Preseason USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll
September 27, 2016
| Team | Points | (First Place Votes) | Last Poll | Record | Weeks in Poll | |
| 1 | University of Wisconsin | 186 | (15) | 3 | 35-4-1 | 1 |
| 2 | University of Minnesota | 172 | (3) | 1 | 35-4-1 | 1 |
| 3 | Boston College | 152 | (1) | 2 | 40-1-0 | 1 |
| 4 | Quinnipiac University | 128 | 5 | 30-3-5 | 1 | |
| 5 | Clarkson University | 113 | 4 | 30-5-5 | 1 | |
| 6 | University of North Dakota | 84 | 10 | 18-12-5 | 1 | |
| 7 | Princeton University | 62 | 7 | 22-9-2 | 1 | |
| 8 | Colgate University | 52 | 8 | 22-9-7 | 1 | |
| 9 | Northeastern University | 35 | 6 | 28-9-1 | 1 | |
| 10 | Boston University | 32 | NR | 23-14-2 | 1 |
Others receiving votes: University of Minnesota Duluth 10, Bemidji State University 8, Cornell University 6, Mercyhurst University 4, Syracuse University 1.
