Four ECAC Hockey League Teams Listed in USCHO Preseason Women's Poll

ALBANY, N.Y. --- Four women's teams from the ECAC Hockey League were represented in the USCHO preseason national poll, released today (Oct. 4). Dartmouth led the way, ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation.

The Big Green earned 129 points in the voting and was bested by Minnesota, which earned the top spot with 150 points and 15 first-place votes.

Harvard was fourth in the poll after finishing the 2003-04 season as the No 2 team in the nation. The Crimson garnered 107 points. St. Lawrence was right behind Harvard in the No. 5 spot with 88 points, while Brown rounds out the Top 10 with 23 points.

Princeton gave the ECACHL an additional team on the list, as the Tigers were listed among others receiving votes.

Harvard, St. Lawrence and Dartmouth comprised three of last year's NCAA Frozen Four teams.

St. Lawrence (2003-04: 28-10-1 overall) and Harvard (2003-04: 30-4-1 overall) finished the regular season tied for first place in the ECACHL with identical 15-3-0 league records and then faced each other throughout the playoffs with the Crimson coming out on top in both the league tournament and the NCAA Frozen Four. Dartmouth (2003-04: 24-8-2 overall) entered the ECACHL tournament after posting a 14-3-1 mark in the league for third place. The Big Green drew eventual champion Minnesota in the NCAA semifinals.

Preseason USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll (October 4, 2004)

Team, points 2003-04 Record
1. Minnesota (15), 150 30-4-2
2. Dartmouth, 129 24-8-2
3. Wisconsin, 110 25-6-3
4. Harvard, 107 30-4-1
5. St. Lawrence, 88 28-10-1
6. Minnesota-Duluth, 75 20-12-2
7. New Hampshire, 51 23-9-4
8. Mercyhurst, 46 26-6-4
9. Providence,, 30 21-13-2
10. Brown, 23 18-11-2
Others Receiving Votes: Princeton 7, Ohio State 5, Minnesota State 4

(first-place votes in parenthesis)