ADRIAN COLLEGE NO. 1 FOR EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE WEEK IN AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION MEN’S DIVISION 1 RANKING

Bulldogs Still Undefeated After Sweeping Michigan-Dearborn in Top 5 Battle

UNION LAKE, Mich. – (December 11, 2019) – Adrian College (16-0-0) maintains the top spot in the 2019-2020 American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 1 Ranking No. 10.  The Bulldogs did not allow a goal in a two-game sweep (7-0, 2-0) of their conference series over Michigan-Dearborn (13-3-1), as the losses dropped the Wolverines two spots to No. 5 this week.  Goaltender Michael Barrett made 51 saves on the weekend and has not allowed a goal since November 10 and has an unbelievable goals against average of 0.963 on the season.  Brenden Stanko paced the attack with three goals on the weekend including the game-winner on Friday night. 

Liberty University jumped up four spots to No. 2 after hammering Slippery Rock University at the LaHaye Center in Lynchburg, Va.  The Flames improved to 18-3-0 on the season after a 12-2 win on Friday and a 7-1 win on Saturday.  Quinn Ryan had a three goal hat trick in both games for an eight point weekend, while Josh Fricks chipped in three goals and dished out two helpers.

No. 3 Minot State University (9-1-2), the defending Men's Division I National Champions of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, swept University of Mary (5-2, 4-0).  Pacing the Beavers offense with two goals each were Blake Fournier and Adam Wowryk.

No. 4 Lindenwood University (11-5-0) was idle over the weekend and returns to action on January 10 at Missouri State University.

Moving into the polls this week is No. 20 University of Delaware and No. 24 New York University while Missouri State University and McKendree University drop out of the Top 25.

The Central States Collegiate Hockey League (5) leads the way with all of its member teams ranked, while the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League has four (of 6) of its member teams ranked, the Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League and Western Collegiate Hockey League both have four (of 7) of its member teams ranked, and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference has three (of 6) of its member teams ranked.

The ACHA uses two computer rankings generated by USHSHO.com, Ranking A (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 7) and Ranking B (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 1), and come up with an average of the two rankings.  The ACHA will then use the list generated from the average for its weekly ranking.  Ties will be broken using the higher ranked team from Ranking B until the Top 25 teams are listed.  All games that go to overtime will be scored as ties in the computer ranking.

Over the past 17 seasons, 12 different schools have won the ACHA Men's Division I National Championship: Lindenwood (3), Central Oklahoma (2), Illinois (2), Minot State (2), Adrian, Arizona State, Davenport, Delaware, Oakland, Ohio, Penn State, and Rhode Island.

Now in its 29th season of action, there have been a total of 14 schools that have won the ACHA Men's Division I National Championship:

• Penn State (5 times)
• Ohio (4)
• Lindenwood (3)
• Central Oklahoma (2)
• Illinois (2)
• Minot State (2)
• North Dakota State (2)
• Adrian
• Arizona State
• Davenport
• Delaware
• Iowa State
• Oakland
• Rhode Island

A total of 70 teams will compete in Men’s Division I this season, including eleven new teams: Aquinas College, Cleary University, Concordia University Ann Arbor, Grand Canyon University, Indiana Tech, Lawrence Tech, Maryville University, McKendree University, Midland University, Northern Illinois University, and Waldorf University. The sole team departing Men’s Division I is University of Arkansas.

The computer ranking will for the seventh time determine the 20 teams that qualify for the 2020 ACHA Men's Division I National Championships, including the following six autobids:

• (CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America (PLAYOFF CHAMPION)
• (ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association (REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION)
• (ESCHL) Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League (REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION)
• (GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION)
• (NECHL) Northeast Collegiate Hockey League (PLAYOFF CHAMPION)
• (WCHL) Western Collegiate Hockey League (REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION)

The eleventh ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

The 2020 ACHA Men's Division I National Championships will be hosted March 19-24 for the second time by the Dallas Stars, Visit Frisco, and Children’s Health StarCenters at the Comerica Center, in Frisco, TX. This will be the ninth year of the 20-team format.

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About American Collegiate Hockey Association

The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a recognized 501(c)3 organization of over 500 college and university-affiliated programs which provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the quality of collegiate ice hockey throughout the United States.  Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA's primary mission is to support the growth and development of college hockey programs nationwide.  The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and enters its 29th season in September 2019. For more information, visit achahockey.org.