The Cornell Big Red has been selected by both the coaches and media as the No. 1 team in this year’s ECAC Hockey League men’s preseason polls.
The Big Red were a unanimous choice of the media’s 21 voters while the Big Red were the choice of 11 of the 12 head coaches. The Big Red are coming off the regular season and tournament championships in the ECACHL.
The coaches selected Dartmouth, who received the other first-place vote from the coaches, second, just one point ahead of Harvard to earn second place with 94 points. The Crimson, which was second overall last year, garnered 93 points and was followed by St. Lawrence with 89 and Colgate with 86. Brown wrapped up the top half with 80 points. The second half has Clarkson seventh with 64 points, followed by Union with 51, Rensselaer with 39, Princeton with 32, Yale with 28 and Quinnipiac with 15.
In the media poll, Cornell garnered all 21 first-place votes, scoring 252 points. It is the second time the media have selected the Big Red to finish first, the last time came in 2002-03, when the team went on to win the league title and play in the NCAA Frozen Four.
The media poll saw some difference in the next few positions, with just 10 points between second-place Colgate (197 points) and fourth-place Harvard (187). Dartmouth sits between the two, taking third with 191 points. St. Lawrence was picked fifth by the media, followed by Brown (159), Clarkson (134), Rensselaer and Union (89 each), Princeton (73), Yale (60) and Quinnipiac (36).
The ECACHL Preseason All-League Teams were also announced from both the coaches and the media. The Big Red had two unanimous selections on both teams in forward Matt Moulson and goaltender David McKee.
McKee returns for his junior campaign after being selected as a Hobey Hat Trick finalist and a first team All-American. Moulson was also a first team All-American.
Both teams also named Jon Smyth of Colgate and T.J. Trevelyan of St. Lawrence as forwards, while the media had a tie and also named Mike Ouellette of Dartmouth.
The defenseman on the two teams were identical with Grant Lewis of Dartmouth and Mike Madill of St, Lawrence.
ECACHL Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Cornell (11) 121
2. Dartmouth (1) 94
3. Harvard 93
4. St. Lawrence 89
5. Colgate 86
6. Brown 80
7. Clarkson 64
8. Union 51
9. Rensselaer 39
10. Princeton 32
11. Yale 28
12. Quinnipiac 15
ECACHL Preseason Media Poll
1. Cornell (21) 252
2. Colgate 197
3. Dartmouth 191
4. Harvard 187
5. St. Lawrence 167
6. Brown 159
7. Clarkson 134
8. Rensselaer 89
8. Union 89
10. Princeton 73
11. Yale 60
12. Quinnipiac 36
Coaches Preseason All-League Team
F – *Matt Moulson, Cornell
F – Jon Smyth, Colgate
F – T.J. Trevelyan, St. Lawrence
D – Grant Lewis, Dartmouth
D – Mike Madill, St. Lawrence
G – *David McKee, Cornell
Media Preseason All-League Team
F – *Matt Moulson, Cornell
F – Mike Ouellette, Dartmouth
F – Jon Smyth, Colgate
F – *T.J. Trevelyan, St. Lawrence
D – Grant Lewis, Dartmouth
D – Mike Madill, St. Lawrence
G – *David McKee, Cornell
* – unanimous selection
