Oct. 29, 2004

UW-Stevens Point has been picked to win the 2005 NCHA Championship in the annual Coaches poll.

UW-SP, which placed second last year in the final regular season standings, picked up three first place votes and finished with 33 points. The Pointers finished 19-7-4 overall last year and won the NCHA playoff championship game, 2-1 in two overtimes over UW-Superior. The Pointers advanced to the NCAA Div. III National Championships where they finished second, losing to Middlebury, Vt., College, 2-1. It was the first time that a NCHA women's team played for the National Championship. The Pointers finished 11-4-1 in NCHA played and tied for second (with UW-River Falls) in the final standings. The Pointers are coached by Brian Idalski.

UW-Superior was picked by the league coaches to finish second. The Yellowjackets also had three first place votes and finished with 30 total points. UW-S won the 2004 NCHA regular season title with a 12-4-0 record and 24 points. The Jackets finished 19-7-1 overall. UW-S Coach Dan Laughlin was named the 2004 NCHA Coach of the Year.

UW-River Falls was picked to place third in this year's voting. The Falcons finished with 26 points. UW-RF finished 17-9-1 overall and 11-4-1 in NCHA play. They tied with UW-SP for third place in the final standings. The Falcons are coached by Joe Cranston, who was named the 2003 NCHA Coach of the Year.

UW-Eau Claire received 18 votes and was picked to place fourth. The Blugolds, under Coach Mike Collins, finished fourth in the final NCHA standings last year with a 5-11-0 record. UW-EC finished 10-15-2 overall - the 10 wins is a school record.

Lake Forest received 13 votes and is picked to finish fifth. The Foresters, under Coach Susie Bellizzi, finished fifth in the final NCHA standings in 2004 with an 0-16-0 record. The Foresters were 2-22-1 overall.

Finlandia University was added to the women's division at the NCHA 2004 spring meeting and will compete in the league for the first time in 2004-05. Coach Chris Salani will lead the Lions into their first year of varsity competition. The Lions received six votes and are picked to finish sixth.

NCHA action starts on Nov. 5 with five games - Lake Forest travels to Augsburg, Eau Claire goes to St. Olaf, River Falls is at St. Catherine, Superior is at St. Benedict and Finlandia is at St. Mary's.

Go to the 2004 poll

Go to the 2004-05 Composite Schedule