No real surprise at the top in the WIAC as Wisconsin-Stevens Point skates into the new season as the favorite.
The Pointers won their 16th regular-season conference crown last year and also claimed the Commissioner’s Cup.
That doesn’t mean they won’t have their work cut out for them on the road to another title. Wisconsin-Eau Claire has the pieces in place to contend for its title since 2020 and UW-Superior is certainly in the mix as well.
Wisconsin-Stout could be a surprise contender after winning 17 games a year ago, and Wisconsin-River Falls has the experience to be a tough out. Northland is hoping to take steps forward to turn the program around.
Here’s a quick look at some noteworthy items about the season ahead.
Pointers eye another championship
You can’t mention the WIAC without talking about the Pointers, who return the league’s reigning co-player of the year in Fletcher Anderson, who scored 14 goals and dished out 15 assists.
They have won at least 20 games in eight of the last 10 seasons and they’ll have a chance to hit that mark again with 21 letterwinners back. They were 20-6-4 overall and 12-2-1 in the WIAC.
This is a veteran team that also features returning All-WIAC picks Mick Heneghan, Brett Humberstone, Andrew Poulias and Conor Witherspoon. Nicholas Aromatorio, Noah Finstrom, Cody Moline and Dawson Sciarrino also return. Poulias, Sciarrino and Heneghan all tallied 20 or more points last year for a team that finished with 104 goals off 162 assists last season and should be just as productive again this year.
The Pointers saw their season come to an end in a tough 3-2 national quarterfinal loss to Adrian. If this team stays healthy and cashes in on its experience, which will be tough for opponents to match, a WIAC title and another NCAA run are realistic possibilities.
Blugolds look to shine
This will be the 17th season for Matt Loen at the helm of UW-Eau Claire and it could very well be a year where the Blugolds get back to the top of the WIAC.
Their success starts with Quinn Green, who was the conference’s co-player of the year last season. He tallied 11 goals and 11 assists to pace the Blugolds. The second and third-leading players in points are also back. Connor Szmul finished with seven goals and 11 assists while Ryan Green racked up 11 goals and six assists.
Matt Gutjahr provides experience in goal after making more than 500 saves last season. For the Blugolds, one key to success will be how well they play on the road. They were 6-8 on visiting ice last season while going 12-1-1 at home. UW-Eau Claire was 18-9-1 overall and 9-5-1 in the WIAC in 2022-23.
Checking in with the Yellowjackets
UW-Superior tied for second in the conference last season with a 9-5-1 mark and went 15-12-2 overall as it put together another solid year. It will be a bit of a rebuilding year this season as the top three scorers are gone and only one all-league player returns. That’s C.J. Walker, who tied for third on the team in points, recording 10 goals and seven assists. Dusty Bergstrom, Gavin Rasmussen, Reed Stark and Tristan Therrien, who was fourth in points with seven goals and six assists. The Yellowjackets also have no returning goaltenders. It will be baptism by fire in that department as Kobe Grant, Jack Boschert and Jan Skorpik are all newcomers.
Blue Devils look to build on success
Last season was a great one for UW-Stout, which produced its most wins since the 2008-09 season. They won a playoff series and return a good number of the players that helped put them in a position to succeed.
Three All-WIAC players lead the way, including Peyton Hart, who led the WIAC in goals (24). Tyler Masternack and Matt Dahlseide were also all-conference picks. Dahlseideled the team in points (27), dishing out a team-best 19 assists, and Masternak started 17 games in goal and sported a 2.11 goals against average.
The experience doesn’t stop there for the Blue Devils, who also welcome back Jacob Halvorson, who finished second in points (25), scoring 13 goals and dishing out 12 assists. Dylan Rallis, Dawson Green, Kobe Keller and Gunner Moore also return.
Seven newcomers, all freshmen, have been added to the roster to add to the team’s depth.
UW-Stout finished 17-11-1 last year, including a 6-8-1 mark in the always tough WIAC. Don’t be surprised if both of those win totals improve this season.
Keep an eye on the Falcons
While UW-River Falls finished 11-15-1 overall and 5-9-1 in the WIAC, they are hardly a team to be overlooked going into the new year.
After all, 22 players are back, including one of the top netminders in the conference in Dysen Skinner, a three-time All-WIAC selection who started 20 games and fashioned a 2.09 goals against average while winning nine times.
Two-time all-conference pick Noah Roofe also returns, as does Vilho Saariluoma, who was the league’s newcomer of the year in two seasons ago. Both will play a key role in the offense. Roofe scored six goals to go along with nine assists last year. Saariluoma appeared in only 15 games last year but can impact the game on any given night.
If this team stays healthy, there is enough veteran talent in place to help the Falcons put together a winning season.
New era for Lumberjacks
Nothing has come easy for Northland but the Lumberjacks enter a new era as former player Shane Buckley is the new head coach of the program. Buckley played at Northland from 2009 until 2013 and hopes to help the program turn things around after going 2-23-2 overall and 1-13-1 in the conference.
Twelve letterwinners are back, including Bryson Cecconi, Zach Ross, Ben Varga and Jackson Breton. They join a a team that features 16 newcomers, among them is Camille Marcoux, a transfer from West Virginia’s ACHA program. He came through with 26 points a season ago and should make an impact on the ice for Northland.
Cecconi ranked second in points and is the only returning player who hit double digits in points.
This is a team that’s going to endure its share of tough moments again but has an opportunity to be an improved team late in the season.
