Hockey Climbs to No. 15 in Both National Polls
2/21/2012 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Feb. 21, 2012
OXFORD, Ohio - A sweep of then-No. 13 Notre Dame has vaulted the Miami University hockey team back into the top 15 in both national polls, which were released Monday, including a return to the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll for the first time since Oct. 17. The RedHawks have been ranked in the USCHO.com Poll for six straight weeks now and 11 of 20 polls this year.
Miami jumped four spots in the USCHO Poll, earning 331 points compared to 147 last week. In the USA Today Poll, the 'Hawks totaled 55 points, up from nine just last week. Colorado College sits just behind Miami in both polls as the Tigers are first among "others receiving votes" in the USA Today Poll with 27 points while CC is No. 16 in the USCHO Poll with 254 points, 77 points behind the RedHawks.
The top four in both national polls is the same with CCHA foe Ferris State, who has clinched a share of the CCHA regular-season title, No. 1 in the land, earning 36 of 50 first-place votes and 979 points in the USCHO Poll compared to 28 of 34 first-place votes and 504 points in the USA Today Poll. Boston College moved up to No. 2, earning the remaining six first-place votes in the USA Today Poll and 11 first-place votes in the USCHO Poll after three wins last week. CCHA rival Michigan is third, picking up the final three first-place votes in the USCHO Poll after sweeping Northern Michigan, while defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth ranks fourth.
In the USCHO Poll, Boston University slipped to No. 5 and fell to No. 6 in the USA Today Poll after going 1-2 last week. Minnesota holds the opposite positions at No. 6 in the USCHO Poll and No. 5 in the USA Today Poll after a sweep of Bemidji State. UMass-Lowell and Union College are seventh and eighth, respectively, in both polls. No. 9 Denver, who Miami beat earlier this year, and No. 10 Maine, round out the top 10 in the USCHO Poll while Cornell is ninth and Denver 10th in the USA Today Poll.
Cornell is 11th in the USCHO Poll, while Maine holds that spot in the USA Today Poll. Spots 12 through 14 are the same teams in both polls but a different order. In the USA Today Poll, North Dakota moved up three spots to No. 12 while Merrimack fell four spots to No. 13 after being swept by Boston College and CCHA foe Michigan State, who Miami swept earlier this year, entered the poll in 14th with 92 points, 37 ahead of the RedHawks, who round out the 15-team poll. In the USCHO Poll, Merrimack dropped to No. 12 while the Spartans are 13th after sweeping Alaska and North Dakota is 14th with 384 points, 53 more than Miami.
After Colorado College in the 20-team USCHO Poll is three CCHA foes in No. 17 Ohio State, who the RedHawks face this weekend, No. 18 Notre Dame, who slid five spots after being swept by Miami, and Western Michigan in 19th. Colgate completes the poll at No. 20. A total of seven CCHA teams are ranked in the USCHO Poll, while four CCHA teams are ranked in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll.
In the latest Inside College Hockey (INCH) Power Rankings, the RedHawks moved up four spots to No. 13, which is third among CCHA teams behind No. 1 Ferris State and No. 6 Michigan. In the all-important PairWise Rankings, which help determine NCAA Tournament berths, the 'Hawks are tied for 11th with Denver, improving two spots from last week.
Miami hosts No. 17 Ohio State Friday at 6:05 p.m. at Steve Cady Arena on Senior Night before heading to Columbus to wrap up the regular season against the Buckeyes Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
--MURedHawks.com--
