ACHA Rankings #9 released

February 17, 2004 - The votes are in, and five new teams will be competing at the 2004 ACHA Division 1 National Tournament, including Rhode Island, Weber State, West Chester, Washington & Jefferson, and Arizona State. Four-time defending ACHA Division 1 National Champion Penn State remains at the top of the polls, getting 26 out of a possible 30 first-place votes. The Nittany Lions, along with Iowa State and Michigan-Dearborn, have now qualified for all thirteen ACHA Division 1 National Tournaments. Ohio University collected the other 4 first-place votes and will be making its 11th consecutive appearance. Rhode Island remains at #3 and will make its first appearance at the ACHA Division 1 National Tournament. The Rams qualified for the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), the predecessor to the ACHA, back in 1991. Illinois comes in at #4 and will make its 7th consecutive appearance, and 9th overall. Lindenwood remains in the #5 position but is ineligible for the National Tournament as a first-year ACHA program. Minot State stays at #6 and will be making its 5th consecutive appearance at the National Tournament, while Michigan-Dearborn is #7 and makes its 13th consecutive appearance at the National Tournament. Weber State, which moved up from Division 2 for this season, comes in at #8 and qualifies for its first ACHA Division 1 National Tournament. Iowa State moves up a spot to #9 and makes its 13th consecutive appearance at the National Tournament. This will be the 3rd time that Iowa State University has hosted the ACHA Division 1 National Tournament. West Chester bumps up a spot to #10 and qualifies for its first ACHA Division 1 National Tournament. The Golden Rams qualified for the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), back in 1988. Towson drops two spots but still qualifies for its 9th consecutive appearance at the National Tournament, while Washington & Jefferson moves up three spots and qualifies for first ACHA Division 1 National Tournament. The Presidents make the tournament in only their third year of competition at the Division 1 level. Dropping a spot to #13, but still qualifying for the last spot in the ACHA Division 1 National Tournament, is Arizona State. The Ice Devils will make their 3rd appearance at the ACHA Division 1 National Tournament, and first since 1997. Arizona and Delaware each fell one spot in the polls, coming in at #14 and #15 respectively, while Mercyhurst moved up a spot to #16. Drexel fell a spot to #17, while Saint Louis (#18) and Kent State (#19) remained unchanged. Robert Morris (IL) jumped back into the polls after slipping out in the last ranking.

The brackets for the ACHA Division 1 National Championships will be released on Tuesday, February 17.

The final ranking of the 2003-2004 season will be released on Friday, March 12.

National Tournament Information & Schedule

2003-2004 Ranking #9
February 17th, 2004