OHIO UNIVERSITY, DEFENDING AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION MEN’S DIVISION I NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, BEGINS SEASON ATOP RANKING #1 AFTER BACK-TO-BACK SWEEPS
Bobcats Seeking a Record Sixth Men’s Division 1 National Championship
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (October 7, 2026) – Ohio University (4-0-0), the defending Men’s Division I National Champions of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, received 34 of 38 first-place votes to start the regular season atop the 2026-2027 ACHA Men’s Division I Ranking #1. The Bobcats pitched three shutouts in four games by sweeping Syracuse University (9-0, 6-0) and University of Cincinnati (5-3, 3-0) in the friendly confines of Bird Arena in Athens, Ohio. Will Cohen (five goals, five assists), Noah Holt (four goals, three assists), Alex Thomas (four goals, two assists), Kevin Kasper (three goals, three assists), and Lance Mengel (goal, five assists) paced the offense while goaltenders Garrett Alderman (two shutouts) and Matt Zazon (shutout) have not allowed a goal.
No. 2 Adrian College (4-0-0), which received three first-place votes, started its season with four home games at Arrington Ice Arena and swept both University of Cincinnati (5-3, 3-0) and Oswego State University (4-0, 2-0). The Bulldogs were directed offensively by Matteo Turrin (three goals, four assists), Noel Englot (three goals, three assists), and Eli Reimer (two goals, four assists) while goaltenders Dylan Eliason (two shutouts) and Peyton Trzaska (shutout) each had a pair of wins.
No. 3 University of Nevada-Las Vegas (2-0-0) started the season with a pair of road wins (5-1, 3-0) over Arizona State University. Oliver Band (two goals, assist), Luke Backel (goal, two assists), and Dylan Gordon (three assists) led the Rebels’ attack while freshman goaltender Liam Choquette stopped 46 of 47 shots on the weekend.
No. 4 Minot State University (4-0-1) started its season with a pair of home games at Maysa Arena in sweeping Arizona State University (3-1, 7-4). The Beavers then hit the road and defeated Maryville University (5-0) before splitting a pair of games with Drury University, losing 3-2 in overtime on Friday before bouncing back with a 6-4 win on Saturday. Colby Joseph (four goals, six assists), Joey Moffatt (three goals, four assists), and Matthew Yakubowski (two goals, three assists) spearheaded the offensive attack while goaltenders Jase Wareham (shutout) and Blake Sittler each have a pair of wins.
Rounding out the Top 5 was No. 5 Niagara University (4-0-0), which received the other first-place vote. The Purple Eagles won four home games by defeating Mercyhurst University (13-0) and West Chester University (3-0) before sweeping Northwood University (4-2, 6-0). Brothers Aiden Kalin (two goals, five assists) and Jakob Kalin (four goals, two assists) guided the offense while goaltender Jacob Dubinsky won all four games, including three shutouts.
Moving into the polls this week is No. 25 John Carroll University while University of Illinois drops out.
The Great Lakes 6 Hockey Conference (GL6) leads the way with six (of 7) of its member teams ranked, while Midwest College Hockey (MCH) has three (of 5) of its member teams ranked, Western Collegiate Hockey League (WCHL) has five (of 10) of its member teams ranked, Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League (ACCHL) has two (of 6) of its member teams ranked, College Hockey Mid-America (CHMA) has two (of 7) of its member teams ranked, Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL) has one (of 8) of its member teams ranked, and Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association (ECHA) has one (of 11) of its member teams ranked.
Over the past 23 seasons, 13 different schools have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship: Lindenwood (4), Adrian (3), Minot State (3), Central Oklahoma (2), Illinois (2), Ohio (2) Arizona State, Davenport, Delaware, Nevada-Las Vegas, Oakland, Penn State, and Rhode Island.
Now in its 36th season of action, there have been a total of 15 schools that have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship:
- Ohio University (5 times – 2026, 2004, 1997, 1996, 1995)
- Penn State University (5 – 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998)
- Lindenwood University (4 – 2022, 2016, 2010, 2009)
- Adrian College (3 – 2024, 2021, 2018)
- Minot State University (3 – 2023, 2019, 2013)
- University Central Oklahoma (2 – 2017, 2015)
- University of Illinois (2 – 2008, 2005)
- North Dakota State University (2 – 1994, 1993)
- University of Nevada-Las Vegas (2025)
- Arizona State University (2014)
- University of Delaware (2012)
- Davenport University (2011)
- Oakland University (2007)
- University of Rhode Island (2006)
- Iowa State University (1992)
A total of 81 teams will compete in Men’s Division I this season, including former Men’s Division II members Farmingdale State College and Sacred Heart University. The University at Buffalo program will compete in Men’s Division II this season while the Men’s Division I team at George Mason University team has folded.
