MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY TAKES OVER TOP SPOT IN AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION RANKING #1
Beavers Have Been No. 1 Ranked Team for 29 of Last 33 Rankings
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (October 9, 2024) – Minot State University (3-0-0) received 12 out of 40 first-place votes to start the regular season atop the 2024-2025 ACHA Men’s Division I Ranking #1. The Beavers, which have held the top spot in 29 of the last 33 rankings, got off to a hot start with a tough road sweep on the Big Pond over University of Illinois (1-0, 4-3) and a road win over current #8 University of Mary (5-4). No. 2 Adrian College (1-0-1), the defending Men’s Division I National Champions, defeated Illinois State University 6-2 on Friday night before succumbing to the Redbirds (5-4 OT-SO) on Saturday afternoon, and received 16 first place votes. No. 3 University of Nevada-Las Vegas (0-0-0), Men’s Division I national runners-up in 2024, were swept in an exhibition road series against NCAA Division 1 Lindenwood University (5-1, 6-3) at Centene Community Ice Center. The Rebels received four first place votes. No. 4 Ohio University (4-0-0) received four first place votes after sweeping Kent State University (4-1, 5-1) and #9 Maryville University (4-0, 4-2). Rounding out the Top 5 and receiving two first place votes was Liberty University (4-0-0), which swept former #10 University of Pittsburgh (6-0, 11-0) and #22 University of Delaware (8-3, 3-2 OT).
Moving into the polls this week is No. 23 University of Oklahoma and No. 25 West Chester University.
Dropping out of the Top 25 are University of Rhode Island and Iowa State University.
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 seven (of 11) of its member teams ranked, Midwest College Hockey has four (of 10) of its member teams ranked, and Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League has two (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.
Now in 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 73 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 second ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, October 16, 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 Ranking #1 | ||||||
| Rank | School Name | 1st Votes | M1 Record | Pts | Previous | Conference |
| 1 | Minot State | 12 | 3-0-0 | 853 | 3 | MCH |
| 2 | Adrian | 16 | 1-0-1 | 851 | 1 | GL6 |
| 3 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 4 | 0-0-0 | 813 | 2 | WCHL |
| 4 | Ohio | 4 | 4-0-0 | 795 | 4 | INDEP |
| 5 | Liberty | 2 | 4-0-0 | 759 | 5 | INDEP |
| 6 | Jamestown | 6-0-0 | 705 | 8 | MCH | |
| 7 | Purdue Northwest | 2-0-0 | 636 | 7 | GL6 | |
| 8 | Mary | 6-1-0 | 618 | 11 | MCH | |
| 9 | Maryville | 5-2-1 | 613 | 9 | INDEP | |
| 10 | Calvin | 4-0-0 | 555 | 12 | GL6 | |
| 11 | Niagara | 5-0-0 | 527 | 15 | INDEP | |
| 12 | Grand Valley State | 3-1-0 | 413 | 13 | GL6 | |
| 13 | Grand Canyon | 0-0-0 | 411 | 14 | WCHL | |
| 14 | Oswego State | 5-1-2 | 365 | 17 | NECHL | |
| 15 | Pittsburgh | 4-4-0 | 318 | 10 | ESCHL | |
| 16 | Central Oklahoma | 1-3-0 | 304 | 6 | WCHL | |
| 17 | Utah | 3-0-1 | 280 | 19 | WCHL | |
| 18 | Missouri State | 3-2-1 | 261 | 16 | WCHL | |
| 19 | Arizona | 3-1-0 | 228 | 20 | WCHL | |
| 20 | Indiana Tech | 2-0-0 | 212 | 21 | WHAC | |
| 21 | Illinois State | 1-4-1 | 209 | 18 | MCH | |
| 22 | Delaware | 2-1-1 | 188 | 22 | ESCHL | |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 6-0-0 | 98 | NR | WCHL | |
| 24 | Indiana Pennsylvania | 4-2-0 | 97 | 23 | CHMA | |
| 25 | West Chester | 5-0-1 | 78 | NR | ECHA | |
Others receiving votes: Drury, Canisius, John Carroll, Arizona State, Temple, Rhode Island, Colorado, Villanova, Navy, Drexel, Stony Brook, George Mason, Illinois, Iowa State, Northwood, Davenport, and Toledo.
# # #
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 entered its 34th season in September 2024. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
