COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams will begin the season ranked in the top 15 nationally, including the reigning National Champions Western Michigan at No. 1, as the USCHO.com and USA Hockey Preseason Polls were released on Monday.
 
The Broncos topped both preseason polls, collecting 29 of 50 first-place votes in the USCHO Poll and 22 of 34 first-place votes in the USA Hockey Poll. Western Michigan is coming off a historic season, capturing its first NCAA National Championship, as well as winning its first Penrose Cup and NCHC Frozen Faceoff title. WMU, which was also picked first in the NCHC Preseason Media Poll, is ranked ahead of No. 2 Boston University in both national polls. The Broncos beat BU in last year’s National Championship game. Western Michigan is also No. 1 in College Hockey News’ Preseason Top 10.
 
Denver sits at No. 4 in both preseason polls, sandwiched between a pair of Big Ten teams with Michigan State at No. 3 and Penn State at No. 5. The Pioneers made a return trip to the Frozen Four last year, falling to Western Michigan in double overtime. DU placed third in the NCHC last year and was selected second in this year’s NCHC Preseason Poll. The Pioneers bring back a pair of Preseason All-NCHC selections in junior forward Sam Harris and junior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp, both of whom were Third-Team All-NCHC last season. DU is ninth in CHN’s Preseason Poll.
 
North Dakota is the third ranked team from the National, ranking 11th in the USCHO Poll and tying for No. 10 in the USA Hockey Poll. UND slots between No. 10 Connecticut and No. 12 Michigan in the USCHO Poll, while the Fighting Hawks and Huskies share the No. 10 spot in the USA Hockey Poll. North Dakota heads into the 2025-26 season under new leadership, with longtime assistant coach Dane Jackson taking over the reins of his alma mater as head coach. NoDak placed fifth in the NCHC last year, but was picked third in this year’s NCHC preseason poll. UND is No. 7 in CHN’s Preseason Top 10.
 
The final ranked NCHC team is Arizona State, which comes in at No. 14 in both preseason polls. The Sun Devils are just behind No. 13 Quinnipiac and ahead of No. 15 Massachusetts in each of the polls. ASU took runner-up honors in its first season in the NCHC last year, while totaling 21 wins. Tabbed to place fourth in the National this year, the Sun Devils will be paced by Preseason All-NCHC forward Cullen Potter, who earned NCHC All-Rookie Team honors last year. ASU is No. 10 in CHN’s Preseason Top 10.
 
Four more NCHC teams are receiving votes in both national polls. Colorado College sits just outside both polls, receiving the most votes of any team not ranked in each poll. Omaha, Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State are all receiving votes in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey Preseason Polls, as well.
 
The four ranked NCHC teams are the third-most from any conference, trailing six each from the Big Ten and Hockey East. ECAC Hockey has three teams ranked in the USA Hockey Poll and two in the USCHO Poll, while the CCHA has two teams ranked in each. The NCHC does lead all conferences with four teams in the College Hockey News Preseason Top 10.
 
The NCHC’s 13th season gets underway on Friday, Oct. 3 with four non-conference games and a pair of exhibitions. Top-ranked Western Michigan opens its title defense on Saturday, Oct. 4 with an exhibition game against the U.S. U-18 National Team, before hosting Ferris State on Thursday, Oct. 9. Arizona State welcomes No. 5 Penn State to Tempe for a top-15 tilt to open the season Oct. 3-4, with both games airing on national TV in the U.S. on NHL Network. Denver and North Dakota drop the puck on their seasons on Saturday, Oct. 4 with exhibitions against UNLV and Manitoba, respectively. A total of 12 games this weekend can be seen live on NCHC.tv, including both ASU games.