Bemidji State tabbed No. 3/5 in the WCHA preseason polls
Western Collegiate Hockey Association coaches have picked the Bemidji State University men’s hockey team to finish third in the Mankato Free Press Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coaches’ poll, while the league’s media has placed the Beavers fifth in the WCHA Preseason Media Poll.
Defending MacNaughton Cup champion, Minnesota State University, Mankato was selected to repeat in both polls, garnering nine of the 10 possible first-place votes in the coaches’ poll and all 10 first-place votes from the media. Bowling Green picked up the only other first-place vote in the coaches’ poll to hold down the second spot in both polls.
The same five schools – Minnesota State, Bowling Green, Northern Michigan, Bemidji State and Michigan Tech – finished among the top five spots in both the coaches’ and media polls. Bemidji State was the difference-maker placed third, ahead of Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech, by the coaches, while the Wildcats and Huskies finished ahead of the Beavers in the media poll.
Bemidji State received 63 points in the coaches’ poll to sit 19 points behind BGSU (82) in third and 62 points in the media poll to follow the Falcons (68) six points behind in fifth.
Minnesota State’s senior forward Marc Michaelis was selected as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year by WCHA coaches after tallying 42 points (19g-23a) overall to rank second on the team in scoring a year ago, while 24 points (10g-14a) in league play.
The Beavers finished the 2018-19 season with an overall record of 15-17-6, placed fifth in the WCHA with a 13-11-4-2 mark and made their ninth consecutive appearance in the WCHA postseason. Senior defender Justin Baudry earned a spot as a member of the All-WCHA Second Team, Owen Sillinger was selected to the league’s all-rookie team and 15 BSU student-athletes were recognized with 2018-19 WCHA All-Academic awards.
The Beavers host St. Cloud State University at 7:07 p.m. Oct. 11 at Sanford Center to kick off the team’s 16-game 2019-20 regular-season home schedule.
Single-game tickets are on sale now for all 16 of BSU’s home games. Stop by the Sanford Center Box Office or call (218) 441-4032 for more information.