The Western Collegiate Hockey Association placed five teams in both of the nation's preseason Division I college women's hockey top 15 polls that were released this week prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign.

Wisconsin was the number one ranked team in both The Rink Live/USA hockey poll and the USCHO.com poll.  WCHA teams also ranked second and third in both polls as Ohio State received the number two ranking and Minnesota place third in both poll.

Minnesota Duluth placed seventh in the USCHO.com poll and seventh in The Rink Live/USA Hockey poll, while St. Cloud State completed the list of league teams with a number 13 ranking in both polls.  Of note, Minnesota State also received votes in this week's USCHO.com poll.

The defending NCAA Division I champion, Wisconsin completed its 2023-24 season with a 29-10-2 overall record and was 19-7-2 in the WCHA.  Ohio State won the 2023-24 regular season championship with a 23-4-1 record and placed second in the NCAA tournament in 2023.  Overall, the Buckeyes finished their season with a 33-6-2 record.  

Minnesota won the WCHA Final Faceoff championship in 2023 and placed second in the league standings last year with a 22-3-3 record (30-6-3 overall).  Minnesota along with UMD and Wisconsin all advanced to the 2023 NCAA Frozen Four. Minnesota Duluth completed its 2022-23 season with a 26-10-3 overall record and was 17-8-3 in conference play.  UMD was also one of the four WCHA teams selected to play in the 2023 NCAA tournament.

St. Cloud State finished the 2022-23 campaign with an 18-18-1 overall record and was 11-6-1 in the WCHA play under the leadership of first year head coach Brian Idalski.  Minnesota State was 15-20-1 overall and 9-18-1 in the WCHA last year.

The WCHA will celebrate 25 seasons of women's hockey play in 2023-24 and the league has established itself as the premier women's college hockey league in the nation.  WCHA teams have won an unprecedented 20 national titles since beginning play in 1999-20.

The league will be celebrating a quarter century of excellence on the ice throughout the season with on-campus salutes to the WCHA on designated weekends throughout the season along with the naming of the league's top 25 team.

Listed below are The Rink Live/USA Hockey and USCHO.com polls:

The Rink Live/USA Hockey Poll - Preseason 2023-24
1. Wisconsin, 284 (18
2. Ohio State, 267 (1)
3. Minnesota, 237 
4. Colgate, 229
5. Northeastern, 199
6. Yale, 186
7. Minnesota Duluth, 178
8. Quinnipiac, 153
9. Clarkson, 118
10. Cornell, 104
11. Penn State, 89
12. Vermont, 69
13. St. Cloud State, 59
14. Providence, 48
15. Princeton, 21

USCHO.com Poll - Preseason 2023-24
1. Wisconsin, 293 (15)
2. Ohio State, 283 (4)
3. Minnesota, 245
4. Colgate, 240 (1)
5. Northeastern, 208
6. Yale, 198
7. Minnesota Duluth, 176
8. Quinnipiac, 156
9. Clarkson, 125
10. Cornell, 95
11. Penn State, 84
12. Vermont, 74
13. St. Cloud State, 67
14. Providence, 60
15. Princeton, 28

Receiving Votes: Connecticut 24, Mercyhurst 15, Boston College 14, Boston University 7, St. Lawrence 7, Minnesota State 1