Gopher women, UMD in top 5 of preseason hockey poll
![Gopher women, UMD in top 5 of preseason hockey poll Gopher women, UMD in top 5 of preseason hockey poll](https://www.si.com/.image/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/MTkyMjkwODA4OTMyNjA3NTM0/screen-shot-2022-09-12-at-60428-pm.png)
Coming off their first conference championship in three seasons, the Gophers women’s hockey team open the 2022-23 season as the second ranked team in the nation, according to the USCHO.com Preseason Division 1 Women’s Hockey Poll.
The @DCUcreditunion https://t.co/2QgdyNoHQx Preseason Division I Women’s Hockey Poll is here! pic.twitter.com/cRSanbzB3K
— USCHO.com (@USCHO) September 12, 2022
The WCHA holds the top three spots and four of the top five.
Defending national champs Ohio State were voted No. 1 by USCHO.com. Wisconsin came in third and Minnesota-Duluth was voted as the fifth-best team in the nation.
All four teams made last year’s NCAA tournament, with Minnesota and Wisconsin losing in the quarterfinals. Ohio State beat Minnesota-Duluth 3-2 in the national championship.
Ohio State received 17 first-place votes, Minnesota had two and Wisconsin got one.
The Gophers open the season Oct. 7 against Bemidji State at Ridder Arena.