WCHA coaches pick Minnesota State

Minnesota State was pretty much the unanimous choice to win the WCHA in the Mankato Free Press Preseason Coaches Poll. Coaches couldn't vote for their own teams, and the Mavericks received all nine first-place votes possible.

Like the media poll released on Tuesday, MSU's Matt Leitner was named Preseason Player of the Year, Zach Stepan was named Rookie of the Year and Leitner, Zach Palmquist and Stephon Williams were named to the Preseason All-WCHA team.

Read reaction from MSU coach Mike Hastings here.

Here are the results of this year's poll:

Mankato Free Press WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Minnesota State (9 first-place votes), 81 points
2. Ferris State, 65
3. Michigan Tech (1), 64
4. Bowling Green, 58
5. Alaska, 54
6. Northern Michigan, 40
7. Bemidji State, 35
8. Lake Superior State, 25
9. Alaska Anchorage, 18
10. Alabama Huntsville, 10

Player of the Year: Matt Leitner, Jr., F, Minnesota State (5 votes); Alex Petan, So. F, Michigan Tech (2); Ryan Carpenter, Jr. F, Bowling Green (1); Cody Kunyk, Sr. F, Alaska (1); Blake Tatchell, So. F, Alaska Anchorage (1).

Rookie of the Year: Zach Stepan, F, Minnesota State (8 votes); Brent Baltus, F, Michigan Tech (1); Shane Sooth, F, Northern Michigan (1).

Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forwards: Matt Leitner, Jr., Minnesota State; Alex Petan, So., Michigan Tech; Ryan Carpenter, Jr.
Defensemen: Zach Palmquist, Jr., Minnesota State; Jason Binkley, Jr., Ferris State.
Goaltender: Stephon Williams, So., Minnesota State

Others receiving votes: Forwards--Blake Tatchell, So., Alaska Anchorage; Matt Bailey, Sr., Alaska Anchorage; Cody Kunyk, Sr., Alaska; Garrett Thompson, Sr., Ferris State. Defensemen--ColtonParayko, So., Alaska; Matt Prapavessis, Jr., Bemidji State; Mike Sullivan, Jr., Bowling Green; Ralfs Freibergs, So., Bowling Green; Scott Czarnowczan, Sr., Ferris State; Kevin Czuczman, Jr., Lake Superior State; C.J. Ludwig, Sr., Northern Michigan. Goaltender--Kevin Kapalka, Sr., Lake Superior State.