University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Ranked Fourth in Season-Opening Poll
9/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
The University of Minnesota women's hockey team enters the 2010-11 season as the fourth-ranked team in the nation, announced today by U.S. College Hockey Online. The Golden Gophers received one first-place vote and rank fourth overall entering their first weekend of play.
Defending NCAA champion and conference rival, Minnesota Duluth, holds the No. 1 spot and has 14 first-place votes. NCAA runner-up Cornell is ranked second, while Mercyhurst rounds out the top three. Following Minnesota is Wisconsin (No. 5), Boston University (6), Clarkson (7), Harvard (8), Boston College (9) and New Hampshire (10). Looking to get into the poll is Ohio State, North Dakota, St. Lawrence and Quinnipiac, which all received votes. The USCHO.com poll is compiled weekly and consists of 15 voters, including 14 coaches of Division I programs and three women's hockey writers.
To start the season, the Gophers will already face a nationally-ranked team as they travel to Potsdam, N.Y. to take on No. 7 Clarkson this weekend. Friday's game is set for a 7 p.m. start, while Saturday's tilt is at 3 p.m. (ET).
USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll
Minneapolis, Minn./September 27, 2010
Team (First Place) Record Pts Last Year
1 Minnesota-Duluth (14) 31- 8-2 148 2
2 Cornell 21- 9-6 121 6
3 Mercyhurst 30- 3-3 115 1
4 Minnesota ( 1) 26- 9-5 98 3
5 Wisconsin 18-15-3 87 NR
6 Boston University 17- 9-12 86 8
7 Clarkson 23-12-5 51 5
8 Harvard 20- 8-5 35 4
9 Boston College 8-17-10 32 NR
10 New Hampshire 19- 9-5 18 7
10 Providence 15-11-9 18 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Ohio State 9, North Dakota 4,
St. Lawrence 2, Quinnipiac 1
