Green is Good: St. Norbert Stays Atop D-III Poll

Ibid.

What better way to describe a poll where none of the top five teams (nor the top 15) change? For the second consecutive week, St. Norbert is the top team in college hockey, followed closely by Oswego, Plattsburgh, Manhattanville, and Adrian.

What did change were the first place votes. Where last week saw five different teams receive top tallies, in the latest poll only three were so fortunate. The six first place votes of Oswego and four belonging to Plattsburgh were nearly all funneled to St. Norbert, who increased their total from seven to a robust 16. Fourth place Manhattanville added one to its list of supporters while Adrian’s two votes remained secure.

After a three point weekend at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s home rink, UW-River Falls moved up two spots to sixth. Still idle Middlebury — whose first game is this Friday at conference foe Tufts — remained in seventh. By virtue of their home ties against ninth ranked UW-Stout, St. Scholastica vaulted over the Blue Devils in rising two spots to eighth.

Stout remains ninth while Amherst, who hosts Wesleyan to begin their season on Friday, are up one position from last week and round out the top 10.

The Elmira Soaring Eagles were the big movers of the week, ascending four spots to No. 11 after impressive home victories over then-sixth ranked Neumann (6-2) and Lebanon Valley (4-2).

As yet untested Norwich will finally to get to prove their mettle for the first time this season as they take on the cleverly named Nor’easters in Biddeford, Maine on Friday.

The Neumann Knights fell seven spots to No. 13 after falling to Elmira and new-No. 14 Hobart.

Last week’s No. 14, UW-Superior, rounds out the nation’s top teams.