Mondays throughout the season, we’ll have a recap of what happened throughout the WCHA, and a preview of the week ahead.
Since the only regular-season action involving WCHA teams over the weekend was Ferris State’s split with Colgate (along with a ton of preseason exhibitions), we’re starting with a look at the rest of the WCHA as we start the season.
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Last season: 17-16-4 overall, 12-13-3 CCHA (6th place). Lost to Michigan State in the first round of the CCHA Tournament.
Program accomplishments: NCAA Tournament participant in 2010.
Famous alums: Shawn Chambers.
Series with UAH: Alaska leads 12-6-1, with the last meeting coming in the 1992-93 season.
Predicted WCHA finish: 3rd (media), 5th (coaches).
Players to watch: Cody Kunyk, Sr., F (11 G, 17 A, 28 Pts in 2012-13); Colton Parayko, So., D (4 G, 13, A, 17 Pts).
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Last season: 4-25-7 overall, 2-20-6 WCHA (12th place). Lost to St. Cloud State in the first round of the WCHA Tournament.
Program accomplishments: NCAA Tournament participant 1990-92.
Famous alums: Mike Peluso.
Series with UAH: Alaska-Anchorage leads 15-2, with the last meeting coming in the 1992-93 season.
Predicted WCHA finish: 9th (media), 9th (coaches)
Players to watch: Blake Thatchell, So., F (9 G, 16 A, 25 Pts in 2012-13); Matt Bailey, Sr., F (7 G, 12 A, 19 Pts).
Side note about the Alaska teams: UAH played both Anchorage and Fairbanks, both home and away, with regularity from 1987-93. Four times the Chargers played both schools twice in a five-day span (a single trip), and in two seasons they traveled to Alaska twice in the same season.
Location: Bemidji, Minnesota
Last season: 6-22-8 overall, 5-16-7 WCHA (11th place). Lost to Minnesota in the first round of the WCHA Tournament.
Program accomplishments: 13 National Championships: 7 NAIA, 5 NCAA Division II, 1 NCAA Division III.
Famous alums: Joel Otto, Matt Read.
Series with UAH: Bemidji State leads 38-28-4. Split four Division II national championship series.
Predicted WCHA finish: 8th (media), 7th (coaches)
Players to watch: Brendan Harms, Fr., F (70 Pts with USHL’s Fargo Force in 2012-13); Matt Prapavessis, Jr., D (2 G, 9 A, 11 Pts).
Side note about Bemidji State: UAH has faced the Beavers 70 times, more than any other opponent thanks to the battles in Division II and the CHA.
Location: Bowling Green, Ohio
Last season: 15-21-5 overall, 10-15-3 CCHA (9th place). Lost to Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the CCHA Tournament (defeated Lake Superior State in the first round).
Series with UAH: Bowling Green leads 7-2-1.
Program accomplishments: 1984 National Champions, 9-time NCAA Tournament participant.
Famous alums: Rob Blake, Brian Hollinger (Hobey Baker winner), George McGhee (Hobey Baker winner), Nelson Emerson.
Predicted WCHA finish: 4th (media), 4th (coaches)
Players to watch: Ryan Carpenter, Jr., F (18 G, 15 A, 33 Pts in 2012-13); Mike Sullivan, Jr., D (1 G, 15 A, 16 Pts).
Side note about Bowling Green: Longtime UAH coach Doug Ross was an all-CCHA forward at BGSU, and the late Jim Harris, UAH athletics director, graduated from BGSU. Bowling Green is the closest conference opponent UAH has as a varsity program.
Location: Big Rapids, Michigan.
Last season: 16-16-5 overall, 13-12-3 CCHA (5th place). Lost to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the CCHA Tournament.
Series with UAH: Ferris State leads 7-2.
Program accomplishments: 2-time NCAA Tournament participant (2003, 2012). Reached the Frozen Four in 2012, losing to Boston College in the national championship game.
Famous alums: Jason Blake, Dave Karpa, Chris Kunitz.
Predicted WCHA finish: 2nd (media), 2nd (coaches)
Players to watch: Jason Binkley, Jr., D (2 G, 8 A, 20 Pts. in 2012-13); Garrett Thompson, Sr., F (11 G, 15 A, 26 Pts); Scott Czarnowczan, Sr., D (5 A); CJ Motte, Jr., G (2.19 GAA, .927 SV%).
Side note about Ferris State: FSU was UAH’s first opponent as a varsity program. The Chargers lost 7-2 on Oct. 25, 1985, in Big Rapids.
Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Last season: 17-21-1 overall, 11-16-1 CCHA (8th place). Lost to Bowling Green in the first round of the CCHA Tournament.
Series with UAH: Lake Superior State leads 3-2-1.
Program accomplishments: 3-time NCAA National Champions (1988, 1992, 1994), and 2-time NAIA National Champions (1972, 1974).
Famous alums: Jim Dowd, Doug Weight, Brian Rolston.
