(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS women’s hockey team continues to establish program benchmarks.

This week’s climb to second spot in the U SPORTS Top Ten is yet another.

“It’s exciting to be ranked nationally,” said REDS head coach Sarah Hilworth. “It is where we want to be as a program, but it’s early and we just want to continue to improve so when the playoffs come around, we can find a way to defend our championship.”

UNB’s move to second comes a week after their previous best when they were fourth.

The REDS, first in the Atlantic University Sport standings with a 7-0-0-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) record, follow the Concordia Stingers in the national rankings.

UBC, Nipissing and the University of Toronto round out the nation’s top five.

“We’re not focused on anything other than inside our dressing room and how we can improve every day,” said Hilworth. “We’ve had some injuries lately and we’ve had many players, over the last few weeks, step up and fill roles.”

UNB is coming off wins, last weekend, over Moncton and the STFX X-Women, the only other AUS team in the national rankings.

They’re preparing for upcoming games, at home, against the St. Thomas Tommies, and, on the road, against the UPEI Panthers.

“We want to continue to be the most improved team in Canada,” said Coach Hilworth. “So, when the time comes to step up as a team, we’re ready.”