UNION LAKE, Mich. – (January 10, 2024) – Minot State University (19-4-0) starts 2024 in the top spot in the 2022-2023 American Collegiate Hockey Association Men’s Division 1 Ranking No. 10. The Beavers have now held the top spot for all but two weeks this season and for 22 of the last 24 rankings. The Beavers finished their 2023 ACHA schedule by defeating rival University of Mary 3-1 back on December 13. Reid Arnold scored a power play goal just 0:43 into the third period to break a 1-1 tie before Sheldin Howard got his second goal of the game into the empty net for a 3-1 victory. The Beavers then traveled to Colorado to take on two current Top 20 ranked NCAA Division I opponents on December 29 and 30, losing to both Colorado College (7-1) and University of Denver (9-3). The start of 2024 got the Beavers back to their winning ways as they traveled to City National Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and swept the No. 5 University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Friday night was a back-and-forth affair before Mattias Dal Monte tied it at 4-4 with only 1:47 left in regulation for the Rebels. Neither team was able to score in overtime but Christian Kadolph and Joey Moffatt both scored in the shootout to give the Beavers the 5-4 OT (2-0 SO) win. Saturday night, Riley Wallace stopped all 21 Rebel shots for the 5-0 shutout win while Reece Henry and Trenton Curtis each had a goal and an assist.
Adrian College (16-2-0) was idle while University of Central Oklahoma (17-3-0) swept a pair of home games at Arctic Edge Ice Arena over Iowa State University. The Bronchos blitzed the Cyclones 12-1 on Friday night and broomed them out of town on Saturday with a 4-1 victory. Davin Burton (goal, 5 assists), Adam Stalzer (3 goals, assist), Zach Guerra (2 goals, 2 assists), Sam Sykes (goal, 3 assists), and Vitalii Mikhailov (goal, 3 assists) paced the Broncho attack.
No. 4 University of Jamestown (15-5-0) was idle while University of Nevada-Las Vegas (15-5-1) rounds out the Top 5.
Moving into the polls this week is No. 21 West Chester University, No. 23 Colorado State University, No. 24 University of Oklahoma, and No. 25 Davenport University, while University of Michigan-Dearborn, Syracuse University, Stony Brook University, and Arizona State University drop out of the Top 25.
The Western Collegiate Hockey League leads the way with seven (of 10) of its member teams ranked, while Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League has five (of 10) of its member teams ranked, Midwest College Hockey has three (of 7) of its member teams ranked, and Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League has three (of 8) of its member teams ranked.
The ACHA uses two computer rankings generated by USHSHO.com, Ranking A (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 7) and Ranking B (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 1), to come up with an average of the two rankings. The ACHA will then use the list generated from the average for its weekly ranking. Ties will be broken using the higher ranked team from Ranking B until the Top 25 teams are listed. All games that go to overtime will be scored as ties in the computer ranking.
Over the past 20 seasons, 12 different schools have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship: Lindenwood University (4), Minot State University (3), Adrian College (2), University of Central Oklahoma (2), University of Illinois (2), Arizona State University, Davenport University, University of Delaware, Oakland University, Ohio University, Penn State University, and University of Rhode Island.
Now in its 33rd season of action, there have been a total of 14 schools that have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship:
- Penn State University (5 times)
- Lindenwood University (4)
- Ohio University (4)
- Minot State University (3)
- Adrian College (2)
- North Dakota State University (2)
- University Central Oklahoma (2)
- University of Illinois (2)
- Arizona State University
- Davenport University
- Iowa State University
- Oakland University
- University of Delaware
- University of Rhode Island
A total of 72 teams will compete in Men’s Division I this season, including University of Mary, which moves up from Men’s Division II after winning back-to-back National Championships in 2021 and 2022.
The computer ranking will for the tenth time determine the 24 teams that qualify for the 2024 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships, which will include the following eight auto bids:
- (CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America
- (ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
- (ESCHL) Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
- (GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
- (MCH) Midwest College Hockey
- (NECHL) Northeast Collegiate Hockey League
- (WCHL) Western Collegiate Hockey League
- (WHAC) Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
The eleventh ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
The 2024 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey will be hosted March 7-12 for the second time at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo. This will be the first year of the 24-team format.