North Dakota and Bowling Green were picked by coaches and media to win their respective conferences, the NCHC and WCHA announced this week.
Minnesota Duluth was the only one of the state's four college hockey programs split across the two conferences to receive first-place votes. Duluth was picked to finish third and St. Cloud State fourth in the NCHC. Minnesota State was tabbed to finished third and Bemidji State sixth in the WCHA.
North Dakota has won back-to-back NCHC regular-season titles and is the defending national champion. Bowling Green hasn't won a regular-season championship since 1984 when it won a national championship.
North Dakota sophomore forward Brock Boeser from Burnsville, a unanimous selection, and Michigan Tech forward Tyler Heinonen from Delano were named to their respective preseason All-Conference teams.
NCHC poll
1. North Dakota – 235 points (25 first-place votes)
2. Denver – 200 (3)
3. Minnesota Duluth – 173 (2)
4. St. Cloud State – 155
5. Omaha – 119
6. Miami – 96
7. Western Michigan – 65
8. Colorado College – 37
NCHC preseason All-Conference team
F: Brock Boeser, So., North Dakota – 30 votes (unanimous)
F: Dylan Gambrell, So., Denver – 28 votes
F: Austin Ortega, Sr., Omaha – 11 votes
D: Will Butcher, Sr., Denver – 27 votes
D: Louie Belpedio, Jr., Miami – 17 votes
G: Cam Johnson, Jr., North Dakota – 27 votes
Mankato Free Press WCHA poll
Rk Team (1st place votes) Points
1. Bowling Green (8) 89
2. Michigan Tech (2) 79
3. Minnesota State 71
4. Ferris State 70
5. Northern Michigan 54
6. Bemidji State 48
7. Lake Superior State 44
8. Alaska Anchorage 29
9. Alabama Huntsville 23
10. Alaska 21
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year
Gerald Mayhew, Sr. F, Ferris State (7 votes)
