Boston College Athletics
W. Ice Hockey Ranked Fifth in Preseason USCHO Poll
September 20, 2011 | Women's Hockey
Sept. 20, 2011
Minneapolis, Minn. -The Boston College women's ice hockey team was ranked No. 5 on the USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll released Monday. This is the highest preseason ranking in program history and the sixth time in seven years that the Eagles have been tabbed as one of the nation's top 10 programs heading into the season.
Defending NCAA Champion Wisconsin received all 14 first-place votes from the constituency of 14 Division I coaches and one media representative. Boston University, Cornell and Minnesota round out the top four.
Sitting just behind the Eagles at No. 6 is Minnesota-Duluth. North Dakota (7), Mercyhurst (8), Quinnipiac (9), Dartmouth (10) and Providence (10) complete the USCHO.com poll.
Boston College's highest preseason ranking had been eighth, received prior to the 2007-08 campaign.
Seven of the Eagles first 10 games pit them against teams featured in the poll. BC opens the season with a two-game series at No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth, hosts No. 9 Qunnipiac on Oct. 21, travels to No. 10 Providence on Oct. 28, and begins a home and home series with No. 2 BU on Nov. 2.
Boston College will lace up against eighth-ranked Mercyhurst for two games Dec. 9-10.
| USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll | ||||
| Team | Points | First Place Votes | 10-11 Record | Final Ranking |
| 1. Wisconsin | 140 | 14 | 37-2-2 | 1 |
| 2. Boston University | 116 | --- | 27-7-4 | 2 |
| 3. Cornell | 111 | --- | 31-3-1 | 4 |
| 4. Minnesota | 96 | --- | 26-10-2 | 6 |
| 5. Boston College | 85 | --- | 24-7-6 | 3 |
| 6. Minnesota-Duluth | 75 | --- | 22-9-3 | 5 |
| 7. North Dakota | 44 | --- | 20-13-3 | 9 |
| 8. Mercyhurst | 42 | --- | 29-6-0 | 7 |
| 9.Quinnipiac | 17 | --- | 22-12-3 | NR |
| 10. Dartmouth | 12 | --- | 22-12-0 | 8 |
| 10. Providence | 12 | --- | 22-12-1 | 10 |
Others receiving votes: Northeastern 11, Harvard 8, Ohio State 1.
