The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) announced its 2025-26 Preseason Coaches Poll and All-WCHA Team selections on Monday. Defending National Champion Wisconsin was selected to win the 2025-26 regular season title by the league's head coaches.
Wisconsin, the 2025 NCAA, WCHA Final Faceoff, and WCHA Regular Season champion, received seven first-place votes and totaled 49 points in the preseason poll. Ohio State, last year's NCAA runner-up, and Minnesota, who was an NCAA Frozen Four participant last season, tied for second place in the poll, each receiving 40 points. The Gophers received the remaining first-place vote. Minnesota Duluth finished fourth in the poll with 31 points after advancing to its fifth-straight NCAA Regional Final last season. St. Cloud State placed fifth with 24, followed by St. Thomas (17), Minnesota State (16), and Bemidji State (7).
The poll results showed an expected tight race as the WCHA has won 22 national championships, heading into its 27th season of competition. The top four teams in the poll qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year. Wisconsin defeated Ohio State in a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory to win the national title game. Minnesota made its 16th NCAA Frozen Four appearance, while Minnesota Duluth reached the NCAA Regional Finals.
Wisconsin's Caroline Harvey was tabbed the WCHA's Preseason Player of the Year. Last season, the Badger blueliner earned her second-straight AHCA First-Team All-American nod, was named the WCHA Defender of the Year for the second time, was a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-3 Finalist, and an All-WCHA First Team selection. Harvey led all WCHA blueliners last season in points with 64 (18g, 45a).
The Badgers' Adéla Šapovalivová was the choice of coaches as the WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year with four of the eight votes. Also receiving one vote each were Minnesota forward Bella Fanale, Minnesota goaltender Layla Hemp, Ohio State defender Jenna Raunio, and Ohio State forward Hilda Svensson.
The preseason ALL-WCHA team, selected by the league's head coaches, features six top returners from last season. The three forwards selected to the team were all named Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 10 Finalists last season, with Minnesota's Abbey Murphy, Ohio State's Joy Dunne, and Wisconsin's Kirsten Simms. Simms, who finished second in the nation in points last season with 71 (25g, 47a), was also named an AHCA First Team All-American and All-WCHA First Team selection. Minnesota's Murphy was an AHCA Second Team All-American and earned All-WCHA Second Team honors last season, while also ranking second in the nation with 33 total goals. Ohio State's Dunne was named to the 2024-25 All-WCHA Second Team and led the Buckeyes with 54 points (29g, 33a) last season.
On defense, Wisconsin's Harvey is joined by Ohio State's Emma Peschel. Peschel was an AHCA Second Team All-American selection last season and earned All-WCHA First Team honors. Rounding out the team in net is Minnesota Duluth's Ève Gascon, who was last season's WCHA Goaltender of the Year. Gascon was an AHCA First Team All-American selection, an All-WCHA First Team member, and named a HCA National Women's Goalie of the Year finalist.
The battle for the Julianne Bye Cup (regular season champion) begins on Friday, Sept. 26, as Bemidji State hosts Wisconsin, while the first full weekend of conference play of the league’s eight teams in four matchups occurs on Friday, Oct. 4.
2025-26 WCHA Coaches Poll
Pl. Team (1st-Place Votes) Points
1. Wisconsin (7) 49
T2. Minnesota (1) 40
T2. Ohio State 40
4. Minnesota Duluth 31
5. St. Cloud State 24
6. St. Thomas 17
7. Minnesota State 16
8. Bemidji State 7
*First-place votes are in parentheses (Coaches could not vote for their own team)
WCHA Preseason Player of the Year: Caroline Harvey, Sr., D, Wisconsin
Others receiving votes: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota
WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year: Adéla Šapovalivová, F, Wisconsin
Others receiving votes: Bella Fanale, F, Minnesota; Layla Hemp, G, Minnesota; Jenna Raunio, D, Ohio State; Hilda Svensson, F, Ohio State.
Preseason All-WCHA Team
F: Abbey Murphy, R-Sr., Minnesota
F: Kirsten Simms, Sr., Wisconsin
F: Joy Dunne, Jr., Ohio State
D: Emma Peschel, Sr., Ohio State
D: Caroline Harvey, Sr., Wisconsin
G: Ève Gascon, Jr., Minnesota Duluth
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically by position):
Forwards: Morgan Smith, So., Bemidji State; Laila Edwards, Sr., Wisconsin; Caitlin Kraemer, So., Minnesota Duluth; Hilda Svensson, Fr., Ohio State.
Defenders: Nelli Laitinen, Sr., Minnesota; Sydney Morrow, Sr., Minnesota; Chloe Primerano, So., Minnesota; Mira Jungåker, So., Ohio State.
Goaltender: Ava McNaughton, Jr., Wisconsin.
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league online at WCHA.com and follow @WCHA_WHockey on X, Instagram, and Facebook.