ADRIAN COLLEGE, DEFENDING MEN’S DIVISION I NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, STARTS ATOP AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION PRESEASON RANKING FOR 2024-2025 SEASON
Bulldogs Also Won National Championships in 2018 and 2021
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (September 11, 2024) – Adrian College (31-5-0), the defending Men’s Division I National Champions of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, received 21 out of 24 first-place votes to come in as this year’s pick for the top spot in the 2024-2025 ACHA Men’s Division I Preseason Ranking. No. 2 University of Nevada-Las Vegas (28-7-2), Men’s Division I national runners-up in 2024, have finished in the Top 5 each of the last three seasons. No. 3 Minot State University (30-6-2), Men’s Division I National Champions in both 2018 and 2021 and runners-up in 2023, received the other three first place votes. The Beavers have finished no lower than ninth place in all 19 Men’s Division I Nationals it has competed in since its first appearance in 2000. Rounding out the Top 5 was No. 4 Ohio University (26-8-4), which has 31 Top 10 finishes at Men’s Division I Nationals, and No. 5 Liberty University (20-10-1), which has 12 Top 10 finishes in 15 appearances at Men’s Division I Nationals.
The Great Lakes 6 Hockey Conference, playing in its inaugural season, leads the way with four (of 6) of its member teams ranked, while Western Collegiate Hockey League has six (of 11) of its member teams ranked, Midwest College Hockey has five (of 10) of its member teams ranked, and Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League has three (of 6) of its member teams ranked.
Over the past 21 seasons, 12 different schools have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship: Lindenwood (4), Minot State (3), Adrian (3), Central Oklahoma (2), Illinois (2), Arizona State, Davenport, Delaware, Oakland, Ohio, Penn State, and Rhode Island.
Entering its 34th season of action, there have been a total of 14 schools that have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship:
- Penn State University (5 times)
- Lindenwood University (4)
- Ohio University (4)
- Adrian College (3)
- Minot State University (3)
- North Dakota State University (2)
- University Central Oklahoma (2)
- University of Illinois (2)
- Arizona State University
- Davenport University
- Iowa State University
- Oakland University
- University of Delaware
- University of Rhode Island
A total of 74 teams will compete in Men’s Division I this season, including former Men’s Division II member Drury University and former Men’s Division III members Northwood University and Saginaw Valley State University.
The computer ranking, which will not commence until November 1, will for the eleventh time determine the 24 teams that qualify for the 2025 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships, which will include the following eight auto bids:
- (CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America
- (ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
- (ESCHL) Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
- (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 first ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, October 9, 2024.
The 2025 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey will be hosted March 13-18 for the third time at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo. This will be the second year of the 24-team format.
| 2024-2025 ACHA Men’s Division I Preseason Ranking | ||||||
| Rank | School Name | 1st Votes | M1 Record | Pts | Previous | Conference |
| 1 | Adrian | 21 | 31-5-0 | 499 | 1 | GL6 |
| 2 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 28-7-2 | 467 | 2 | WCHL | |
| 3 | Minot State | 3 | 30-6-2 | 457 | 5 | MCH |
| 4 | Ohio | 26-8-4 | 436 | 4 | INDEP | |
| 5 | Liberty | 20-10-1 | 410 | 6 | INDEP | |
| 6 | Central Oklahoma | 28-6-2 | 401 | 3 | WCHL | |
| 7 | Purdue Northwest | 29-6-1 | 371 | 7 | GL6 | |
| 8 | Jamestown | 24-11-0 | 352 | 9 | MCH | |
| 9 | Maryville | 23-10-2 | 343 | 10 | INDEP | |
| 10 | Pittsburgh | 21-14-2 | 332 | 8 | ESCHL | |
| 11 | Mary | 23-14-1 | 297 | 11 | MCH | |
| 12 | Calvin | 22-9-2 | 274 | 12 | GL6 | |
| 13 | Grand Valley State | 21-9-2 | 258 | 13 | GL6 | |
| 14 | Grand Canyon | 18-14-1 | 231 | 14 | WCHL | |
| 15 | Niagara | 19-10-1 | 226 | 17 | INDEP | |
| 16 | Missouri State | 14-17-2 | 188 | 15 | WCHL | |
| 17 | Oswego State | 24-9-2 | 166 | 16 | NECHL | |
| 18 | Illinois State | 24-12-1 | 163 | 19 | MCH | |
| 19 | Utah | 16-11-2 | 149 | 18 | WCHL | |
| 20 | Arizona | 15-14-1 | 122 | 20 | WCHL | |
| 21 | Indiana Tech | 25-11-1 | 120 | 21 | WHAC | |
| 22 | Delaware | 16-10-4 | 92 | 22 | ESCHL | |
| 23 | Indiana Pennsylvania | 22-8-2 | 57 | 23 | CHMA | |
| 24 | Rhode Island | 21-12-3 | 32 | 24 | ESCHL | |
| 25 | Iowa State | 10-10-0 | 14 | 25 | MCH | |
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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 450 colleges and university-affiliated teams representing 48 states provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the sport of Hockey nationwide. With approximately 13,000 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 enters its 34th season in September 2024. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
