University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Move Up to No. 1 In the Nation
2/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
With a win and a tie against Wisconsin last weekend, the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team has jumped from the No. 2 ranking to No. 1 in both the U.S. College Hockey Online and USA Today/USA Hockey polls. After the series in Minneapolis, the two teams switched places as the Badgers entered last weekend’s series as the top team in the nation and dropped to second place this week. The Gophers lead the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings with 43 points, compared to Wisconsin’s 42, heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. It is the second time the Gophers have been ranked as the nation’s top team, dating back earlier this year in the Jan. 12th and 19th polls. In the USCHO.com poll, Minnesota beat out Wisconsin by two points (43) and eight first-place votes, while UW is second with 141 points and seven first-place votes. Mercyhurst is ranked third, followed by Minnesota Duluth in fourth. The Gophers took 18 of 19 first-place votes in the USA Today poll and held 189 points to Wisconsin's one first-place vote and 171 points. The Bulldogs are ranked third in the USA Hockey poll and Mercyhurst is ranked fourth.
Minnesota hosts North Dakota this weekend, Feb. 13-14 at Ridder Arena. Friday’s game is set for 6:07 p.m., followed by a 4:07 p.m. start on Saturday. North Dakota holds the fifth-spot in the WCHA standings behind the Gophers, Badgers, Minnesota Duluth, and St. Cloud State. UND enters Friday’s contest with a 13-13-4 overall record and a 9-12-3 mark in the WCHA.
