EXCELSIOR, Minn. – The Trine University men's hockey team moves up four spots in the latest edition of the USCHO.com NCAA Division III coaches poll, coming in as the 11th ranked team in the nation.
The Thunder received 80 points in this week poll, to secure the highest ranking in program history. Adrian remains the only other member of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) to be ranked, dropping to fifth this week. St. Norbert continues to receive votes.
This is the first poll of 2024 with the last edition coming on December 11, 2023. Since then, Trine has played three games, finishing with a 2-1 record. The team ended the 2023 part of the season with a trip to face Hamilton College, they won on Friday with a 4-3 overtime performance, but fell 4-0 on Saturday.
Then this past week the Thunder picked up their biggest win of the season. They hosted the Bulldogs for a standalone non-conference game on Friday, January 5. Tyler Blanchard came up big in overtime with a game winner giving the program their first ever home victory against Adrian.
Trine is set to return to NCHA competition when they travel to face MSOE for a pair of games beginning on Friday, January 12. Opening puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT.