Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Picked to Challenge for CCHA Title
9/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Sept. 25, 2007
CCHA Preseason Poll Release
Preseason All-CCHA Team
Rick
East Lansing, Mich. - Defending National Champion Michigan State was picked to finish first by the league's media and narrowly missed out on the top spot in the coaches poll, as released at CCHA Media Day in Detroit, Mich on Tuesday, Sept. 25. The event, held at Joe Louis Arena, featured all 12 of the league's coaches as a preview to the 2007-08 season.
The Spartans earned 25 first-place votes in the media poll and 701 total points, followed by Miami (21 and 667). Notre Dame and Michigan round out the predicted bye spots, with the defending CCHA regular-season and tournament champion Irish earning 12 first-place votes and the Wolverines first on four ballots. In the coaches poll, the Spartans had a slight edge in first-place votes, slotted first on six ballots, but Miami (five first-place votes) finished with 114 points, one ahead of Michigan State, to earn the top spot in the poll. Notre Dame earned the third spot with one first-place vote, and Michigan again placed fourth.
Ohio State and Nebraska-Omaha were a consensus fifth and sixth in the polls, respectively. The coaches had Lake Superior in seventh, followed by Northern Michigan, Ferris State, and Western Michigan. The media, however, slotted Western Michigan in seventh, followed by Ferris State, Lake Superior State, and Northern Michigan. Consensus selections were Alaska (11th) and Bowling Green (12th).
We thought we'd be picked high in the polls - we were a year ago, too" noted head coach Rick Comley. "I think it shows that there is a level of respect for the players we have on our roster and the success that we enjoyed last year."
Jeff Lerg was a unanimous selection to the CCHA preseason all-conference team, earning 11 first-team votes. He was one of two unanimous selections, along with Miami forward Nathan Davis. The duo is joined on the first team by Michigan's Kevin Porter and Miami's Ryan Jones at forward and defensemen Alec Martinez of Miami and Kyle Lawson of Notre Dame.
Kennedy was the fourth-highest point-getter among preseason selections, earning the headline spot on the second team. Also earning forward spots on the second team are Erik Condra and Ryan Thang of Notre Dame and Chad Kolarik of Michigan; the defensemen on the second team are Tyler Eckford of Alaska and Jason DeSantis of Ohio State, while Jeff Zatkoff of Miami is the second-team goaltender.
Bryan Lerg and Justin Abdelkader were Honorable Mention selections.
"Jeff is very deserving of any honor he receives," added the head coach. "I think its indicative of his emergence as one of the elite goaltenders in college hockey.
"Last year, we had no post-season recognition for any of our players, but I think that [four players on the preseason All-CCHA team] acknowledges the growth of our players. I think that we have a lot of good players in this league, and our forwards stack up with any of them, and could have made the first team as well. I think it speaks to the depth of talent we have in this league."
The Spartans will take the ice for the first time next Sunday, October 7, for the annual Green and White game.
