Albany, NY (Sept. 23, 2004) – The ECAC Hockey League
has announced the results of both the coaches and media preseason men's hockey
polls. Cornell leads the coaches' poll,
while Dartmouth was given the top spot
by the media. The results of this year's voting were announced at the League's
annual media day event held at the Pepsi Arena.
Cornell led the coaches' poll with 108 points and received four first-place
votes. Colgate and Dartmouth tied for second place
with 102 points and two first-place votes each, while Harvard was picked fourth
with 98 points and matched the Big Red with four No. 1 votes. Clarkson and Rensselaer round out the top half
of the poll in fifth (82 pts.) and sixth (68) place, respectively.
On the media side, Dartmouth was the top choice
taking 13 first-place votes and 304 points. Cornell earned the No. 2 spot by
the media with 285 points and 11 first-place nods. Colgate, with three
first-place votes and 269 points and Harvard with 247 points were tabbed third
and fourth, respectively. The media tabbed Clarkson and Rensselaer in the same way as the
coaches, ranking the schools fifth and sixth.
Union was selected to finish
tied for tenth with Vermont in the coaches poll and ninth in the media poll. Head coach Nate Leaman isn't too concerned
with Union's low rank considering the competition in the
league. “Preseason polls haven't meant a
lot in past years because the league is so tight,” said Leaman. “We have been picked low in previous years
and have had home ice. The league is
extremely competitive and there is not much difference between No. 1 and 12.”
The
Dutchmen open their season on the road against Colorado College on October 15th.
| ECACHL 04-05 Men's Preseason Coaches Poll | ECACHL 04-05 Men's Preseason Media Poll |
| 1. Cornell – 108 points (4) | 1. Dartmouth – 304 points (13) |
| 2. Colgate – 102 (2) | 2. Cornell – 285 (11) |
| 2. Dartmouth – 102 (2) | 3. Colgate – 269 (3) |
| 4. Harvard – 98 (4) | 4. Harvard – 247 |
| 5. Clarkson – 82 | 5. Clarkson – 221 |
| 6. Rensselaer – 68 | 6. Rensselaer – 177 |
| 7. Brown – 57 | 7. St. Lawrence – 136 |
| 8. St. Lawrence – 56 | 8. Brown – 120 |
| 9. Yale – 42 | 9. Union – 110 |
| 10. Union – 33 | 10. Yale – 109 |
| 10. Vermont – 33 | 11. Vermont – 105 |
| 12. Princeton – 12 | 12. Princeton – 31 |
First-place votes in parenthesis