2017-18 NCAA Women's Independents

This is the 2017-18 NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III Women's Independent ice hockey teams. The three divisions are combined for the 2017-18 season due to the following reasons:
 * The two Division III Independents from 2016-17 found a home for the 2017-18 season.
 * Four of the teams played in Division III Conferences for the 2016-17 season; despite one being a Division I school and three being Division II schools
 * The six Division I & II Independents formed a scheduling alliance to give each team 20 games and a post season tournament for 2017-18.  This alliance will probably only last for one season and not become a formal conference as the Holy Cross Crusaders are joining Hockey East for the 2018-19 season.  The alliance would later be named the New England Women's Hockey Alliance.
 * This arrangement may be extended as in October of 2017 the Anna Maria Amcats announced a Women's Division III program to begin play with the 2018-19 season.

Changes

 * The Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen find a home in the Middle Atlantic Conferences and the United Collegiate Hockey Conference


 * The Northland Lumberjills find a home in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association.


 * The Franklin Pierce Ravens, Holy Cross Crusaders, St. Anselm Hawks and St. Michael's Purple Knights all become independents as a result of the New England Hockey Conference adopting a Division III only membership policy. Holy Cross is Division I in all other sports including men's ice hockey and the others are all Division II schools as members of the Northeast-10 which does not sponsor women's ice hockey.


 * The Post University Eagles which have been playing as an Independent Division II women's ice hockey team has announced it will enter into a scheduling alliance for the 2017-18 season with the five other NCAA women's independent programs.
 * The Sacred Heart Pioneers continue to play as a Division I Independent while joining the scheduling alliance for 2017-18.


 * The new scheduling alliance will give each of the teams a 20 game schedule and a chance to have up to 5 additional non-conference games.  The alliance will also conduct a post season tournament.

Quarterfinals

 * Sacred Heart Pioneers defeated Post University Eagles 6-0
 * Franklin Pierce Ravens defeated St. Michael's Purple Knights 2-1

Semifinals

 * St. Anselm Hawks defeated Franklin Pierce Ravens 7-1
 * Sacred Heart Pioneers defeated Holy Cross Crusaders 3-1

Third Place

 * Franklin Pierce Ravens defeated Holy Cross Crusaders 4-3 (2ot)

Final

 * St. Anselm Hawksdefeated Sacred Heart Pioneers 3-1