The top two teams in the 1999-2000 CCHA standings have been picked to repeat those positions in 2000-01, as Michigan and Michigan State earned the top spots in Wednesday’s preseason coaches and media polls, respectively.
Michigan, the CCHA regular-season champion, received 11 of 12 first-place votes from the coaches to best second-place Michigan State, which earned the remaining first-place vote, 143 points to 132. In the media poll, the archrivals reversed positions, as the Spartans — winners of the league’s playoff title — garnered 19 first-place and 467 points to the Wolverines’ 20 top picks and 460 points.
The surprise of last season’s CCHA tournament, runner-up Nebraska-Omaha, was named third by the coaches with 106 points. The Mavericks are followed by Lake Superior, playoff semifinalist Notre Dame in fifth, Miami, Ferris State, Northern Michigan, Bowling Green, and then Ohio State in tenth. Predicted to finish out of the playoffs are Western Michigan and Alaska-Fairbanks.
The media have Lake Superior and Northern Michigan in third and fourth, followed by UNO, which received one first-place vote. Notre Dame, Bowling Green and Ferris State are next, followed by Miami, which also received a first-place ballot despite finishing ninth overall in the poll. OSU, WMU and UAF round out the media selections.
CCHA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Michigan (11) 143
2. Michigan State (1) 132
3. Nebraska-Omaha 106
4. Lake Superior 97
5. Notre Dame 92
6. Miami 79
7. Ferris State 74
8. Northern Michigan 71
9. Bowling Green 49
10. Ohio State 44
11. Western Michigan 34
12. Alaska-Fairbanks 15
CCHA Preseason Media Poll
1. Michigan State (19) 467
2. Michigan (20) 460
3. Lake Superior 350
4. Northern Michigan 343
5. Nebraska-Omaha (1) 315
6. Notre Dame 270
7. Bowling Green 222
8. Ferris State 202
9. Miami (1) 183
10. Ohio State 163
11. Western Michigan 153
12. Alaska-Fairbanks 70
