Hockey ranked 20th in USCHO.com poll

January 29, 2013

University Relations

Jamie Foland
907-474-6807

Fairbanks, Alaska - Following their weekend home sweep of Northern Michigan and their third consecutive Central Collegiate Hockey Association series sweep, the Alaska Nanooks debuted at No. 20 in this week's USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll.

With Saturday's 4-2 win and series sweep, the Nanooks have now won six straight games, the longest stretch since joining the CCHA. They are one of four CCHA teams in the polls and the only team outside the top-10 as Miami is fourth, Western Michigan is sixth and Notre Dame is ninth.

Alaska had been listed among other teams receiving votes in eight of the previous 16 polls, but Monday's announcement marked the Nanooks' first appearnce in the top-20 since Jan. 17, 2011, when they were ranked 19 ^th . During the 2010-11 season, the Nanooks were ranked for 14 consecutive weeks, topping out at No. 9 on Oct. 18, 2010.

The Blue and Gold are on the road at No. 4 Miami this weekend, taking on the RedHawks for a pair of games in Oxford at the Steve Cady Arena. Both games are being broadcast live on KFXF Fox7, with Friday's staring at 3:30 p.m. AKST and Saturday's at 3 p.m. AKST.