The computer ranking, which will not commence until November 4, will for the thirteenth time determine the 24 teams that qualify for the 2027 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships, which will include the following nine (9) auto bids:
- (ACCHL) Atlantic Coast College Hockey League
- (CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America
- (ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
- (GL6) Great Lakes Six Hockey Conference
- (GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
- (MCH) Midwest College Hockey
- (NECHL) Northeast Collegiate Hockey League
- (WCHL) Western Collegiate Hockey League
- (WHAC) Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
The second ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
The 2027 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey will be hosted March 11-16 for the fifth time at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo. This will be the fourth year of the 24-team format.
| 2026-2027 ACHA Men’s Division I Ranking #1 | |||||||
| Rank | School Name | 1st Votes | M1 Record | Pts | Previous | Conference | Trend |
| 1 | Ohio | 34 | 4-0-0 | 848 | 1 | INDEP | ― |
| 2 | Adrian | 3 | 4-0-0 | 807 | 2 | GL6 | ― |
| 3 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 2-0-0 | 769 | 3 | WCHL | ― | |
| 4 | Minot State | 4-0-1 | 744 | 4 | INDEP | ― | |
| 5 | Niagara | 1 | 4-0-0 | 695 | 6 | ACCHL | ↑1 |
| 6 | Calvin | 2-0-0 | 669 | 5 | GL6 | ↓1 | |
| 7 | Liberty | 4-0-0 | 643 | 7 | INDEP | ― | |
| 8 | Drury | 5-1-0 | 625 | 9 | INDEP | ↑1 | |
| 9 | Jamestown | 1-1-0 | 564 | 8 | MCH | ↓1 | |
| 10 | Mary | 3-1-0 | 542 | 11 | MCH | ↑1 | |
| 11 | Utah | 5-0-0 | 489 | 13 | WCHL | ↑2 | |
| 12 | Maryville | 1-1-0 | 481 | 10 | INDEP | ↓2 | |
| 13 | Grand Canyon | 2-2-0 | 389 | 12 | WCHL | ↓1 | |
| 14 | Purdue Northwest | 2-0-0 | 360 | 17 | GL6 | ↑3 | |
| 15 | Hope | 3-1-0 | 344 | 14 | GL6 | ↓1 | |
| 16 | Arizona | 0-1-1 | 305 | 15 | WCHL | ↓1 | |
| 17 | Missouri State | 4-3-0 | 284 | 16 | WCHL | ↓1 | |
| 18 | West Chester | 4-1-0 | 206 | 22 | ECHA | ↑4 | |
| 19 | Indiana Pennsylvania | 5-2-0 | 193 | 21 | CHMA | ↑2 | |
| 20 | Northwood | 4-2-0 | 180 | 23 | GLCHL | ↑3 | |
| 21 | Davenport | 5-1-1 | 153 | 24 | GL6 | ↑3 | |
| 22 | Midland | 2-2-0 | 150 | 20 | MCH | ↓2 | |
| 23 | Stony Brook | 0-1-0 | 118 | 18 | ACCHL | ↓5 | |
| 24 | Grand Valley State | 0-2-0 | 93 | 19 | GL6 | ↓5 | |
| 25 | John Carroll | 4-2-0 | 32 | NR | CHMA | ↑1 | |
Others receiving votes: Kentucky, Illinois, Farmingdale State, Rhode Island, Oregon, Colorado, Drexel, Alabama, Kent State, New York, Toledo, Cleary, Indiana Tech, Mercyhurst, New Jersey, Oswego State, and Western Michigan.
# # #
About American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) was founded in 1991 and is the national association for Non-NCAA Collegiate Hockey throughout the United States. Our organization of more than 560 colleges and university-affiliated teams representing 48 states provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the sport of Hockey nationwide. With approximately 16,000 players and coaches as well as countless volunteers and game officials, the ACHA has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and continues to be a viable option for college-bound student-athletes to continue playing competitive hockey nationwide. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA’s primary mission is to support the growth of Collegiate Hockey while emphasizing academic performance, personal development, and opportunities for regional, national, and international competition. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and entered its 36th season in September 2026. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
