FORMER TWO-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA STARTS ATOP AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION MEN’S DIVISION I PRESEASON RANKING
Defending National Champions Lindenwood Have Moved Up to NCAA Division I
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (September 14, 2022) – University of Central Oklahoma, the Men’s Division I National Champions in both 2015 and 2017 and Runners-Up in 2022, received 7 out of 22 first-place votes to come in as this year’s pick for the top spot in the 2022-2023 ACHA Men’s Division I Preseason Ranking. No. 2 University of Nevada-Las Vegas, which reached the semi-finals for the first time in 2022, received five first-place votes. No. 3 Adrian College, Men’s Division I National Champions in both 2018 and 2021, received three first-place votes. No. 4 Minot State University, Men’s Division I National Champions in both 2013 and 2019, received five first-place votes, while Liberty University and Stony Brook University rounded out the Top 6 respectively and each received a first-place vote.
The Central States Collegiate Hockey League leads the way with three (of 3) of its member teams ranked, while the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League has six (of 8) of its member teams ranked, the Western Collegiate Hockey League has six (of 10) of its member teams ranked, and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference has four (of 7) of its member teams ranked.
Over the past 19 seasons, 12 different schools have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship: Lindenwood (4), Central Oklahoma (2), Illinois (2), Minot State (2), Adrian (2), Arizona State, Davenport, Delaware, Oakland, Ohio, Penn State, and Rhode Island.
Entering its 32nd 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 (2)
- Minot State University (2)
- 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 70 teams will compete in Men’s Division I this season, including these new members: College of New Jersey, University of Oregon, Purdue University Northwest, and San Diego State University. The defending Men’s Division I National Champions of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, Lindenwood University, has departed to play NCAA Men’s Division I while Iowa State University is on a school suspension for the 2022-23 season.
The computer ranking, which will not commence until after November 1, will for the ninth time determine the 20 teams that qualify for the 2023 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
- (WCHL) Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
The first ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, October 12, 2022.
The 2023 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships will be hosted March 16-21 for the first time at the New England Sports Center (NESC) in Marlborough, Mass. This will be the eleventh year of the 20-team format.
| 2022-2023 ACHA Men’s Division 1 Preseason Ranking | ||||||
| Rank | School Name | 1st Votes | M1 Record | Pts | Previous | Conference |
| 1 | Central Oklahoma | 7 | 31-5-0 | 426 | 2 | WCHL |
| 2 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 5 | 26-5-1 | 421 | 3 | WCHL |
| 3 | Adrian | 3 | 24-6-0 | 419 | 4 | GLCHL |
| 4 | Minot State | 5 | 25-3-0 | 396 | 9 | INDEP |
| 5 | Liberty | 1 | 21-9-1 | 391 | 6 | INDEP |
| 6 | Stony Brook | 1 | 22-7-2 | 360 | 7 | ESCHL |
| 7 | Ohio | 17-15-5 | 333 | 8 | CSCHL | |
| 8 | Indiana Tech | 26-4-3 | 313 | 10 | WHAC | |
| 9 | Maryville | 22-9-1 | 294 | 11 | CSCHL | |
| 10 | Missouri State | 19-11-3 | 285 | 12 | WCHL | |
| 11 | Pittsburgh | 27-5-1 | 249 | 14 | ESCHL | |
| 12 | Jamestown | 10-14-5 | 248 | 15 | MCH | |
| 13 | Niagara | 28-5-1 | 213 | 18 | ESCHL | |
| 14 | Illinois | 20-16-1 | 209 | 13 | CSCHL | |
| 15 | Michigan-Dearborn | 22-10-2 | 207 | 16 | WHAC | |
| 16 | Arizona | 14-12-3 | 179 | 17 | WCHL | |
| 17 | Aquinas | 19-7-2 | 155 | 19 | WHAC | |
| 18 | Davenport | 20-9-1 | 128 | 21 | GLCHL | |
| 19 | Utah | 12-8-4 | 115 | 20 | WCHL | |
| 20 | Arizona State | 14-14-0 | 106 | 22 | WCHL | |
| 21 | Rhode Island | 18-10-2 | 103 | 23 | ESCHL | |
| 22 T | Delaware | 19-12-2 | 78 | 25 | ESCHL | |
| 22 T | Lawrence Tech | 19-11-2 | 78 | 24 | WHAC | |
| 24 | Midland | 13-15-3 | 20 | NR | MCH | |
| 25 | Drexel | 11-12-2 | 7 | NR | ESCHL | |
Others receiving votes: Grand Canyon, Illinois State, New York, Navy, Robert Morris, and Syracuse.
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