Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green Selected To Finish First In WCHA Preseason Polls
September 20, 2016 | Ice Hockey
EDINA, Minn. – The Bowling Green men's hockey program was voted to finish first in both the 2016 Mankato Free Press WCHA Coaches' and the Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Media preseason polls, announced Tuesday afternoon.
The Falcons, who marked a 22-14-6 (17-7-5 WCHA) record in the 2015-16 season will be returning nine of its top-10 scorers for the upcoming 2016-17 campaign. Bowling Green tallied 89 points in the coaches' preseason poll, and had eight of 10 votes for the top finish on the year.
The four schools that made the WCHA one of just two Division I conferences (along with Hockey East) to have at least four, 20-win teams in 2015-16 sit atop both polls in identical order: Bowling Green, followed by reigning MacNaughton Cup co-champions Michigan Tech and Minnesota State, and defending Broadmoor Trophy winner Ferris State.
2016-17 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rk. Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. Bowling Green (8) 89
2. Michigan Tech (2) 79
3. Minnesota State 71
4. Ferris State 70
5. Northern Michigan 54
6. Bemidji State 48
7. Lake Superior State 44
8. Alaska Anchorage 29
9. Alabama Huntsville 23
10. Alaska 21
Teams received 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote, etc., while coaches could not vote for their own teams.
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year:
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Forward, Ferris State (seven votes)
The other three players receiving votes for Player of the Year honors all come from the Falcons squad. Junior defensemen Mark Friedman, junior forward Brandon Hawkins, and junior goalkeeper Chris Nell were each nominated for the award as well.
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year:
Parker Tuomie, Forward, Minnesota State (four votes)
Preseason All-WCHA Team:
Forwards
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Ferris State
Dominik Shine, Sr., Northern Michigan
Brandon Hawkins, Jr., Bowling Green (tie)
Corey Mackin, So., Ferris State (tie)
Defensemen
Mark Friedman, Jr., Bowling Green
Matt Roy, Jr., Michigan Tech
Goaltender
Chris Nell, Jr., Bowling Green
Senior defenseman Sean Walker was also nominated for the Mankato Free Press Preseason All-WCHA Team.
2016-17 Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Media Poll
Rk Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. Bowling Green (15) 251
2. Michigan Tech (6) 239
3. Minnesota State (5) 236
4. Ferris State (2) 218
5. Northern Michigan 161
6. Bemidji State 144
7. Lake Superior State 106
8. Alaska 68
9. Alabama Huntsville 66
10. Alaska Anchorage 50
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., F, Ferris State
Both senior defenseman Sean Walker, and junior goaltender Chris Nell were also nominated for the preseason award.
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year
Cameron Clarke, D, Ferris State
From Bowling Green, defenseman Alec Rauhauser and forwards Frederic Letourneau and Casey Linkenheld all earned votes in the preseason poll for the Rookie of the Year honors.
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forwards
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Ferris State
Dominik Shine, Sr., Northern Michigan
Tyler Heinonen, Sr., Michigan Tech
Defensemen
Mark Friedman, Jr., Bowling Green
Matt Roy, Jr., Michigan Tech
Goaltender
Chris Nell, Jr., Bowling Green
The Bowling Green hockey program will open the 2016-17 season on Saturday, Oct. 1 as it welcomes Windsor to the BGSU Ice Arena at 12 p.m. for exhibition play.
The Falcons, who marked a 22-14-6 (17-7-5 WCHA) record in the 2015-16 season will be returning nine of its top-10 scorers for the upcoming 2016-17 campaign. Bowling Green tallied 89 points in the coaches' preseason poll, and had eight of 10 votes for the top finish on the year.
The four schools that made the WCHA one of just two Division I conferences (along with Hockey East) to have at least four, 20-win teams in 2015-16 sit atop both polls in identical order: Bowling Green, followed by reigning MacNaughton Cup co-champions Michigan Tech and Minnesota State, and defending Broadmoor Trophy winner Ferris State.
2016-17 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rk. Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. Bowling Green (8) 89
2. Michigan Tech (2) 79
3. Minnesota State 71
4. Ferris State 70
5. Northern Michigan 54
6. Bemidji State 48
7. Lake Superior State 44
8. Alaska Anchorage 29
9. Alabama Huntsville 23
10. Alaska 21
Teams received 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote, etc., while coaches could not vote for their own teams.
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year:
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Forward, Ferris State (seven votes)
The other three players receiving votes for Player of the Year honors all come from the Falcons squad. Junior defensemen Mark Friedman, junior forward Brandon Hawkins, and junior goalkeeper Chris Nell were each nominated for the award as well.
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year:
Parker Tuomie, Forward, Minnesota State (four votes)
Preseason All-WCHA Team:
Forwards
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Ferris State
Dominik Shine, Sr., Northern Michigan
Brandon Hawkins, Jr., Bowling Green (tie)
Corey Mackin, So., Ferris State (tie)
Defensemen
Mark Friedman, Jr., Bowling Green
Matt Roy, Jr., Michigan Tech
Goaltender
Chris Nell, Jr., Bowling Green
Senior defenseman Sean Walker was also nominated for the Mankato Free Press Preseason All-WCHA Team.
2016-17 Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Media Poll
Rk Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. Bowling Green (15) 251
2. Michigan Tech (6) 239
3. Minnesota State (5) 236
4. Ferris State (2) 218
5. Northern Michigan 161
6. Bemidji State 144
7. Lake Superior State 106
8. Alaska 68
9. Alabama Huntsville 66
10. Alaska Anchorage 50
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., F, Ferris State
Both senior defenseman Sean Walker, and junior goaltender Chris Nell were also nominated for the preseason award.
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year
Cameron Clarke, D, Ferris State
From Bowling Green, defenseman Alec Rauhauser and forwards Frederic Letourneau and Casey Linkenheld all earned votes in the preseason poll for the Rookie of the Year honors.
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forwards
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Ferris State
Dominik Shine, Sr., Northern Michigan
Tyler Heinonen, Sr., Michigan Tech
Defensemen
Mark Friedman, Jr., Bowling Green
Matt Roy, Jr., Michigan Tech
Goaltender
Chris Nell, Jr., Bowling Green
The Bowling Green hockey program will open the 2016-17 season on Saturday, Oct. 1 as it welcomes Windsor to the BGSU Ice Arena at 12 p.m. for exhibition play.
Players Mentioned
D
/ Ice Hockey
F
/ Ice Hockey
F
/ Ice Hockey
F
/ Ice Hockey
G
/ Ice Hockey
D
/ Ice Hockey
D
/ Ice HockeyBG Hockey Press Conference vs Minn. St. 11.04
Tuesday, November 04
BG Hockey Postgame : Coach Williams 11.1
Sunday, November 02
BG Hockey Postgame 10.31
Saturday, November 01
BG Hockey Press Conference 10.28
Wednesday, October 29