuesday in conjunction with the Freestyle Sprint of US Nationals. The men's team placed four skiers in the top-11 to finish second behind UVM. Benjamin Lewis was the top skier from a Division III school in 6th place. The women's team followed up their stellar finish in the Classic with a 7th place finish in Tuesday's Sprint.

MEN'S TOP-30 FINISHES:

• 6th - Benjamin Lewis, 2:48.77
• 7th - Tyler Watt, 2:49.61
• 8th - Finn Christiansen, 2:49.92
• 11th - Matous Matousek, 2:51.32
• 19th - Clint Macy, 2:52.97
• 20th - James Underwood, 2:53.13
• 25th - Andrew Defor, 2:54.01
• 30th - Isak Nightingale, 2:54.95

WOMEN'S TOP-30 FINISHES:

• 17th - Lola Villafranco, 3:28.37
• 21st - Natalie O'Brien, 3:28.55
• 26th - Nyla Scott, 3:31.75

The EISA will open its Alpine segments next weekend when Colby hosts the Giant Slalom and Slalom events at Sugarloaf. The Nordic team is back in action the following weekend at Quarry Road when the Mules welcome the rest of the league to their home trails.

Men’s Ice Hockey Dominates Saint Anselm, Wins in shootout at Amherst

The Mules put together a strong week on the ice, showing offensive firepower against the Hawks, holding their own in a shootout win versus the Mammoths, and closing the stretch with a battle at #5 Hamilton.

In the commanding 5-1 win over Saint Anselm to begin the week, Max Abene opened the scoring in the first period at the 16:11 mark. Matthew MacDonald, splitting the Hawks lone goal of the contest, added two goals in the second while the third period saw Colby extend their lead with power-play goals from Dhillon Wilde and Riley Rosenthal. Colby went 2-for-3 on the power play as Jayden Grier and Ryan Moore each finished with two assists. 

Friday night, Colby traveled to Amherst for a hard-fought conference matchup that ended 2-2 in regulation. MacDonald gave Colby the lead in the second period with an assist from Grier and Connor Gallagher. Amherst responded in the third period with two quick goals however, Grier kept the Mules alive, tying the game late in the third off a pass from Gallagher. After the overtime period, Colby emerged victorious in the shootout 2-1, with Tyler Crist and Will Soloway scoring, securing the win. Cooper Rautenstrauch was on fire in net securing 39 saves. 

To wrap up the week, the Mules faced a tough test at #5 Hamilton, falling 4-1. Colby Browne scored Colby's lone goal of the matchup, assisted by Noah Carpenter. Rautenstrauch put up a fight in net concluding the game with 40 saves.

The 7-4-2 Colby Men’s Ice Hockey team (3-3-1 in conference play) will host Wesleyan Friday and Trinity Saturday to keep the NESCAC contests rolling.

Men’s Basketball Takes Down Conn. College in Conference Opener

Returning to their home floor for the first time since November, Colby opened NESCAC play with a strong win over the Camels Friday night before falling to the 13th-ranked Tufts Jumbos the next day.

In the first NESCAC matchup of the season, the Mules controlled the game behind balanced scoring and timely perimeter shooting, building a lead that held throughout the second half. Dan Civello led the way with 18 points, while Max Poulton added 10 points and eight rebounds. Sam Hinman continued to be a high impact off the bench, contributing 17 points and seven rebounds. Mason Dobie also scored in the double digits netting 13 in the 76-67 final.

Colby battled a talented No. 13 Tufts squad on Saturday but came up short in an 88–66 decision. Despite trading early baskets, the Jumbos’ shooting surge created separation, and the Mules couldn’t close the gap in the second half. Civello led the way again totaling 15 points and three blocks followed by Savion Stroud with 11 points.

Colby Men’s Basketball is now 10–3 on the season with a 1-1 NESCAC record. They will begin a three game week hosting Bowdoin Tuesday night.