Inside College Hockey | INCH Update Desk

INCH UPDATE DESK

September 25, 2007
Miami, Michigan State Earn Top Billing in CCHA

Miami and Michigan State were the top two teams in both the coaches and media preseason polls released by the CCHA Tuesday, with the Redhawks earning the top spot in the coaches vote and the media picking the defending national champions as the favorites.

Notre Dame and Michigan were selected third and fourth, respectively, in each poll.

The league's preseason all-conference team, selected by the coaches, featured a trio of Miami players on the first team. Forwards Nathan Davis and Ryan Jones and defenseman Alec Martinez represented the Redhawks; Michigan's Kevin Porter, Notre Dame's Kyle Lawson and Michigan State's Jeff Lerg were also named to the first team.

CCHA Hockey Preseason Polls
Preseason Coaches Poll	Preseason Media Poll
1. Miami (5)	1. Michigan State (25)
2. Michigan State (6)	2. Miami (21)
3. Notre Dame (1)	3. Notre Dame (13)
4. Michigan	4. Michigan (4)
5. Ohio State	5. Ohio State
6. Nebraska-Omaha	6. Nebraska-Omaha
7. Lake Superior State	7. Western Michigan
8. Northern Michigan	8. Ferris State
9. Ferris State	9. Lake Superior State
10. Western Michigan	10. Northern Michigan
11. Alaska	11. Alaska
12. Bowling Green	12. Bowling Green

September 25, 2007
BC, UNH Split Votes in Hockey East Poll

Boston College and New Hampshire, which split the Hockey East tournament and regular-season titles a year ago, sit atop the league's preseason coaches' poll. Both the Eagles and Wildcats earned five first-place votes and 84 points overall.

Boston University and Maine rounded out the top four, while Massachusetts and Vermont were tied for fifth in the balloting.

Hockey East Preseason Poll
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Boston College (5)	84
New Hampshire (5)	84
3. Boston University	77
4. Maine	61
5. Massachusetts	54
Vermont	54
7. Northeastern	43
8. Providence	39
9. UMass Lowell	25
10. Merrimack	19

September 24, 2007
Clarkson tops ECAC Hockey preseason polls

The Clarkson Golden Knights, defending ECAC Hockey tournament champions, were picked by both the coaches and the media to win the league this season. The preseason polls were announced during the ECAC Hockey media day at the Times-Union Center in Albany, N.Y. on Monday.

Clarkson received 11 of 12 first-place votes in the coaches' poll, and coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team. The Golden Knights also received 18 of a possible 23 first-place votes in the media poll.

Four players were named to the preseason all-league teams by both the coaches and media - Clarkson goalie David Leggio, Brown defenseman Sean Hurley, Clarkson forward Nick Dodge, and Colgate forward Tyler Burton. The coaches also recognized Cornell defenseman Brendon Nash and Colgate forward Jesse Winchester on the all-league team while the media tabbed Harvard defenseman Alex Biega and Quinnipiac forward Brandon Wong.

ECAC Hockey Preseason Polls
Preseason Coaches Poll	Preseason Media Poll
1. Clarkson	1. Clarkson
2. Quinnipiac	2. Quinnipiac
3. St. Lawrence	3. St. Lawrence
4. Cornell	4. Cornell
5. Harvard	5. Colgate
6. Colgate	6. Dartmouth
7. Dartmouth	7. Harvard
8. Princeton	8. Princeton
9. Yale	9. Rensselaer
10. Rensselaer	10. Yale
11. Brown	11. Brown
12. Union	12. Union

September 24, 2007
Miami's Blasi Receives Contract Extension

Miami coach Enrico Blasi received a 10-year contract extension Monday, keeping him behind the RedHawk bench through the 2016-2017 season.

"Our program is at a point where we can take some big steps, not only in our league but also nationally," Blasi said in a statement. "We’ll do all we can to make sure that the program progresses in a positive manner.”

In eight seasons as bench boss at his alma mater, Blasi has compiled a 154-130-27 record. He guided the RedHawks to the 2006 CCHA regular-season championship and three NCAA Tournament berths. He won the Spence Penrose Award as national coach of the year in 2006, and is a three-time winner of CCHA coach of the year honors.

September 24, 2007
Bowling Green Adds Alum as Goalie Coach

Ex-Bowling Green netminder Tyler Masters will return to his alma mater as the Falcons' goaltending coach, head coach Scott Paluch announced.

Masters, a Calgary native, played for BGSU from 1999-2003. He ranks second in Falcon history in saves and goals against average, and is third on the school's all-time save percentage list.

After graduating from Bowling Green, Masters played professionally for three seasons, spending time with the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones and Louisiana Ice Gators and the United Hockey League's Fort Wayne Komets and Richmond Riverdogs.

September 10, 2007
Doubleheader Set for Palace of Auburn Hills

The Palace of Auburn Hills in suburban Detroit will host a college hockey doubleheader Saturday, Jan. 19. The event, billed the College Hockey Faceoff, begins with College Hockey America foes Niagara and Wayne State playing at 3:30 p.m. ET, with Michigan and Notre Dame meeting in the nightcap.

Tickets for the College Hockey Faceoff go on sale Monday, Sept. 17 and can be purchased at the Palace of Auburn Hills box office and Ticketmaster locations, by calling (248) 645-6666, or online at either www.palacenet.com or www.ticketmaster.com.