University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Hockey Team Ranked Number One in Preseason Polls
9/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
In the USA Today rankings, the Golden Gophers collected 481 points and 25 of 34 first-place votes. Rounding out the top 10 are Michigan, Boston College, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Harvard, Boston University, Cornell, Ferris State and Colorado College.
Other WCHA schools on the list include Denver at No. 12 and Minnesota-Duluth at No. 15. Nine of the 15 teams on the rankings are scheduled to face the Golden Gophers this season.
In the USCHO.com poll, Minnesota received 25 of 30 first-place votes. The top five are the same as in the USA Today rankings, with Boston University, Harvard, Ferris State, Cornell and Michigan State rounding out the top 10.
It marks the second consecutive season that Minnesota has been the preseason No. 1 team in both polls.
The Golden Gophers return 20 letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 28-8-9 record. Minnesota's returns 88 percent of its goal scoring from 2002-03, including 11 of the top 12 scorers from last season. Headlining the Golden Gopher roster is Thomas Vanek, the 2003-04 WCHA preseason Player of the Year, 2002-03 WCHA Rookie of the Year and the nation's leading rookie scorer last season. Other notable returnees include three-year captain Grant Potulny, forwards Troy Riddle, Matt Koalska and Barry Tallackson, All-WCHA defenseman Keith Ballard and veteran goalkeeper Justin Johnson.
The Golden Gophers open official team practices on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 2:45 p.m., following Minnesota's annual Media Day at 12:30 p.m., at Mariucci Arena.
USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll - Preseason
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Minnesota, 481 (25)
2. Michigan, 442 (3)
3. Boston College, 439 (3)
4. New Hampshire, 369
5. North Dakota, 366 (2)
6. Harvard, 301
7. Boston, 267
8. Cornell, 251 (1)
9. Ferris State, 246
10. Colorado College, 202
11. Michigan State, 159
12. Denver, 154
13. Maine, 128
14. Ohio State, 83
15. Minnesota-Duluth, 60
Others receiving votes: Massachusetts, 29; Dartmouth, 21; Minnesota State, Mankato, 16; Miami (Ohio), 19; Northern Michigan, 12; Wisconsin, 10; St. Cloud State, 9; Notre Dame, 8; Providence, 5; Brown, 1; Mercyhurst, 1; Yale, 1.
USCHO Division I Men's Poll - Preseason
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Minnesota, 445 (25)
2. Michigan, 399 (2)
3. Boston College, 354 (2)
4. New Hampshire, 334 (1)
5. North Dakota, 284
6. Boston University, 241
7. Harvard, 233
8. Ferris State, 203
9. Cornell, 187
10. Michigan State, 180
11. Colorado College, 178
12. Maine, 144
13. Denver, 100
14. Ohio State, 84
15. Minnesota-Duluth, 58
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota State 45, Dartmouth 31, Massachusetts 26, St. Cloud State 21, Miami 13, Brown 10, Providence 9, Wisconsin 9, Clarkson 5, Northern Michigan 4, Mercyhurst 2, Bemidji State 1.
