MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY REMAINS IN NO. 1 SPOT IN AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION RANKING #11
Beavers Get Home Sweep Over Midland University
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (January 21, 2026) – Minot State University (17-1-2) remains in the top spot of 2025-2026 ACHA Men’s Division I Ranking #11 for the second consecutive week. The Beavers jumped out to three goal leads both nights while sweeping Midland University (5-2, 5-1) in the friendly confines of Maysa Arena. Leading the Beavers offensively were Trenton Curtis (three goals), Christian Kadolph (three assists), Sheldin Howard (two goals), Jaxon Grosdidier (goal, assist), and Sean Williams (two assists). Goaltender Blake Sittler picked up both wins to remain undefeated on the season (5-0-0) while Elijah Marchese was saddled with both losses for the Warriors.
No. 2 Ohio University (22-3-0) swept University of Pittsburgh (5-2, 4-2) at Bird Arena in Athens, Ohio. Leading the Bobcats attack over the Panthers was Luc Reeve (goal, three assists), Jack Glen (three assists), Noah Holt (two goals), Hollander Thompson (two goals), Drake Albers (goal, assist), Laker Aldridge (goal, assist), Mathieu Ovaert (goal, assist), and Drake Nabozny (two assists). Goaltender Scott Bird, undefeated on the season (6-0-0), got the win on Friday making 25 saves while teammate Garrett Alderman got the win on Saturday making 26 saves. Panthers goaltender Elijah Wiltshire had 84 saves on the weekend, including 51 on Friday night.
No. 3 University of Nevada-Las Vegas (17-3-0) was idle this past weekend but will be back in action this weekend in Las Vegas at City National Arena against Colorado State University.
No. 4 Drury University (19-2-0) split a pair of home games at Brightspeed Ice Park in Springfield, Mo., against No. 6 Maryville University (11-6-1). Saturday night, defenseman Grady Sterling-Ponech put the Panthers up 1-0 just 2:46 into the contest before Sam Edwards sniped a power play goal at the midpoint of the second period to tie the game at 1-1 for the Saints. The third period was scoreless, sending the game into 3-on-3 overtime, where Joe Davidson sent the Panthers to victory with a goal 3:19 into the extra frame. Despite being outshot 27-19, Panthers goaltender Jozef Kuchaslo stopped 26 shots for the victory while counterpart Lucas Bain finished with 17 saves. Saturday, the Saints got a measure of revenge with a 5-4 victory when Brett Ursulak netted his second goal of the game to break a 4-4 tie with only 4:59 remaining in regulation. The Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 8:16 into the first period before three consecutive goals by the Saints, highlighted by Ursulak’s first goal on the power play, put them up 3-2 after two periods of play. A mere 0:59 into the third period, Anmol Garcha recorded his tenth goal of the season to tie it 3-3. Jack Henderson responded for the Saints to put them back in front 4-3 at the 4:57 mark but Garcha netted his second goal in under ten minutes to tie it up again at 4-4, setting the stage for Ursulak’s heroics. Goaltender Parker Sawka finished with 29 saves for the win while Kuchaslo made 34 saves in recording the loss for the Panthers.
Rounding out the Top 5 is Niagara University (14-4-0), which was idle this past weekend. The Purple Eagles will hit the road this weekend to face No. 9 Liberty University at the LaHaye Ice Center in Lynchburg, Va.
Moving into the polls this week are No. 22 Stony Brook University and No. 23 University of Pittsburgh while Colorado State University and Davenport University drop out of the Top 25.
The Great Lakes 6 Hockey Conference leads the way with five (of 7) of its member teams ranked, while Midwest College Hockey has four (of 7) of its member teams ranked, Western Collegiate Hockey League has five (of 11) of its member teams ranked, Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League has three (of 10) of its member teams ranked, Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference has one (of 6) of its member teams ranked, College Hockey Mid-America has one (of 7) of its member teams ranked, and Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association has one (of 11) of its member teams ranked.
Over the past 22 seasons, 13 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, Nevada-Las Vegas, Oakland, Ohio, Penn State, and Rhode Island.
Now in its 35th season of action, there have been a total of 15 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 Nevada-Las Vegas
- University of Rhode Island
A total of 81 teams will compete in Men’s Division I this season, including former Men’s Division II members Central Michigan University, North Carolina State University, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and University of North Carolina, along with former Men’s Division III members Hope College, the reigning ACHA Men’s Division III National Champions, and University of Michigan-Flint. The Concordia University Ann Arbor program, which made the announcement to relocate to Siena Heights University back in April, folded in July before getting to play a game as the Saints.
The computer ranking will for the twelfth time determine the 24 teams that qualify for the 2026 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships, which will include the following six auto bids:
- (CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America
- (ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
- (GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
- (MCH) Midwest College Hockey
- (WCHL) Western Collegiate Hockey League
- (WHAC) Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
The twelfth ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
The 2026 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey will be hosted March 12-17 for the fourth time at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo. This will be the third year of the 24-team format.
| 2025-2026 ACHA Men’s Division I Ranking #11 | |||||
| Rank | School Name | M1 Record | Previous | Trend | Conference |
| 1 | Minot State | 17-1-2 | 1 | ― | MCH |
| 2 | Ohio | 22-3-0 | 2 | ― | INDEP |
| 3 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 17-3-0 | 3 | ― | WCHL |
| 4 | Drury | 19-2-0 | 5 | ↑1 | INDEP |
| 5 | Niagara | 14-4-0 | 4 | ↓1 | INDEP |
| 6 | Maryville | 11-6-1 | 6 | ― | INDEP |
| 7 | Jamestown | 15-9-0 | 8 | ↑1 | MCH |
| 8 | Adrian | 17-4-2 | 7 | ↓1 | GL6 |
| 9 | Liberty | 14-6-0 | 9 | ― | INDEP |
| 10 | Calvin | 11-4-2 | 11 | ↑1 | GL6 |
| 11 | Mary | 17-8-1 | 10 | ↓1 | MCH |
| 12 | Utah | 8-8-1 | 13 | ↑1 | WCHL |
| 13 | Grand Canyon | 16-4-0 | 12 | ↓1 | WCHL |
| 14 | Hope | 17-6-0 | 15 | ↑1 | GL6 |
| 15 | Purdue Northwest | 12-11-1 | 14 | ↓1 | GL6 |
| 16 | Grand Valley State | 14-7-2 | 18 | ↑2 | GL6 |
| 17 | Arizona | 8-7-3 | 16 | ↓1 | WCHL |
| 18 | Midland | 7-13-4 | 17 | ↓1 | MCH |
| 19 | Missouri State | 9-6-5 | 19 | ― | WCHL |
| 20 | Kentucky | 18-1-1 | 20 | ― | ACCHL |
| 21 | West Chester | 16-7-0 | 23 | ↑2 | ECHA |
| 22 | Stony Brook | 11-9-2 | NR | ↑4 | ACCHL |
| 23 | Pittsburgh | 10-9-3 | NR | ↑3 | ACCHL |
| 24 | Indiana Pennsylvania | 20-3-3 | 24 | ― | CHMA |
| 25 | Indiana Tech | 11-6-5 | 21 | ↓4 | WHAC |
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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 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 35th season in September 2025. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