Predicted WCHA finish: 7th (media), 8th (coaches).
Players to watch: Kevin Czuczman, Jr., D (2 G, 9 A, 11 Pts in 2012-13).
Side note about Lake Superior State: UAH’s lone Division I win last season was at LSSU.
Location: Houghton, Michigan.
Last season: 13-20-4 overall, 8-16-4 WCHA (10th place). Lost to North Dakota in the first round of the WCHA Tournament.
Series with UAH: None. This season will be the first meeting.
Program accomplishments: 3-time National Champions (1962, 1965, 1975).
Famous alums: Tony Esposito (Hockey Hall of Fame), Paul Coppo
Predicted WCHA finish: 5th (media), 3rd (coaches).
Players to watch: Alex Petan, So., F (15 G, 19 A, 34 Pts in 2012-13); Brent Baltus, Fr., F (24 G, 28 A, 52 Pts with Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL).
Side note about Michigan Tech: MTU is one of four current Division I teams that UAH has not played (Boston University, Union, and Dartmouth are the others).
Location: Mankato, Minnesota.
Last season: 24-13-3 overall, 16-11-1 WCHA (6th place). Lost to Wisconsin in the quarterfinals of the WCHA Tournament (beat Nebraska-Omaha in the first round).
Series with UAH: Tied 19-19-5.
Program accomplishments: 1980 NCAA Division II National Champions, 2 NCAA Division I tournament appearances (2003, 2013).
Famous alums: David Backes, Ryan Carter, Tim Jackman
Predicted WCHA finish: 1st (media), 1st (coaches).
Players to watch: Matt Leitner, Jr., F (17 G, 30 A, 47 Pts in 2012-13); Zach Stepan, Fr., F (4th round pick by Nashville in 2012); Zach Palmquist, Jr., D (7 G, 18 A, 25 Pts); Stephon Williams, So., G (2.00 GAA, .924 SV%).
Side note about Minnesota State: Despite never being in the same conference until now, UAH has faced the Mavericks 43 times – the fourth-most in UAH history.
Location: Marquette, Michigan.
Last season: 15-19-4 overall, 9-15-4 CCHA (10th place). Lost to Michigan in the first round of the CCHA Tournament.
Series with UAH: Northern Michigan leads 3-0-1.
Program accomplishments: 1991 National Champions, nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
Famous alums: Steve Bozek, Dallas Drake, Tom Laidlaw.
Predicted WCHA finish: 6th (media), 6th (coaches).
Players to watch: C.J. Ludwig, Sr., D (4 G, 11 A, 15 Pts in 2012-13); Reed Seckel, Jr., F (13 G, 12 A, 25 Pts), ; Stephan Vigier, Sr., F (7 G, 14 A, 21 Pts).
Side note about Northern Michigan: UAH and NMU haven’t faced each other since 2004.
LAST WEEK IN THE WCHA:
Friday, October 4:
Alaska-Anchorage 2, British Columbia 1 (exhibition)
Saturday, October 5:
Ferris State 7, Colgate 4
Michigan Tech 3, Laurentian 2 (exhibition)
Northern Michigan 3, USA Uder-18 1 (exhibition)
Bowling Green 7, Wilfrid Laurier 1 (exhibition)
Alaska 8, British Columbia 1 (exhibition)
Sunday, October 6
Colgate 1, Ferris State 0
Northern Michigan 3, Laurentian 2 (exhibition)
USA Under-18 3, Lake Superior State 2 (exhibition)
Minnesota State 7, Lethbridge 1 (exhibition)
THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA:
All times Central.
Friday, October 11:
UAH at Northeastern, 6 p.m.
Minnesota State at Providence, 6 p.m.
Bowling Green at Union, 6:30 p.m.
Robert Morris at Lake Superior State, 6:30 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
Bemidji State at St. Cloud State, 7:30 p.m.
Air Force vs. Alaska at Kendall Classic (Anchorage), 8 p.m.
Quinnipiac at Alaska-Anchorage (Kendall Classic), 11 p.m.
Saturday, October 12:
UAH at Northeastern, 6 p.m.
Robert Morris at Lake Superior State, 4 p.m.
Minnesota State at Providence, 6 p.m.
Bowling Green at Union, 6:30 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
Quinnipiac vs. Alaska at Kendall Classic (Anchorage), 7 p.m.
Bemidji State at St. Cloud State, 7:30 p.m.
Air Force at Alaska-Anchorage (Kendall Classic), 10 p.m.
Chris Conrad liked this on Facebook.
Ryan Hickok liked this on Facebook.
Marianne Flynn liked this on Facebook.
Julie Yother Torok liked this on Facebook.
Stephen Brink liked this on Facebook.
Stephen Doud liked this on Facebook.
Lisa Carter Rivers liked this on Facebook.
Lewis Edwards liked this on Facebook.
Cassidy Carpenter liked this on Facebook.
Susan Cowles liked this on Facebook.
RoseMary Christol liked this on Facebook.