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Hockey Broncos No. 8 nationally in CHN preseason ranking

by Thom Myers

Sept. 25, 2011 | WMU News

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University's hockey team begins play Oct. 1 ranked eighth in the nation according to College Hockey News.

Photo of WMU hockey.
Four teams from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association made the CHN top 10, the most of any conference, including No. 1 Miami University, No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 8 WMU Broncos and No. 9 University of Michigan. Another CCHA member, Lake Superior State, is among six schools listed as "teams to watch."

Last week, WMU announced it has accepted an invitation to join the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, which begins play in the fall of 2013. CCHA members Miami and WMU will join six members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in the NCHC.

Five of the eight members of the new NCHC are in the College Hockey News top 10—Miami, Colorado College, North Dakota, Denver and WMU—and two more are listed among the teams to watch in 2011-12, Nebraska-Omaha and Minnesota-Duluth.

College Hockey News Preseason Top 10
1. Miami (CCHA)
2. Boston University (Hockey East)
3. Notre Dame (CCHA)
4. Colorado College (WCHA)
5. Boston College (Hockey East)
6. North Dakota (WCHA)
7. Denver (WCHA)
8. Western Michigan (CCHA)
9. Michigan (CCHA)
10. Yale (Eastern College Athletic Conference)

WMU announced in July the hiring of NHL veteran coach Andy Murray to lead its hockey program, and there is already considerable excitement about the upcoming Bronco hockey season. WMU has seen a 45 percent increase in season ticket sales.

The Broncos host an exhibition game against the University of Toronto at 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at Walker Arena in Muskegon, Mich., and open the regular season at 7 p.m. Oct. 7 against Alabama-Huntsville at WMU's Lawson Arena.

The Broncos will meet two of their new NCHC rivals later this season, with two games at St. Cloud State in December and defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth visiting Lawson Arena Jan. 6-7.

Visit wmubroncos.com for more information and to order season tickets.

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