TUFTS FIFTH IN ECAC NORTHEAST PRE-SEASON POLL

ECAC Ice Hockey Release

CENTERVILLE, Mass. -- Wentworth and St. Michael's College are the teams to beat in the Northeast Ice Hockey League, according to league coaches.

The Leopards, who posted an 11-1-1 conference mark in 1999-00, garnered 10 first-place votes and totaled 154 points from the Division III Northeast coaches. The Saint Michael’s College Ice Knights received six points from the Division II head coaches to top the four Division II programs.

Fitchburg State, runner-up to Wentworth in the regular-season standings and conference tournament a year ago, shared the No. 2 slot in the Division III poll with Lebanon Valley. Each team received one first-place vote and 133 points. Massachusetts-Dartmouth (128 points) and Tufts (115) garnered the Nos. 4 and 5 spots, respectively. New Hampshire College and Assumption shared the second spot among Division II programs. Each team received five points.

The Northeast League, which comprises 18 teams, breaks out its standings into Divisions II and III teams. While all league games count in the standings, separate standings are kept for Divisions II and III. The winner of the Division III Northeast tournament receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III championship; the four Division II teams are seeded for an ECAC postseason tournament, which includes St. Anselm from the East Ice Hockey League.

2000-01 Northeast Coaches' Polls

Division III

1.

Wentworth (10)

154

2.

Fitchburg State (1)

133

Lebanon Valley (1)

133

4.

Mass.-Dartmouth

128

5.

Tufts

115

6.

Johnson & Wales

100

7.

Plymouth State

93

8.

Salve Regina

79

9.

Framingham State

57

Western New England

57

11.

Worcester State

52

12.

Curry

36

13.

Suffolk

34

14.

Nichols

13

Division II

1.

St. Michael's (2)

6

2.

New Hampshire Col. (1)

5

Assumption

5

4.

Stonehill

2

First-place votes in parentheses