Men's Ice Hockey

2025 WIAC Men’s Ice Hockey Preview

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point has been selected to claim the 2025 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men’s ice hockey regular-season championship, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
The Pointers, who enter the 2024-25 campaign ranked No. 6 in the USCHO.com NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Preseason Poll, have won three straight regular-season titles and 17 overall. UW-Stevens Point has also captured two consecutive Commissioner Cup trophies and five overall. The Pointers return Fletcher Anderson – the reigning two-time WIAC Kwik Trip Player of the Year, as well as Alex Proctor an All-WIAC first team selection from a season ago.
 
UW-Eau Claire is picked for second in the conference race. The Blugolds own three regular-season first-place finishes and four Commissioner Cup titles. Max Gutjahr leads the returnees after sharing conference Player of the Year recognition last year with Anderson. Additional All-WIAC first team selections from last season that are back include: Leo Bacallao, Kyler Grundy and Trenten Heyde.
 
UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, UW-Superior and Northland College (Wis.) complete the remaining order in the conference predictions.
 
UW-Stout has a trio of All-WIAC first team selections back from the 2023-24 campaign, including Noe Perez, Nicolas Pigeon and Boyd Stahlbaum. Stahlbaum also added Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year accolades. The Blue Devils accumulated eight conference wins last season, which were the most in program history.
 
UW-River Falls’ 16 overall wins last year were the most since 2019-20, while UW-Superior head coach Rich McKenna is nine victories away from 100 in his career. Northland College returns Ben Stewart, who tied for the team lead with 11 points a season ago.
 
WIAC teams will begin their non-conference schedules on Nov. 1, while the conference slate will start on Nov. 22.
 
2024-25 Preseason Predictions – Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
 
2023-24 Record
1. UW-Stevens Point (21-6-2 overall, 13-2 WIAC/37 pts.)
2. UW-Eau Claire (17-9-2, 10-4-1/31 pts.)
3. UW-Stout (13-14-2, 8-7/26 pts.)
4. UW-River Falls (16-10-3, 6-7-2/21 pts.)
5. UW-Superior (11-15-1, 6-8-1/20 pts.)
6. Northland (1-26, 0-15/0 pts.)
                             

Team Capsules
 
Northland College
Head Coach:  Shane Buckley, 2nd season at NC; 1-26
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  14/17
Goalies Returning/Lost:  2/1
Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Players:  Sam Holy, Jr., D; Evan Ilkos, Sr., F; Ben Stewart, So., F; Trey Taylor, Jr., D
 
 
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Matt Loen; 18th season at UWEC; 269-153-34
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  17/8
Goalies Returning/Lost:  3/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Leo Bacallao, Jr., F (2024-First); Kyler Grundy, Sr., F (2024-First); Max Gutjahr, Jr., G (2024-First/Co-Player of the Year); Trenten Heyde, Jr., D (2024-First); Connor Szmul, Sr., F (2023-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Tyler Herzberg, So., F; Kyle Oleksiuk, Sr., F; Jordan Randall, Sr., F; Colin Stein, Sr., D
 
 
UW-River Falls
Head Coach:  Steve Freeman; 29th season at UWRF; 450-271-66
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  17/9
Goalies Returning/Lost:  0/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Jonny Meiers, So., F (2024-Honorable); Dylan Smith, Jr., F (2023-Honorable, 2024-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Anthony Biniaris, Jr., D; Max Collette, Jr., F; Burke Simpson, Jr., F; Aidan Torres, Jr., D
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Tyler Krueger; 8th season at UWSP; 137-35-16
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  17/11
Goalies Returning/Lost:  3/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Fletcher Anderson, Sr., F (2023-First/Player of the Year, 2024-First/Co-Player of the Year); Andrew Poulias, Sr., F (2023-First); Alex Proctor, Jr., G (2024-First); Dawson Sciarrino, Sr., F (2024-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Sean Bunting, Jr., F; Tyler German, Sr., F; Evan Junker, Sr., D
 
 
UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Mike MacDonald; 5th season at UWST; 42-51-3
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  16/7
Goalies Returning/Lost:  2/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Noe Perez, Sr., D (2024-First); Nicolas Pigeon, So., F (2024-First); Boyd Stahlbaum, So., F (2024-First/Newcomer of the Year)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Kullan Daikawa, Jr., F; Dawson Green, Jr., G; Tyler Masternak, Sr., G; Gunner Moore, Jr., D
 
 
UW-Superior
Head Coach:  Rich McKenna; 9th season at UWS; 91-100-16
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  24/6
Goalies Returning/Lost:  3/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Dusty Bergstrom, Jr., D (2024-Honorable); Jack Boschert, So., G (2024-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Matt Danziger, So., D; Justin Dauphinais, So., F; Gavin Rasmussen, Sr., F; Daniel Rozsival, So., F
 
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