Atlantic Hockey Preseason Coaches Poll was announced Tuesday morning on the annual Media Day Conference Call. AIC, the regular season champions for each of the last two seasons, was selected to make it a three-peat in Atlantic Hockey this year. The Yellow Jackets earned 96 points and seven first-place votes, sitting 20 points clear of Sacred Heart, who was picked to finish second and received two first-place votes.
The other first-place votes went to Niagara (1) and RIT (1). RIT was removed from the poll following the news that the Tigers, through an institutional decision, were not participating in the 2020-21 season. Niagara finished fourth with 69 points behind Bentley, who was selected third with 75 points despite not receiving a first-place vote. Army was selected to finish fifth, Air Force and Robert Morris were tied for sixth, Holy Cross was tabbed to finish eighth, and Mercyhurst and Canisius tied for ninth to round out the poll.
The final poll results are:
1. AIC – 96 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Sacred Heart – 76 points (2)
3. Bentley – 75 points
4. Niagara – 69 points (1)
5. Army West Point – 60 points
6. Air Force – 49 points
Robert Morris – 49 points
8. Holy Cross – 27 points
9. Canisius – 18 points
Mercyhurst – 18 points
Although delayed, the 2020-21 season gets underway this weekend with one game on Saturday, November 14th. Army West Point hosts Long Island University at Tate Rink at 4:00 p.m.
