Women's Hockey Garners Top-10 Rankings in National Preseason Polls

Harvard is aiming for a return trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2010-11 (Gil Talbot).

USCHO.com Preseason Poll

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Preseason Poll

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard women's ice hockey team has received top-10 preseason rankings in both national polls as the Crimson is ranked eighth in the USCHO.com poll and ninth in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, the organizations announced this week. Defending champion Minnesota Duluth was picked No. 1 in both polls and defending ECAC tournament champion Cornell was ranked No. 2.

The Crimson received 35 votes in the USCHO.com poll and 39 in the USA Today rankings. Harvard is one of just three ECAC Hockey teams to garner a top-10 preseason ranking, as the Big Red (2/2) and Clarkson (7/7) also appear in the polls. Harvard ended last season with a 20-8-5 overall record and was picked to finish third in the league in the ECAC Hockey preseason poll.

Local rivals Boston College (8/9) and Boston University (4/6) also appear in both polls, and the Crimson is slated to face both squads during the regular season.

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Preseason Poll
1. Minnesota Duluth, 187 (18)
2. Cornell, 167
3. Mercyhurst, 136 (1)
4. Boston University, 132
5. Wisconsin, 115
6. Minnesota, 106
7. Clarkson, 70
8. Boston College, 46
9. Harvard, 39
10. Ohio State, 12

USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll
1. Minnesota-Duluth, 148 (14)
2. Cornell, 121
3. Mercyhurst, 115
4. Minnesota, 98 (1)
5. Wisconsin, 87
6. Boston University, 86
7. Clarkson, 51                   
8  Harvard, 35                  
9. Boston College, 32                        
10. New Hampshire, 18                    
10. Providence, 18