Leaman leads Friars to top of Hockey East
Leaman leads Friars to top of Hockey East
It was a memorable season for men’s ice hockey. Head Coach Nate Leaman was named Hockey East Coach of the Year after leading one of the youngest teams in the country to its second regular season league title and its second straight NCAA Tournament. The Friars earned an at-large bid as the No. 2 seed in the Sioux Falls Regional, where their season ended on March 26, 2026, in a 5-2 loss to Quinnipiac.
Providence finished the regular season 23-9-2 overall and 18-5-1 in Hockey East, earning the league’s regular season title outright for the first time in program history. The Friars were especially strong after the calendar turned to 2026, posting a 14-2 record in conference play. That stretch included a nine-game winning streak that began with a 6-1 win over Maine at Schneider Arena on January 9.
The roster was one of the youngest in the country, with 11 first-year players and eight sophomores. Three newcomers — goaltender Jack Parsons, forward Roger McQueen, and defenseman Quinn Mantei — were named to the Pro Ambitions Hockey East All-Rookie Team. Parsons was a unanimous selection, finishing with a 12-3 record in league play along with a 1.88 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. His performance included a 7-0-0 record in January. McQueen tied for second on the team in Hockey East scoring with nine goals and nine assists and was named the Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Year, while Mantei led the league in plus/minus at +23 and added two goals and seven assists. McQueen and Mantei, who grew up playing together in Saskatchewan, were part of the same outstanding recruiting class.
Junior forward Tanner Adams and sophomore forward Logan Sawyer were named Hockey East Third-Team All-Stars. Adams led the Friars in conference scoring with 10 goals and 10 assists. Sawyer recorded five game-winning goals, the most in the league.
Leaman reached a milestone on February 20, earning his 300th victory at Providence College with a win over the University of Vermont. He is in his 15th season leading the program. Men’s basketball coach Joe Mullaney ’65Hon., ’98Hon. and women’s hockey coach Bob Deraney share the PC record for games won by a coach at 319.
In the Hockey East tournament, Providence entered as the No. 1 seed but was eliminated in the quarterfinals on March 14, falling 3-2 in overtime to Merrimack.
The 2025–26 season will be remembered for its regular season championship, late-season consistency, and the contributions of a young roster.
