Around the WCHA: Getting to know the league

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.

 

Alaska Nanooks

Location: Fairbanks, Alaska

Last season: 17-16-4 overall, 12-13-3 CCHA (6^th 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: 3^rd (media), 5^th (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).

 

Alaska Anchorage Seawolves

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Last season: 4-25-7 overall, 2-20-6 WCHA (12^th 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: 9^th (media), 9^th (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.

 

Bemidji State Beavers

Location: Bemidji, Minnesota

Last season: 6-22-8 overall, 5-16-7 WCHA (11^th 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: 8^th (media), 7^th (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.

 

Bowling Green Falcons

Location: Bowling Green, Ohio

Last season: 15-21-5 overall, 10-15-3 CCHA (9^th 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: 4^th (media), 4^th (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.

 

Ferris State Bulldogs

Location: Big Rapids, Michigan.

Last season: 16-16-5 overall, 13-12-3 CCHA (5^th 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.

 

Lake Superior State Lakers

Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Last season: 17-21-1 overall, 11-16-1 CCHA (8^th 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.

 

Michigan Tech Huskies

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).

 

Minnesota State Mavericks

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.

 

Northern Michigan Wildcats

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.