Michigan State University Athletics
Hockey Picked Among Top Two In CCHA Preseason Polls
9/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Sept. 21, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State?s hockey team was ranked in the top two of both the media and coaches 1999-2000 CCHA preseason polls, released today at CCHA Media Day at Joe Louis Arena.
Forty-one media members responded to the media poll and Michigan State was the top vote-getter with 462 points, eight more than No. 2 Michigan. The coaches poll had Michigan at the top (140 points) and Michigan State No. 2 (131). Michigan had more first-place votes in both polls, 19-18 in the media poll and 10-2 in the coaches poll.
Michigan State is the defending CCHA regular-season champion after finishing 1998-99 with a 20-3-7 league record (29-6-7 overall). The Spartans return 15 letterwinners, including All-America selections goaltender Joe Blackburn (Livonia, Mich.) and defenseman Mike Weaver (Bramalea, Ont.)
?I?m not very concerned with where we are in the polls,? head coach Ron Mason said. ?Two years ago we were picked to win, and we won the league. A year ago we were picked third and we won then, too. That end result is much more of what I?m looking for than what people expect us to do.
?We will have as many as 11 new skaters on our team this year, so we will certainly have a new look? Mason added. ?Time will tell where those players will all fit in. I feel very comfortable in goal with Joe Blackburn and on defense with four returning players including Mike Weaver. For us to be successful we are going to have to score some goals, and they will probably have to come from Shawn Horcoff, Rustyn Dolyny and Adam Hall.?
MSU?s season kicks off with the Green & White Game Friday, Oct. 1. Tickets are $3 and are available at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office in Jenison Field House (800-GO-STATE) or at dozens of outlets around Lansing. The Spartans meet Guelph in an exhibition game at Munn Ice Arena Oct. 5 before playing at Colorado College Oct. 9.
CCHA PRESEASON COACHES POLL CCHA PRESEASON MEDIA POLL 1. Michigan (10) 140 1. MICHIGAN STATE (18) 462 2. MICHIGAN STATE (2) 131 2. Michigan (19) 454 3. Northern Michigan 121 3. Northern Michigan (3) 389 4. Notre Dame 104 4. Ohio State (1) 356 5. Ohio State 93 5. Notre Dame 340 6. Bowling Green 89 6. Bowling Green 263 7. Ferris State 67 7. Ferris State 213 8. Lake Superior 56 8. Lake Superior 201 9. Miami 53 9. Miami 188 10. Western Michigan 38 10. Western Michigan 153 11. Nebraska-Omaha 25 11. Nebraska-Omaha 97 12. Alaska Fairbanks 19 12. Alaska Fairbanks 82
