ECAC Announces Men's West Preseason Coaches Poll

Click here for the full release

CENTERVILLE, Mass. - If the 2011-12 preseason coaches’ poll is any indication, the 2011-12 ECAC Men’s West ice hockey season will be one of the most exciting and electric in recent memory.  Elmira, Utica and Neumann share the top spot in the preseason poll with 20 points apiece, with the Knights and Pioneers each collecting two first-place votes.  Elmira, the defending conference champion, also earned a first-place vote.

The ECAC Men’s West opens play with three of its five teams represented in the initial United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) poll, released on Oct. 10.  Elmira leads the pack as the No. 6 team in the nation, followed by Neumann at No. 11 and Utica at No. 13.  Another strong year is expected from the ECAC Men’s West, which saw all five teams finish above .500 overall a season ago.

Elmira remains near the top of the ECAC after a 15-6-4 overall record during the 2010-11 season.  Led by 2011 ECAC Men’s West Defensive Player of the Year Martin Lee, the then-No.7-ranked Soaring Eagles finished 8-3-1 in conference play, defeating Neumann 5-1 in the conference championship. Elmira reached the NCAA Division III Tournament with an at-large bid.

Neumann finished last season with an overall record of 13-7-5, including a 7-4-1 conference record, good for second place in the conference standings.  Due to their outstanding play during the regular season, the No. 11 Knights also entered the NCAA Division III tournament with an at-large bid.  

The Utica College Pioneers finished the 2010-11 season in third place with an overall record of 17-7-1, falling to Neumann in the ECAC semifinals. Pioneers coach Gary Heenan enters his 10th season at the helm of the program as the reigning ECAC Men’s West Coach of the Year after leading Utica to a 6-5-1 league record.

Manhattanville enters the 2011-12 season after finishing 15-9-1 last year.  The Valiants will see a new face behind the bench as 12-year head coach Keith Levinthal recently announced that he would step down.  Manhattanville appointed Eric Lang to the men’s position after coaching the Manhattanville women’s ice hockey team for three seasons.  Lang led the 2010-11 Valiant women’s squad to a 4-2 road win over eventual NCAA Division III National Champion Norwich in the ECAC Women’s East title game to acquire the conference’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament.

The Statesmen of Hobart hope to continue a recent stream of success following a 14-9-2 record last season, a playoff win against Manhattanville and a spot in the ECAC Men’s West semifinals.  Finishing with a 4-7-1 conference record, Hobart hopes to follow defenseman Brad Richard and goalie Nick Broadwater, both 2011 Second-Team All-ECAC West selections, to conference contention.

Elmira will start its season against No. 2-ranked and 2011 national runner-up Oswego State at home on Friday.  The first ECAC Men’s West conference game will be between Elmira and Utica, Nov. 4, at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.