MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY LOSES FIRST GAME BUT STILL RETAINS TOP SPOT IN THE AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION MEN’S DIVISION I RANKINGS
Beavers Split with Ohio University; In Top Spot for Eighth Consecutive Ranking
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (February 8, 2023) – Minot State University retains the top spot in the 2022-2023 American Collegiate Hockey Association Men’s Division 1 Ranking No. 14 for the eighth consecutive ranking period. The Beavers (22-1-0) suffered its first defeat in Men’s Division I action this season on Friday at Bird Arena in Athens, Ohio, as Ohio University (24-5-1) secured a 5-3 victory. Andrew Wells paced the Bobcat attack with two goals and an assist while Justin Damon turned aside 33 shots. On Saturday, trailing 5-4 after two periods of play and in danger of being swept, the Beavers popped in three goals in a four-minute span early in the third period in an 8-5 victory. Drew Carter, two goals and an assist, and Carter Barley, four assists, paced the Beavers offensively. Despite the split, the Bobcats moved up a spot to No. 3.
No. 2 Adrian College (23-2-2) traveled to the LaHaye Ice Center in Lynchburg, Va. and split a pair of games with Liberty University (13-9-1). Sebastian Smith put the Bulldogs up 2-0 with a pair of first period goals including the ESPN highlight reel game-winner as they took the opener 3-1. Saturday, the Flames jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Bulldogs tied it at 2-2 early in the third period. Brett Gammer put the Flames up 3-2 only to have Samuel Spaedt knot the score at 3-3 with 5:19 remaining in regulation. Overtime did not determine a winner either, but goals by Jason Foltz and Lazarus Kaebel on the first two shootout attempts gave the Flames the 4-3 (2-0) victory.
No. 4 University of Nevada-Las Vegas (18-3-0) split a pair of conference games over University of Utah at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Rebels struck first on Friday night with a 6-1 victory as they peppered goaltender Joseph Greilich with 47 shots on goal while Rebel goaltender Landon Pavlisin stopped 32 shots. Saturday, it was the Utes that launched 54 shots at Rebel goaltender Zach Wickson while the Utes’ Landon Anderson turned aside 36 shots for the 5-1 victory.
Moving into the polls this week is No. 24 Missouri State University while dropping out of the Top 25 is University of Rhode Island.
The Western Collegiate Hockey League (WCHL) leads the way with seven (of 10) of its member teams ranked, while the Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL) has two (of 3) of its member teams ranked, the Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL) has four (of 9) of its member teams ranked, the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) has three (of 7) of its member teams ranked, the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League (ESCHL) has three (of 8) of its member teams ranked, and Midwest College Hockey (MCH) has two (of 6) of its member teams ranked.
The ACHA uses two computer rankings generated by USHSHO.com, Ranking A (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 7) and Ranking B (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 1), then comes up with an average of the two rankings. The ACHA will then use the list generated from the average for its weekly ranking. Ties will be broken using the higher ranked team from Ranking B until the Top 25 teams are listed. All games that go to overtime will be scored as ties in the computer ranking.
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.
Now in 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 of 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 will for the ninth time determine the 20 teams that qualify for the 2023 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey, which will include the following eight auto bids:
- (CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America (PLAYOFF CHAMPION)
- United States Naval Academy – (ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
- (ESCHL) Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League (REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION)
- (GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (PLAYOFF CHAMPION)
- (MCH) Midwest College Hockey (PLAYOFF CHAMPION)
- (NECHL) Northeast Collegiate Hockey League (PLAYOFF CHAMPION)
- (WCHL) Western Collegiate Hockey League (REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION)
- (WHAC) Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (PLAYOFF CHAMPION)
The fifteenth ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.
The 2023 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey 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 Ranking #14 | ||||
| Rank | School Name | M1 Record | Previous | Conference |
| 1 | Minot State | 22-1-0 | 1 | INDEP |
| 2 | Adrian | 23-2-2 | 2 | GLCHL |
| 3 | Ohio | 24-5-1 | 4 | CSCHL |
| 4 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 18-3-0 | 3 | WCHL |
| 5 | Liberty | 13-9-1 | 5 | INDEP |
| 6 | Central Oklahoma | 22-7-1 | 6 | WCHL |
| 7 | Indiana Tech | 28-1-1 | 7 | WHAC |
| 8 | Jamestown | 15-6-0 | 8 | MCH |
| 9 | Grand Valley State | 28-5-0 | 9 | GLCHL |
| 10 | Maryville | 16-9-0 | 11 | CSCHL |
| 11 | Pittsburgh | 16-5-3 | 10 | ESCHL |
| 12 | Illinois State | 24-3-2 | 12 | MCH |
| 13 | Niagara | 18-6-1 | 13 | ESCHL |
| 14 | Calvin | 16-6-3 | 15 | GLCHL |
| 15 | Lawrence Tech | 21-4-2 | 16 | WHAC |
| 16 | Arizona | 13-7-4 | 14 | WCHL |
| 17 | Utah | 13-10-1 | 18 | WCHL |
| 18 | Stony Brook | 15-7-2 | 17 | ESCHL |
| 19 | Arizona State | 15-12-1 | 19 | WCHL |
| 20 | Grand Canyon | 13-9-2 | 21 | WCHL |
| 21 | Purdue Northwest | 17-5-1 | 22 | GLCHL |
| 22 | Indiana Pennsylvania | 19-6-0 | 20 | CHMA |
| 23 | Michigan-Dearborn | 16-9-2 | 23 | WHAC |
| 24 | Missouri State | 11-13-2 | NR | WCHL |
| 25 | Oswego State | 19-5-1 | 24 | NECHL |
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About American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a recognized 501(c)3 organization of almost 450 college and university-affiliated programs which provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the quality of collegiate ice hockey throughout the United States. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA’s primary mission is to support the growth and development of college hockey programs nationwide. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and entered its 32nd season in September 2022. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
