BOSTON – After making the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, Suffolk women's hockey garnered the 14th spot in the USCHO.com Poll, the organization announced Monday.
Suffolk received 27 points after skating in the first-round of the NCAAs to tie Cortland (20-7-0) and St. Norbert (20-6-3) for the final spot in the national poll, which is compiled weekly throughout the season via 20-votes from coaches and media professional across the country.
The Rams end the year in the poll for the first time in program history. Suffolk, who has been featured in the top-15 seven times, started the year with its first-ever appearance in the preseason poll at No. 15.
Suffolk's fifth varsity season will go down as one for the records books capped off by the first Big Dance appearance, but also featuring the program's first conference championship in the Commonwealth Coast Conference regular-season and postseason title.
Individually, Rams had quite the award haul highlighted by CCM Hockey/American Hockey Coaches Association Second-Team All-America Madison Duff and two-time CCC Player of the Year, Laura Hurd Finalist Shana Cote, both of whom were coached by back-to-back CCC Coach of the Year Taylor Wasylk.
| USCHO.com WOMEN'S DIVISION III POLL |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Record | Points (FPV) | Last Poll | |
| 1 | Gustavus | 27-3-0 | 298 (19) | 1 |
| 2 | Amherst | 26-4-0 | 281 (1) | 3 |
| 3 | Plattsburgh | 26-3-0 | 258 | 2 |
| 4 | Hamilton | 22-6-2 | 234 | 6 |
| 5 | UW-River Falls | 24-4-1 | 224 | 4 |
| 6 | Adrian | 26-4-0 | 192 | 5 |
| 7 | Middlebury | 17-8-3 | 182 | 7 |
| 8 | Colby | 18-8-0 | 154 | 10 |
| 9 | UW-Eau Claire | 22-4-2 | 130 | 8 |
| 10 | Norwich | 19-8-2 | 123 | 9 |
| 11 | Nazareth | 22-6-1 | 90 | 12 |
| 12 | Elmira | 21-6-0 | 83 | 11 |
| 13 | Utica | 22-3-3 | 57 | 13 |
| 14 | Cortland | 20-7-0 | 27 | 15 |
| 14 | St. Norbert | 20-6-3 | 27 | 14 |
| 14 | Suffolk | 18-8-2 | 27 | NR |