BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Defending league champion Minnesota is the pick among league head coaches to win the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's 2022-23 regular season title.
The Gophers totaled 44 points and three first place votes in preseason polling among the WCHA's eight coaches. The results of the poll showed an expected tight race featuring the league’s premier players.
Defending National Champion Ohio State also received three first place votes and tallied 43 points to finish second in the poll, just one point shy of the top spot.
Wisconsin finished third with 42 points and received two first place votes, while NCAA Tournament runner-up Minnesota Duluth finished fourth with 31 points.
Minnesota State was predicted to finish fifth with 25 points while Bemidji State was tabbed for sixth with 16 points, while St. Cloud State trailed by just one point for seventh place at 15 points. For its second season at the Division I level, St. Thomas rounded out the year's poll with eight points.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
After collecting the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Award and named the Most Valuable Player at the recent IIHF Women’s World Championship, Minnesota’s Taylor Heise was named WCHA Preseason Player of the Year with seven votes. Ohio State senior forward and Canadian gold medalist at both the Beijing Olympics and World Championships, Emma Maltais also received one vote among coaches.
Another medalist in Wisconsin’s Caroline Harvey is the coaches’ choice as WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year. A defender, Harvey won a silver medal at both the Beijing Olympics and Women’s Worlds for the United States in 2022. Her Wisconsin teammate in forward Kirsten Simms received two votes in the poll.
PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
The Preseason All-WCHA Team features five seniors and above, including the 2022 WCHA Offensive Player of the Year in Minnesota’s Heise. Maltais (Ohio State) and Minnesota Duluth’s Gabbie Hughes round out the forward selections. Another Olympic gold medalist in Ashton Bell (Minnesota Duluth) and the 2022 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year in Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques were awarded preseason spots on the blueline. Ohio State’s Amanda Thiele rounds out the team at goaltender after being the 2021-22 WCHA Goaltending Champion.
INTERNATIONAL ACTION
There are more world-class players than ever in the WCHA this season. A dozen players who competed at the recent IIHF Women’s World Championship will be playing in the WCHA, including two gold medalists in Maltais and Bell, as well as five silver medalists in Heise (Minnesota), Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota), Harvey (Wisconsin), Lacey Eden (Wisconsin) and Jesse Compher (Wisconsin). Two bronze medalists also take to the ice with the WCHA this season with Klara Hymlarova (St. Cloud State) and Blanka Skodova (Minnesota Duluth).
Bell and Maltais also won gold medals at the Olympics where Minnesota’s Abbey Murphy and Zumwinkle with Wisconsin’s Harvey won silver medals, while Minnesota’s Nelli Laitinen and St. Cloud State’s Jenniina Nylund won bronze.
WHEN THE PUCK DROPS
The WCHA opens its 158-game regular season schedule the week of Sept. 22 when Wisconsin plays a nonconference series at Penn State. More nonconference action begins on Sept. 23-24 as Bemidji State hosts Lindenwood, and Minnesota Duluth travels to Long Island. Conference play begins Sept. 30-Oct. 1 when Ohio State travels to Minnesota State.
2022-23 WCHA COACHES POLL
Coaches could not vote for their own team. First place votes are in parentheses.
- Minnesota (3) 44 points
- Ohio State (3) 43
- Wisconsin (2) 42
- Minnesota Duluth 31
- Minnesota State 25
- Bemidji State 16
- St. Cloud State 15
- St. Thomas 8
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year: Taylor Heise, 5Yr., F, Minnesota (7 votes).
Others receiving votes: Emma Maltais, Grad., Fr., Ohio State (1).
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year: Caroline Harvey, Fr., D, Wisconsin (6).
Others receiving votes: Kirsten Simms, Fr., F, Wisconsin (2).
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forward - Gabbie Hughes, Grad., Minnesota Duluth
Forward - Taylor Heise, 5Yr., Minnesota
Forward - Emma Maltais, Grad., Ohio State
Defense - Sophie Jaques, Grad., Ohio State
Defense - Ashton Bell, 5Yr., Minnesota Duluth
Goaltender - Amanda Thiele, Jr., Ohio State
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically by position):
Forwards – Jesse Compher, Sr., Wisconsin; Britta Curl, RSr., Wisconsin; Lacey Eden, RSo., Wisconsin; Grace Zumwinkle, 5Yr., Minnesota.
Defense – Caroline Harvey, Fr., Wisconsin; Nicole LaMantia, Grad., Wisconsin; Anna Wilgren, Sr., Minnesota State.
Goaltender: Emma Soderberg, Grad., Minnesota Duluth.
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league on Twitter and Instagram @WCHA_WHockey, and online at wcha.com.
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