:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65357921/Caufield_Cole_HS_2019.0.jpg)
Monday is a big rankings release day around the NCAA and instead of having three separate posts that you probably won’t click on, we are putting them all into one handy post that you will click on because we care about your time wasting at work. Gotta be efficient when wasting time.
Men’s hockey
The Badgers are ranked No. 16 in the preseason USCHO.com poll after, obviously, not being ranked to end last season.
With 49 of 50 first-place votes, defending national champion @UMDMensHockey is the top team in the https://t.co/2QgdyNoa0Z Division I Men’s Preseason Poll.
— USCHO.com (@USCHO) September 30, 2019
No. 3 @MavHockey picked up the other first-place vote. pic.twitter.com/IqUllFvRpR
There are three other Big Ten teams in the poll with Notre Dame at No. 9, Ohio State at No. 12 and Penn State at No. 13. Minnesota is just outside the top-20, at No. 21, and Michigan is also receiving some votes. Per usual, the B1G should be a tough conference to make it out of.
The Badgers open the season on the road against No. 11 Boston College and then their first home series of the year is against preseason No. 1, and defending national champions, Minnesota Duluth. UW also has non-conference series lined up with No. 10 Clarkson and No. 20 Arizona State, so they’ll definitely have a chance to prove themselves worthy of an NCAA Tournament bid this year.
As far as conference predictions go, the coaches picked the Badgers to be third in the Big Ten behind Notre Dame and preseason champ Penn State.
.@PennStateMHKY tops the 2019-20 #B1GHockey preseason poll. pic.twitter.com/zTNtaM8mbH
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) September 30, 2019
The preseason all-B1G first-team has two members of the Badgers on it, with defensemen K’Andre Miller and Wyatt Kalynuk representing UW. Miller is a New York Rangers draft pick and Kalynuk is a Philadelphia Flyers prospect. Miller was one of two, with Notre Dame goalie Cale Morris, unanimous first-team selections.
2019-20 #B1GHockey Preseason All-Big Ten First Team as selected by conference coaches. pic.twitter.com/yAJgQY1llB
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) September 30, 2019
Women’s hockey
After opening the season with a sweep of Lindenwood on the road, the Badgers retain their No. 1 spot in the USCHO.com poll, and they continue to be the unanimous selection.
.@BadgerWHockey is the unanimous top team in this week’s https://t.co/2QgdyNoa0Z Division I Women’s Poll, garnering all 15 first-place votes. pic.twitter.com/lRLl3zUerR
— USCHO.com (@USCHO) September 30, 2019
Fellow WCHA conference mates Minnesota (No. 2), Ohio State (No. 9) and Minnesota Duluth (No. 10) are also ranked this week.
Volleyball
After opening up Big Ten conference play with a sweep of Purdue and a four-set victory over Indiana, the Badgers held steady at No. 13 in this weeks AVCA Coaches poll.
AVCA Top-25:
— AVCA (@AVCAVolleyball) September 30, 2019
1. Baylor
2. Neb
3. Stanford
4. Pitt
5. Penn St
6. Texas
7. Minn
8. Wash
9. BYU
10. Marquette
11. Hawai'i
12. Fla
13. Wisc
14. Creighton
15. Kentucky
16. Colorado St
17. Purdue
18. Ill.
19. Cal
20. Utah
21. Rice
22. Mizz
23. Florida St
24. Washington St
25. Oregon
Nebraska (No. 2), Penn State (No. 5), Minnesota (No. 7), Purdue (No. 17) and Illinois (No. 18) are all also ranked for Big Ten members.
Rock has more volleyball coverage coming tomorrow in The Sett and Bob will have his weekly stock report on Badgers athletics coming tomorrow as well.