NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – After winning the 2008 College Hockey America Championship and a run to the NCAA Frozen Four, Bemidji mState has been selected as the preseason favorite to claim the 2009-10 regular season title. The Beavers locked up two first place votes, fi nishing atop the standings with eight points. Niagara fi nished in second with seven points, with Robert Morris (six points) and Alabama-Huntsville (three points) rounding out the rest of the CHA. Fresh off of a career year, Bemidji State forward Matt Read has been tabbed as the 2009 CHA Preseason Player of the Year. A unanimous selection to the 2009 Preseason All-CHA team, Read set new career-highs in goals (15), assists (25) and points (40). Read will be joined on the Preseason All-CHA team by Robert Morris forward Nathan Longpre and Niagara forward Chris Moran. A 2009 All-CHA fi rst team selection, Longpre will be returning for his junior season, after scoring 41 points during the 2008-09 campaign. Moran finished the 2008-09 season with 99 career points, needing just a point to become the 12th member of the Niagara 100-point club.

Bemidji State’s Brad Hunt and Robert Morris’s Denny Urban look to shore up the blueline for the Preseason All-CHA team. Both are members of the 2009 All-CHA fi rst team, with Hunt and Urban fi nishing in fi rst and second place in the points per game category for CHA defensemen last year. Between the pipes for the Preseason All-CHA team is Alabama-Huntsville’s Cameron Talbot. As a sophomore, Talbot earned a 2.95 goals against average, with a .907 save percentage.

The 2009-10 season begins on Saturday, Oct. 3, when Niagara hosts York in an exhibition game at one p.m.

2009 Preseason Poll

     Team                    Points   2008-09 Overall Record     2008-09 CHA Record
1.   Bemidji State       (2) 8        20-16-1                    12-5-1
2.   Niagara University  (2) 7        16-14-6                    9-5-4
3.   Robert Morris           6        10-19-7                    5-8-5
4.   Alabama-Huntsville      3        5-20-5                     3-11-4


2009 Preseason All-CHA Team

Name               Team                 Position      Year
Chris Moran        Niagara              Forward       Senior
Matt Read          Bemidji State        Forward       Junior
Nathan Longpre     Robert Morris        Forward       Junior
Brad Hunt          Bemidji State        Defense       Sophomore
Denny Urban        Robert Morris        Defense       Junior
Cameron Talbot     Alabama-Huntsville   Goalie        Junior