American Hockey Magazine, the official publication of USA Hockey, had
its preseason top 10 in the Oct 94 issue. Not much in the way of
surprises here - their top 4 consists of last year's Final Four.
AMERICAN HOCKEY MAGAZINE PRESEASON TOP 10
The College Hockey Pre Season Poll was prepared by a panel of
America's leading college hockey journalists.
1. BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS - The determined Terriers are the class
of the East, looking to rebound from a loss to Lake Superior State in
the NCAA Championship game last season. Boston University features
the solid goaltending of Derek Herlofsky (Minneapolis, Minn.), along
with explosive scoring from forwards Jay Pandolfo (Burlington, Mass.)
and Jacques Joubert (South Bend, Ind.).
2. LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY LAKERS - Coach Jeff Jackson's
defending NCAA Champions are once again anchored atop the rugged
Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Loads of returning talent
should help the Lakers reach their fourth consecutive NCAA title game.
Jackson will also serve as head coach for the 1995 United States
National Junior Team.
3. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS - Coach Doug Woog's Golden
Gophers lost the 1993-94 Western Collegiate Hockey Association
regular-season title by one point, but rebounded to claim first place
in the conference playoffs. The Gophers feature several outstanding
freshmen, including Ryan Kraft (Moorhead, Minn.) and Mike Crowley
(Bloomington, Minn.).
4. HARVARD UNIVERSITY CRIMSON - An overtime loss to Lake Superior
State in the NCAA semifinals last year ended Harvard's season. A
strong group of returning players, including goaltender Tripp Tracy
(Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.), should keep coach Ronn Tommasoni's team
atop the Eastern College Athletic Conference standings.
5. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN WOLVERINES - Coach Red Berenson's Wolverines
cruised to the 1993-94 Central Collegiate Hockey Association
regular-season title and won the league playoffs before being upset in
the NCAA Tournament. The loss of several key players, including
forward Ryan Sittler (Amherst, N.Y.), hurt the Wolverines, but a solid
group of returning sophomores should strengthen the Michigan scoring
attack.
6. CLARKSON UNIVERSITY GOLDEN KNIGHTS - The pre-season favorite in the
Eastern College Athletic Conference last year, Clarkson finished
behind Harvard and underachieved in the post-season. Clarkson's
lineup for this season features Hobey Baker Award hopeful Brian
Mueller (Liverpool, N.Y.), a versatile defenseman who scored 56 points
last year.
7. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTANS - The Spartans' top four scorers
and leading goaltender return from a team that finished third in the
Central Collegiate Hockey Association last year. Look for head coach
Ron Mason to boost his career victory total, which stands at 699
entering the 1994-95 season and is an NCAA record.
8. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY HUSKIES - After challenging Boston
University for Hockey East supremacy last season, coach Ben Smith's
Huskies are ready to once again make a run for the top of the
conference standings. Only two regulars from last year's team were
lost to graduation and a talented group of forwards return.
9. COLORADO COLLEGE TIGERS - Overlooked by the NCAA Tournament
selection committee after winning the Western Collegiate Hockey
Association regular-season title last year, the Tigers are a hungry
bunch. With virtually all of his key players back, second-year head
coach Don Lucia will try to repeat the remarkable success Colorado
College enjoyed in 1993-94.
10. ST CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY HUSKIES - The Huskies were a surprise
team during the 1993-94 regular season and stretched arch-rival
Minnesota into overtime during the championship game of the Western
Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs. St Cloud's top six scorers,
including Kelly Hultgren (Bloomington, Minn.) and Bill Lund (Roseau,
Minn.), return.
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Mike Machnik [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc. *HMM* 11/13/93
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