UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS CHOSEN TO FINISH FIRST IN 2025-2026 WCHL PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA (Sept. 24, 2025) – The defending ACHA Men’s Division I National Champion, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was unanimously selected by the Western Collegiate Hockey League coaches as the preseason favorite to win the WCHL in the 2025-2026 season. UNLV won the WCHL Regular Season Championship last season before winning their first National Championship and raising the Murdoch Cup in March.
In this season’s WCHL Preseason Coaches’ Poll, UNLV received all 121 possible points from the WCHL coaches as each of the eleven WCHL head coaches selected the Rebels to finish atop the WCHL this season. In second place in the poll was the University of Utah, which garnered 105 points, while Grand Canyon University received 98 points for third place in the poll.
The University of Arizona finished fourth in the poll with 92 points. In the fifth spot with 68 points was Arizona State University. Missouri State University landed in the sixth position with 62 points, while the University of Oklahoma was only three points behind, receiving 59 points from the WCHL coaches to secure the seventh spot in the poll.
The University of Colorado was selected in eighth place with 41 points, while Colorado State University was slotted in the ninth position with 36 points. The University of Central Oklahoma received 32 points to take the tenth spot in the poll. San Diego State University rounded out the poll in the eleventh spot with 12 points.
WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY LEAGUE 2025-2026 PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
Rank, Team Points
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- UNLV (11) 121
- UTAH 105
- GRAND CANYON 98
- ARIZONA 92
- ARIZONA STATE 68
- MISSOURI STATE 62
- OKLAHOMA 59
- COLORADO 41
- COLORADO STATE 36
- CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 32
- SAN DIEGO STATE 12
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(First Place votes in parentheses)
The winner of the WCHL Regular Season will receive the WCHL’s autobid to the 2026 ACHA Men’s Division 1 National Championships presented by FloHockey, held on March 12-17, 2026 at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
Follow the WCHL online at www.westernchl.com and at twitter.com/WesternCHL.
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Media Contact:
Christopher Perry
Commissioner
405-488-4048
