Men's Ice Hockey

UW-Stevens Point Tabbed Men’s Ice Hockey Preseason Favorite

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the two-time defending conference champion, has been tabbed to win the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men’s ice hockey title, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
The Pointers captured the 16th regular-season title in program archives a year ago and returns four All-WIAC selections from that squad, including WIAC Co-Player of the Year Fletcher Anderson. UW-Stevens Point also won the WIAC Tournament (Commissioner’s Cup) in 2023, and has posted at least 20 victories in eight of the last 10 seasons.
 
UW-Eau Claire is slotted for second in the preseason poll and welcomes back WIAC Co-Player of the Year Quinn Green. The Blugolds have claimed three regular-season titles with the most recent in 2020.
 
UW-Eau Claire is followed in the predictions by: UW-Superior; UW-Stout; UW-River Falls; and Northland College.
 
Shane Buckley begins his first season at the helm for Northland College. He played for the LumberJacks from 2009-13, and was the head coach for the ACHA DI program at West Virginia University the last four years.
 
The winner of the Commissioner’s Cup will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship. All six teams will qualify for the conference tournament, which begins Feb. 16-17 with first round series between the No. 6 seed and No. 3 seed, as well as the No. 5 seed and No. 4 seed. The two first-round winners will advance to the semifinals at the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds for a series Feb. 23-24. Both semifinal victors will face off for the Commissioner’s Cup on March 2. All games will be played at the higher seed.
 
2023-24 Preseason Predictions – Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
 
2022-23 Record
1. UW-Stevens Point (20-6-4 overall, 12-2-1 WIAC/35 pts.)
2. UW-Eau Claire (18-9-1, 9-5-1/28 pts.)
3. UW-Superior (15-12-2, 9-5-1/28 pts.)
4. UW-Stout (17-11-1, 6-8-1/20 pts.)
5. UW-River Falls (11-15-1, 5-9-1/17 pts.)
6. Northland College (2-23-2, 1-13-1/7 pts.)
 
Team Capsules
 
Northland College
Head Coach:  Shane Buckley, 1st season at NC
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  12/14
Goalies Returning/Lost:  1/2
Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Players:  Jackson Breton, Sr., F; Bryson Cecconi, Sr., F; Zach Ross, Sr., D; Ben Varga, Sr., D
 
 
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Matt Loen; 17th season at UWEC; 252-144-32
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  19/4
Goalies Returning/Lost:  2/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Quinn Green, Sr., F (2023-First/Co-Player of the Year); Ryan Green, Sr., F (2023-Honorable); Willy Stauber, Sr., D (2023-First); Connor Szmul, Sr., F (2023-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Tyler Love, Sr., D; Sammy Martel, Sr., F; Colin Stein, Jr., D
 
 
UW-River Falls
Head Coach:  Steve Freeman; 28th season at UWRF; 434-261-63
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  20/7
Goalies Returning/Lost:  3/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Dean Buchholz, Sr., G (2021-First); Noah Roofe, Sr., F (2022-Honorable, 2023-Honorable); Vilho Saariluoma, Sr., F (2021-First/Newcomer); Dysen Skinner, Sr., G (2021-Honorable, 2022-Honorable, 2023-Honorable); Dylan Smith, So., F (2023-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Gibb Coady, Jr., F; Josh Martin, Sr., D; Connor McGrath, So., F; Burke Simpson, So., D
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Tyler Krueger; 7th season at UWSP; 116-29-14
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  21/6
Goalies Returning/Lost:  2/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Fletcher Anderson, Jr., F (2023-First/Co-Player of the Year); Mick Heneghan, Sr., D (2023-First); Brett Humberstone, Sr., D (2022-Honorable); Andrew Poulias, Sr., F (2023-First); Conor Witherspoon, Sr., F (2023-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Nicholas Aromatorio, Sr., D; Noah Finstrom, Sr., F; Cody Moline, Sr., F; Dawson Sciarrino, Jr., F
 
 
UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Mike MacDonald; 4th season at UWST; 29-37-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  20/9
Goalies Returning/Lost:  3/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Matt Dahlseide, Sr., F (2023-First); Peyton Hart, Jr., F (2023-First); Tyler Masternack, Jr., G (2022-Honorable, 2023-First); Dylan Rallis, Sr., F (2022-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Dawson Green, So., G; Jacob Halvorson, Sr., F; Kobe Keller, Sr., F; Gunner Moore, So., D
 
 
UW-Superior
Head Coach:  Rich McKenna; 8th season at UWS; 80-85-15
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  16/12
Goalies Returning/Lost:  0/3
Returning All-WIAC:  CJ Walker, Sr., F (2023-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Dusty Bergstrom, So., D; Gavin Rasmussen, Jr., F; Reed Stark, Jr., F; Tristan Therrien, So., F
 
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