Four-time defending regular-season champion American International is the winner of the 2022-23 Atlantic Hockey preseason coaches poll, which was released Tuesday.
The Yellow Jackets garnered eight of nine possible first-place votes in balloting among AHA head coaches (coaches could not vote for their own teams) for 88 points to outdistance second-place Sacred Heart, which received the remaining two first-place votes and tallied 76 points.
2022-23 Atlantic Hockey Preseason Coaches Poll
1. AIC (8) 88
2. Sacred Heart (2) 76
3. Air Force 68
4. RIT 66
5. Canisius 62
6. Army West Point 56
7. Mercyhurst 37
8. Bentley 33
9. Niagara 31
10. Holy Cross 23
Based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2 scale.
In addition, Canisius senior goaltender Jacob Barczewski, Sacred Heart senior forward Neil Shea and RIT sophomore forward Carter Wilkie share Atlantic Hockey preseason player of the year honors. Barczewski enters the 2022-23 season as the AHA’s active leader in wins (28), saves (1,784) and games played (68). Shea was the conference’s co-scoring champion a year ago while Wilkie skated off with the AHA’s rookie of the year award in 2021-22.
All three are also members of the preseason all-conference team.
2022-23 Coaches Preseason All-Atlantic Hockey Team
F: Neil Shea, Sr., Sacred Heart
F: Carter Wilkie, So., RIT
F: Blake Bennett, Sr., AIC
D: Logan Britt, Sr., Sacred Heart
D: Brandon Koch, Sr., Air Force
G: Jacob Barczewski, Sr., Canisius
