ELMIRA, N.Y. — After dispatching the reigning national champion Norwich University Cadets, the Elmira College women’s ice hockey team took over as the country’s top-ranked team according to both the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) and D3hockey.com national polls. It marks the first time since January 8, 2018, the Elmira women have claimed the country’s No. 1 ranking and the first time since March 2, 2015, the Purple and Gold have been No. 1 in both national polls.
The Soaring Eagles downed then No. 1/1-ranked Norwich in the 2018-19 season-opener on Saturday, October 27, at the Murray Athletic Center by a 4-2 final score. Elmira’s Katie Granato ’19 led the charge with a hat-trick effort, which included the game-winning goal, in the two-goal victory over the defending national champs in a rematch of the 2018 national title game.
The Purple and Gold will put their No. 1 ranking on the line this weekend when they travel to Aston, Pennsylvania, to open United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) play against Neumann University. The first of two games is slated for Friday, November 2, at 7:00 p.m., and game two will take place the following afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
Elmira, who remained as the only UCHC affiliate in the national polls, received the maximum number of first-place votes (15) and points (150) in the USCHO poll and claimed 12 first-place votes along with 146 points in the D3hockey.com poll to clinch the No. 1 overall ranking.
After suffering a two-goal defeat to the Soaring Eagles, Norwich fell one spot to No. 2 in the USCHO poll, while Plattsburgh, Hamline, Middlebury and Adrian remained at No. 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively.
Wisconsin-River Falls moved up one spot to No. 7 after splitting a pair of games against No. 6 Adrian, while Gustavus Adolphus dropped one spot to No. 8, despite a win over Wisconsin-Superior, 2-1 in the 2018-19 season opener.
Wisconsin-Eau Claire and St. Thomas rounded out the top 10, as both teams held onto their previous week’s ranking.
USCHO Poll
No. Team (1st-Place Votes) Record Pts Prev.
1 Elmira (15) 1-0-0 150 2
2 Norwich 0-1-0 132 1
3 Plattsburgh State 0-0-0 122 3
4 Hamline 1-0-0 100 4
5 Middlebury 0-0-0 91 5
6 Adrian 1-1-0 69 6
7 Wisconsin-River Falls 1-1-0 59 8
8 Gustavus Adolphus 1-0-0 40 7
9 Wisconsin-Eau Claire 1-1-0 34 9
10 St. Thomas 2-0-0 19 10
Others receiving votes: Amherst 7, Morrisville 2.
D3hockey.com Poll
No. Team (1st-Place Votes) Record Pts Prev.
1 Elmira (12) 1-0-0 146 3
2 Plattsburgh State (3) 0-0-0 136 2
3 Norwich 0-1-0 118
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