Falcons Tabbed For Second Place Finish In CCHA Preseason Coaches Poll

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced its pre-season rankings and awards as voted on separately by both the CCHA coaches and each CCHA teams' media members. For the team, the Falcons were selected to finish second in the Coaches Poll, receiving two first place votes as well. As for the Media Poll, Bowling Green was placed fourth with one first place vote.

As for the Preseason All-CCHA Teams, two Falcons found themselves on both lists. Breck McKinley was named to the Preseason All-CCHA Team by both the coaches and media. Ben Doran was also named to the Preseason All-CCHA Team by the coaches. Additionally, Mazden Leslie was named the Preseason Rookie of the Year by the media and a Preseason Co-Rookie of the Year by the coaches.

Breck McKinley, Preseason All-CCHA Team (Coaches & Media)
A season ago, Breck McKinley appeared in all 36 games for the Falcons while totaling 26 points, including 24 assists. His assist total ranked second in the nation among defensemen while his point total ranked eighth. He added a +13 mark for the season and tallied 28 blocks. At the conclusion of the season, he was named 2026 Second-Team All-CCHA while also being a 2025-26 ACHA All-American Scholar.

Ben Doran, Preseason All-CCHA Team (Coaches)
Last season, Ben Doran appeared in all 36 games for the Falcons, notching seven goals and 24 assists for a total of 31 points. He recorded a +9 mark of the season and was named the CCHA Forward of the Week after tallying two key assists in an overtime win over No. 16 Michigan Tech. Doran added another overtime winner, this time a goal, against St. Thomas on Nov. 21 that marked his first goal of the season.

Mazden Leslie, Preseason Rookie of the Year (Media), Preseason Co-Rookie of the Year (Coaches)
Mazden Leslie arrives in Bowling Green after playing last season with the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. Leslie earned the assistant captain "A" for the Rockets and tallied 18 goals and 50 assists over 67 games for a total of 68 points. He also maintained a +24 mark and tallied three assists across nine playoff games. Leslie also spent five seasons with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL, logging 190 points over 280 games.

Media Poll & Awards Results:
Michigan Tech - 116 (4 first place votes)
Minnesota State - 113 (6)
Augustana - 107 (2)
Bowling Green - 101 (1)
Bemidji State - 76
Lake Superior State - 64
Ferris State - 56
Northern Michigan - 43

Preseason All-CCHA Team
Oliver Peer, F, BSU
Max Koskipirtti, F, MTU
Luigi Benincasa, F, MSU
Breck McKinley, D, BGSU
Hayden Hennen, D, AU
Will Skahan, D, MSU
Owen Baumgartner, D, AU
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, G, NMU

Preseason Rookie of the Year
Mazden Leslie, D, BGSU

Preseason Player of the Year
Oliver Peer, F, BSU

Coaches Poll & Awards Results:
Michigan Tech - 65 (4)
Bowling Green - 62 (2)
Minnesota State - 59 (2)
Augustana - 57
Bemidji State - 46
Lake Superior State - 41
Ferris State - 33
Northern Michigan - 29

Preseason All-CCHA Team
Oliver Peer, F, BSU
Max Koskipirtti, F, MTU
Isaac Gordon, F, MTU
Ben Doran, F, BGSU
Breck McKinley, D, BGSU
Hayden Hennen, D, AU
Owen Bartoskiwicz, G, MTU

Preseason Co-Rookies of the Year
Cooper Foster, F, LSSU
Nathan Leek, F, FSU
Mazden Leslie, D, BGSU

Preseason Player of the Year
Oliver Peer, F, BSU

The Falcons are closing in on beginning their season in just a few short weeks. Bowling Green will open the year on the road at Michigan on Oct. 2 before returning home to Slater Family Ice Arena on Oct. 3 to host the Wolverines in a sold out home opener.

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