DENVER – The University of Denver hockey team surged to No. 4 in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey polls released Monday,marking a significant climb for the Pioneers.
Denver (previously ranked No.9 by USCHO.com and No. 11 by USA Hockey) earned the jump following a successful start to conference play with a road sweep of than-No. 4 Western Michigan. The Pioneers defeated the Broncos 3-1 on Friday and followed with a 6-3 victory on Saturday. This upward movement reflects DenverS strong performance and potential as a national contender.
The rankings highlight the competitive landscape of NCAA Division I men’s hockey. Michigan State remains at No. 1 in both polls, receiving unanimous recognition after defeating Penn State. Michigan holds the No. 2 spot, and Minnesota duluth moved up to No. 3. Penn State fell to No. 5, while Western Michigan dropped to No. 9/8.
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) boasts five ranked teams – Denver, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota (No.6), Western Michigan, and Colorado College (No. 17) – second only to Hockey east’s seven. The NCHC and Big Ten are tied for the most teams in the top 10, each with four. Arizona State, Miami, Omaha, and St. Cloud state also received votes in the polls.
UP NEXT: Denver will face Colorado College in a home-and-home series. The Pioneers host the first game on Friday at 7 p.m. MT at Magness Arena, before traveling to Colorado Springs for a Saturday matchup at Ed Robson Arena at 6 p.m.MT.
The USCHO.com poll is compiled weekly by 50 voters, including coaches and media. The USA Hockey/The Rink Live Poll, conducted in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association, gathers input from coaches and journalists across all six NCAA Division I hockey conferences.
Single-game tickets and 5-game mini plans for the 2025-26 DU hockey season are currently available at https://denverpioneers.evenue.net/list/H?RSRC=PacMail&RDAT=WebStory.
