Utes Finish Third in Final ACHA Rankings

Salt Lake City, Utah February 17, 2015 The Utes are now heading to the postseason as the final ACHA Rankings were released on Tuesday. Utah came in at number three in the final poll that decided the final 40 teams that are still in the running for a National Championship. The Utes kept their number three ranking all season long as they guaranteed their best finish to a season in club history. The previous record was fifth – just one spot out of Nationals – which has occurred the last three seasons. With the Utes hosting the 2015 ACHA Men’s Division II National Championship Tournament, the Utes received one of the two automatic bids to the tournament that are usually awarded to the top two finishers in each division. Arizona State Elite received the other automatic bid to Nationals in the West Division and will be here in Salt Lake City on March 20 when the tournament begins. Coming in second in the final ranking is Northern Arizona, who will be the top seed at the 2015 ACHA West Regionals in Tempe, AZ in two weeks. After Utah at number four is Boise State who now makes their second straight postseason appearance after making it to Regionals for the first time last season. Rounding out the top five is Montana Tech, who will make their first ever postseason appearance this year. At number six is Utah State and will take on 7th ranked Arizona State’s PAC-8 team in the first round of the West Regionals. Denver finished in eighth place and will play Montana Tech in the first round. Coming in at number nine is Weber State, who will take on Boise State. Loyola Marymount took the final playoff spot and will take on top seeded Northern Arizona in round one. Only two of the other eight teams will join Utah and Arizona State at Nationals, which will be decided by two single-elimination rounds February 28th and March 1st in Tempe, AZ. The Utes finished the regular season with a 26-12-3 record and will take on Boise State this Friday at home as we honor our seniors on Senior night. Game starts at 7pm and will be broadcasted live on Utah Hockey Game Day Live.