MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State men's hockey team has been ranked 18th in the USCHO.com preseason poll on Sept. 21.

Defending national champion Denver was ranked took the top spot in the poll with 973 points and 35 first-place votes. Michigan claimed the second spot with 915 points, with Michigan State following in third with 886 points.

North Dakota (859 points) and Minnesota Duluth (737 points) rounded out the top-five, with Wisconsin following in sixth with 709 points.

Minnesota State is one of two CCHA teams ranked in USCHO Poll. MSU is followed by Michigan Tech which was ranked 19th with 145 points. Augustana and Bowling Green are receiving votes.

The Maverick host Manitoba in an exhibition game on Oct. 2 at 11:30 a.m. Minnesota State opens its regular season schedule at home on Oct. 9-10 as it hosts #6 Wisconsin. Puck drops are set for 7:07 p.m. and 6:07 p.m. at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.
 

RANK	TEAM (1ST VOTES)	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS RANK
1	Denver (35)	0-0-0	973	1
2	Michigan (6)	0-0-0	915	3
3	Michigan State (7)	0-0-0	886	5
4	North Dakota (2)	0-0-0	859	4
5	Minnesota Duluth	0-0-0	737	7
6	Wisconsin	0-0-0	709	2
7	Quinnipiac	0-0-0	692	8
8	Western Michigan	0-0-0	653	6
9	Providence	0-0-0	629	9
10	UMass	0-0-0	453	16
11	Dartmouth	0-0-0	436	10
12	Boston College	0-0-0	378	19
13	Cornell	0-0-0	319	12
14	Minnesota	0-0-0	285	NR
15	UConn	0-0-0	272	13
16	Boston University	0-0-0	254	NR
17	Penn State	0-0-0	243	11
18	Minnesota State	0-0-0	176	14
19	Michigan Tech	0-0-0	145	NR
20	Merrimack	0-0-0	82	15

Others receiving votes: Augustana 70, Ohio State 59, St. Thomas 50, Miami 49, Bowling Green 39, Colorado College 39, Bentley 24, Sacred Heart 17, Clarkson 12, Northeastern 11, Maine 9, Princeton 7, Harvard 6, Arizona State 5, Notre Dame 5, Brown 1, New Hampshire 1