The Gophers will open the season ranked No. 1 in college hockey preseason polls. Last year's national runner-up received 36 first-place votes to top USCHO's preseason poll for the first time since 2003. They're also No. 1 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.

North Dakota, Providence, Boston College and defending national champion Union round out USCHO's top five spots.

St. Cloud State (No. 7) and Minnesota State (No. 13) are ranked among the Top 15, with Minnesota Duluth receiving votes.

Minnesota State was named the WCHA preseason favorite by coaches and media on Monday. Bemidji State was selected to finish eighth in the conference. St. Cloud State was picked to finish third in the NCHC, last week, and Minnesota Duluth fifth.

The Gophers return most of their scoring from last season and one of the nation's best goaltenders in Adam Wilcox. They were also selected to win the Big Ten.

The No. 1 Gophers will be on display in Saturday's home exhibition against Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. The regular season opens Oct. 10 against Minnesota Duluth at the Ice Breaker Tournament in South Bend, Ind.

Michigan (No. 8) and Wisconsin (No. 10) also represent the Big Ten in the preseason polls. Ohio State and Michigan State received votes.

On sale now

WCHA Final Five all-tournament ticket packages went on sale Monday. The tournament championship will be at Xcel Energy Center, March 20-21. The package includes a ticket to both semifinals and the championship for $69 available at Xcel Energy Center box offices and Ticketmaster centers.

USCHO.com Division 1 men's poll.

September 29, 2014

1

Minnesota

(36)

0- 0-0

978

NR

2

North Dakota

( 2)

0- 0-0

874

NR

3

Providence

( 2)

0- 0-0

839

NR

4

Boston College

0- 0-0

831

NR

5

Union

( 9)

0- 0-0

737

NR

6

Colgate

( 1)

0- 0-0

652

NR

7

St. Cloud State

0- 0-0

596

NR

8

Michigan

0- 0-0

569

NR

9

Ferris State

0- 0-0

532

NR

10

Wisconsin

0- 0-0

497

NR

11

Miami

0- 0-0

491

NR

12

Notre Dame

0- 0-0

433

NR

13

Minnesota State

0- 0-0

411

NR

14

Cornell

0- 0-0

284

NR

15

Quinnipiac

0- 0-0

282

NR

16

Northeastern

0- 0-0

270

NR

17

Massachusetts-Lowell

0- 0-0

247

NR

18

Denver

0- 0-0

225

NR

19

New Hampshire

0- 0-0

97

NR

20

Boston University

0- 0-0

88

NR

Others receiving votes: Minnesota-Duluth 87, Ohio State 76, Yale 57, Mercyhurst 54, Vermont 51, Robert Morris 27, Michigan Tech 26, Western Michigan 14, Dartmouth 13, Bowling Green 11, Michigan State 8, Nebraska-Omaha 8, Rensselaer 5, Alaska 4, Harvard 4, Air Force 3, Brown 3, Clarkson 2, Maine 2, Massachusetts 2, Niagara 1, St. Lawrence 1.

USA Hockey poll