WCHA Release

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – On Monday, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) released the 2017-18 UAHHockey.com WCHA Preseason Media Poll and the 2017-18 Mankato Free Press WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll, with both polls picking the Alaska Nanooks hockey team to finish eighth in the WCHA standings for the upcoming season.

Both the 2017-18 UAHHockey.com WCHA Preseason Media Poll and the 2017-18 Mankato Free Press WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll are based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale with 10 being the first-place vote. Per usual in the Coaches' Poll, each WCHA head coach was not allowed to vote for their own team. The Nooks garnered 43 points in the Media Poll to place eighth, while earning 35 points in the Coaches' Poll to move up two spots from last season.

Minnesota State proved to be the favorite in both polls, earning all of the first-place votes combined besides Bemidji (1), Michigan Tech (1) and Bowling Green (1). In the Coaches' Poll, Minnesota State's Daniel Brickley and Marc Michaelis were selected as the Preseason WCHA Co-Players of the Year, while MSU's freshman forward Jake Jaremko was selected as the Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year. In the Media Poll, Brickley was selected as the WCHA Player of the Year, as well, with Mitch McLain (BGSU), Michaelis (MSU), Corey Mackin (FSU), Brickley (MSU), Kurt Gosselin (UAH) and Michael Bitzer (BSU) making up the Preseason All-WCHA First Team.

Alaska senior defensemen Zach Frye and Justin Woods both received votes individually throughout the nomination processes in the Coaches' Poll and the Media Poll, respectively.

Under the direction of first-year head coach Lance West, the Alaska Nanooks looks to improve from a 12-20-4 overall record from the 2016-17 season, going 11-13-4 in conference play. The Nooks took home the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup for the fifth-straight year and concluded the season surpassing their estimated poll standing by ranking sixth in the conference standings at the end of the regular season.

The Alaska Nanooks return 22 players from the 2016-17 season, including leading scorer junior forward Chad Staley and seven of the nine skaters who tallied double-digit points. The Nooks will rely on their veteran defensive-core on the back-end, with each of the nine blueliners being returners. Alaska brought in a five-man freshmen class this season, which features four forwards and one goaltender.

Also new the Nanooks this season is assistant coach Lincoln Nguyen, volunteer assistant coach Mike Parnell, Director of Hockey Operations Camden Pommenville and assistant athletic trainer Nick Menietti.

The Alaska Nanooks unofficially kick-off the 2017-18 season on Friday, Sept. 29 with an exhibition match-up against Simon Fraser at the Carlson Center. Puck-drop is slated for 7:07pm AKT. The Alaska Nanooks Ticketing Office will be hosting the Family Four-Pack promotion for Friday's game, where fans can get four general admission tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for $50.

Alaska will open the 2017-18 season at home, hosting the United State Air Force Academy for a two-game series at the Carlson Center Oct. 6-7.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.