2016-17 WCHA WEEKLY RELEASE WEEK TWO (OCTOBER 3-9, 2016) / wcha.com @wcha_mhockey /WCHAHockey @wcha_mhockey WCHA.tv Matt Hodson ● o: 952-818-8872 ● c: 612-801-2808 ●
[email protected] WESTERN COLLEGIATE OPENING FACE-OFF • Let's Get it Started: After three men's Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) teams dropped the puck on the Association's HOCKEY ASSOCIATION 65th season last weekend, six more take the ice for their regular season debuts this weekend. • FOUNDED 1951 • • Preseason Polls: Four WCHA teams were ranked in the USCHO top-20 preseason poll, mirroring their projected league finish in the Suite C coaches' and media polls: No. 14 Bowling Green, No. 17 Michigan Tech, No. 19 Minnesota State and No. 20 Ferris State. The Falcons are Minnesota State Univ., Mankato at Edina also the 15th-ranked team in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine poll. 7700 France Avenue South, Suite 360C • Charging Ahead: Alabama Huntsville opened the campaign with their strongest start of the WCHA era, sweeping Ferris State on the Edina, MN 55435 road to earn the first six points of the league season. The wins marked UAH's first-ever sweep of a ranked opponent, was the program's 952-818-8869 first conference-opening sweep and gave the Chargers a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2001-02 season. • 4x20: With four separate 20-win teams for the first time since realignment, the WCHA in 2015-16 was one of just two Division I MEMBER TEAMS conferences to have at least that many (Hockey East led the country with five, 20-win teams).