While the Harvard women's hockey team spent 1998-99 getting better, the rest of Division I was busy getting bigger.

This year the ECAC will have a western counterpart, the WCHA, which will increase the number of Divison I teams from 15 to 20. The ECAC, meanwhile, decreased from 14 to 13 teams when winless Colby moved to Division III.

Despite the loss of the White Mules, the ECAC should be stronger than ever. Last season all ten nominees for the Patty Kazmaier Award for national player of the year hailed from the ECAC--seven of which are still in the league.

So, the list of top players in the conference should not change much, and neither should the list of teams that make the playoffs. The preseason coaches' poll mirrors last year's final standings.

But nothing is set in stone. Harvard has a long way to go before postseason play in March, and there are more than enough talented teams to challenge the Crimson for first place during the regular season. Here is how each team looks heading into the season, in the order of the preseason coaches' poll.

1. Harvard (please see full story page 1)