WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Beavers picked to finish 6th in WCHA preseason poll
Sep. 13—BLOOMINGTON — The Bemidji State women's hockey team was voted to finish sixth of eight teams in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was released on Tuesday.
The Beavers earned 16 points in the poll, placing them one point ahead of seventh-place St. Cloud State and nine points behind fifth-place Minnesota State. BSU was selected to finish sixth for the second consecutive season, a projection they validated in 2021-22 by ending the year sixth in the league standings.
Minnesota took the top spot in the poll with 44 points and three first-place votes, with defending national champion Ohio State (43 points, three first-place votes) and Wisconsin (42 points, two first-place votes) rounding out the top three.
Reigning Patty Kazmaier Award winner Taylor Heise of Minnesota was named WCHA Preseason Player of the Year, and Wisconsin's Caroline Harvey has been dubbed Preseason Rookie of the Year.
Ohio State's Emma Maltais and Sophie Jaques, as well as Minnesota Duluth's Gabbie Hughes and Ashton Bell, join Heise on the Preseason All-WCHA Team.
Bemidji State starts its season with a home nonconference series against Lindenwood on Sept. 23-24 at the Sanford Center.
2022-23 WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll
1-Minnesota 44; 2-Ohio State 43; 3-Wisconsin 42; 4-Minnesota Duluth 31; 5-Minnesota State 25; 6-Bemidji State 16; 7-St. Cloud State 15; 8-St. Thomas 8.
