SB Nation’s Women’s D1 College Hockey Poll: Wisconsin debuts at the top

Welcome to the first edition of TheIceGarden.com’s Women’s D1 College Hockey Poll.  In conjunction with BC Interruption’s Senior Writer Grant Salzano, I will be publishing the aggregated votes and providing a summary of the results that Grant collects from SB Nation writers countrywide.

We decided to create this poll due to the diverse and well-distributed writers that cover women’s hockey for SB Nation and felt that their voices should be heard.  As a result, a third major poll was born, and we hope that this will give another informed perspective to our readers.

We sincerely hope you bookmark our page and check in every Monday henceforth to see our updated rankings.

1.   Wisconsin (2-0-0), (14) 167 -- Last Week: 1

• Last Week: No games
• Coming week: v Ohio State (10/7, 10/8)/

The Badgers came into the season as huge favorites on the back of Patty Kaz Finalist Ann-Renee Desbiens and started beating up St Cloud on the road.  They were off last week and, as a result, were the winners of the week with other top teams struggling. Their upcoming games against a reeling Ohio State should keep them up top, but they then start a grueling road trip that includes Clarkson and North Dakota.

2.  Minnesota (2-0-0), (3) 156 — Last Week: 2

• Last Week: W 3-0 v Lindenwood (9/30), W 6-2 v Lindenwood (10/1)
• Coming week: @ Bemidji State (10/7, 10/8)/

A weekend that saw them sweep Lindenwood while hoisting their National Championship banner was just what they needed, shutting them out on banner night.  Their second game saw them tied after one, and only up by one after the second, they then pulled away in the third. That is not the type of play you want against Lindenwood, but they were able to pick up a first place vote on idle Wisconsin.  They have a challenging couple of weeks coming up with Bemidji State and Minnesota-Duluth.

3.  Quinnipiac (2-0-0), 116 — Last Week: 4

• Last Week: W 5-4 v Maine (9/30), W 3-0 v Maine (10/1)
• Coming week: @UConn (10/7), @New Hampshire (10/8)/

Quinnipiac jumped out to an early 5-0 lead on Maine who then came back to threaten with four unanswered goals in their first matchup but held on for the win.  The Bobcats then shut out Maine to finish the sweep. With Boston College’s struggles they moved into third.  A light upcoming schedule should see them stay up here.

4. Clarkson (2-0-0), 113 — Last Week: 5

• Last Week: W 4-2 v Penn State (9/30), W 2-1 v Penn State
• Coming week: @Saint Lawrence (10/7), v Saint Lawrence (10/8)/

The Golden Knights got the predictable results against a still up and coming Penn State team and were able to move up into a home ice slot.  They will be challenged with a surging Saint Lawrence team and, the top team in the land, Wisconsin in the coming weeks.

5. Minnesota-Duluth (1-0-1), 83 — Last Week: ARV

• Last Week: T 3-3 v Boston College (9/30) W 5-2 v Boston College (10/1)
• Coming week: v Minnesota State (10/7, 10/8)/

This week’s belles of the ball were the Bulldogs by far.  A tie and a dominant win over Boston College at home vaulted them from a vote outside of the top 10 to a strong fifth place position this week.  While they have a light week coming up, the next week could see them prove their rank or plummet.

6.  Boston College (0-1-1), 81 — Last Week: 3

• Last Week: T 3-3 v Minnesota-Duluth (9/30), L 2-5 v Minnesota Duluth
• Coming week: v Maine (10/8, 10/9)/

After a strong preseason that saw them give the defending Isobel Cup Champion Boston Pride (aka Team USA) a run for their money this was not the weekend the Eagles or their fans wanted to see after a near perfect season last year.  The first tie was shocking, but the dismantling in game two should be a wake up call that the Eagles will use to punish Hockey East foes the rest of the year.  They have a pair of light weekends before drawing Quinnipiac.

7. Colgate (2-0-0), 69 — Last Week: 8

• Last Week: W 4-2 v New Hampshire (10/1), W 3-1 v New Hampshire (10/2)
• Coming week: v Merrimack (10/7, 10/8)/

The Raiders took care of business against New Hampshire and have a light schedule leading up to ECAC play while drawing the light end of the conference to start.  They have been the trendy pick and look to build on it.

8.  North Dakota (1-0-1), 56 — Last Week: 6

• Last Week: W 3-1 @Mercyhurst (9/30), T 1-1 @Mercyhurst (10/1)
• Coming week: @St Cloud State (10/7, 10/8)/

They struggled at Mercyhurst but look to rebound in St Cloud.  They are the highest ranked team that doesn’t appear on all ballots.

9.  Princeton (0-0-0), 48 -- Last Week: 7

• Last Week: No Games
• Coming week: No Games/

The Ivy League starts their season late.  The Tigers will open on the road against a weaker Providence team.

T10. Bemidji State (2-0-0), 16 — Last Week: ARV

• Last Week: W 2-1 @Syracuse (9/30), W 3-0 @Syracuse (10/1)
• Coming week: v Minnesota (10/7, 10/8)/

Bemidji went on the road and started their season off strong against a Syracuse team that is predicted to be the cream of the CHA crop, and as a result a NCAA tournament team.

T10. Boston University (1-0-0), 16 — Last Week: 10

• Last Week: No Games
• Coming week: v New Hampshire (10/7) @Vermont (10/9)/

The Terriers had a bye week after starting the season off with a convincing, if penalty filled, conference win over Providence.  They will have a pair of conference games that should put them in great position in conference play for the season.

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Also Receiving Votes: Saint Lawrence 11, Harvard 2, Robert Morris 1