The 2025/26 EYHL season gets underway on Saturday afternoon, with this season’s competition seeing four Ulster representatives.
Ulster Elks and Pegasus have both become mainstays in the division in recent years, but will now be joined by Queen’s University and Portadown, who both earned promotion from the Legacy Wealth Management Premier League last season.
Queen’s University sealed promotion as both the highest scorers and tightest defence in the Ulster Premiership, and having kept most of their squad together, the biggest change for the side has come in the dugout.
Long-term Coach Simon Bell has stepped down from his role on the sidelines and has been replaced by Adam Louden, who joins the club from Instonians, having also previously coached Ards.
On the pitch, the squad have managed to keep a hold of a lot of their promotion-winning squad with Katie Stewart the only exit and Chrissy Hopkins joining from Lisnagarvey.
If they are to survive their maiden EYHL campaign, Duke Cup winner Zoe Wilson is likely to play a key role, whilst Jenna McCarlie and Jodie Simmonds both ranked highly amongst the goals last season.
The student side gets its league season underway with a winnable away game against UCD, who finished seventh in the league last season.
Fellow league newbies, Portadown get their first season in the EYHL underway with an all-Ulster derby against Ulster Elks.
The youngest side in the division, Portadown, boast a squad full of Ulster and Ireland representative players who are set to play in the All-Ireland league for the first time.
Amongst their array of U21s, the side also have the experience of sisters and former Ireland internationals Serena Campuzano and Beth Harper, who have previously played to the highest level.
The pair are set to come up against their former club on Saturday, when a win could make a big statement for the club on matchday one.
As for their opponents, Joel Cathcart‘s Ulster Elks have added Ulster and Ireland youth player Isla Allen, who joins the squad from Mossley.
The young midfielder comes into the squad to replace the outgoing Canadians Audrey Sawers and Anna Mollenhauer, who have departed this summer.
Now regulars in the EYHL, Elks come into the season off the back of an impressive campaign which saw them come fourth and win the Denman Shield for the first time in over 10 years.
Last season, the University outfit ranked mid-table for both goals scored and conceded, with Gabriella Scott leading the side with five strikes of her own.
The final Ulster team in the EYHL, Pegasus, will be looking to close the gap to those who finished above them last season.
The Belfast club proved difficult to beat last year, losing just five of their 18 games but too many draws saw the club come sixth in the division.
Conceding 26 goals, they were one of the sternest defences in the league, but only netting 23 themselves saw the side struggle to put opponents away.
However, now under the stewardship of former Scotland coach Johnny Caren, the club are looking to make the next step as they look to win their first EYHL title since 2019.
