WCHA media like MSU

The Bemidji Pioneer's Jack Hittinger conducted this year's WCHA Preseason Media Poll, which is out a day before The Mankato Free Press' Coaches Poll (conducted by yours truly; check Wednesday's paper). The media like Minnesota State, picking the Mavericks to finish first and forwards Matt Leitner and Zach Stepan as the Preseason Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively. Leitner, defenseman Zach Palmquist and goaltender Stephon Williams were named to the Preseason All-WCHA team. Twenty-five media members participated in The Pioneer's poll. Here are the results:

Team (First-Place votes) Total Points

1. Minnesota State (22) 244

2. Ferris State (2) 218

3. Alaska 168

4. Bowling Green State 149

5. Michigan Tech 144

6. Northern Michigan 137

7. Lake Superior State 117

8. Bemidji State (1) 108

9. Alaska Anchorage 54

10. Alabama Huntsville 36

Preseason Player Of The Year

Matt Leitner, F, Minnesota State

Others receiving votes: Garrett Thompson, F, Ferris State; Stephon Williams, G, Minnesota State

Preseason Rookie Of The Year

Zach Stepan, F, Minnesota State

Others receiving votes: Thomas Scholl, G, Bowling Green; Brendan Harms, F, Bemidji State; Mathias Dahlstrom, G, Northern Michigan; Cliff Watson, D, Michigan Tech

Preseason All-WCHA Team

Forwards

Matt Leitner, Minnesota State; Alex Petan, Michigan Tech; Ryan Carpenter, Bowling Green

Others receiving votes: Cody Kunyk, Alaska; Reed Sekel, Northern Michigan.

Defensemen

Jason Binkley, Ferris State; Zach Palmquist, D, Minnesota State

Others receiving votes: Stephan Vigier, Northern Michigan; Matt Prapavessis, Bemidji State; Ralfs Freibargs, Bowling Green; Colton Paraynko, Alaska; CJ Ludwig, Northern Michigan

Goaltender

Stephon Williams, Minnesota State

Others receiving votes: CJ Motte, Ferris State; Andrew Walsh, Bemidji State.

The following media members took part in the Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Preseason Media Poll: Justin Bradford, ESPN Radio Nashville; Bruce Cech, KCBF 820/UAF play-by-play; Dave Danis, Northern Michigan play-by-play; Erik Drygas, KCBF 820 AM/UAF color analyst; Drew Evans, BGSUHockey.com; Casey Ford, ESPN Radio UP; Shane Frederick, Mankato Free Press; Kevin Gordon, Bowling Green Sentinel Tribune; Kurt Haider, KENI News/KTZN Sports/UAA hockey play-by-play; Dirk Hembroff, 93.5 FM/MTU play-by-play; Dom Henning, Ferris State Bulldog Sports Network/Ferris Television; Jack Hittinger, Bemidji Pioneer; Dan Kowalski, Ferris State Bulldog Sports Network/Ferris Television; Budd McLaughlin, AL.com hockey writer; Geof Morris, UAHHockey.com; Kevin Myers, Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization; Tim O’Donnell, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner; Rob Roos, Sault Evening News; Martin Slatger, Big Rapids Pioneer; Jerry Taylor, ABC10 UP; John Wagner, Toledo Blade; Matt Wellens, Marquette Daily Mining Journal; Kevin Wells, KTUU-Channel 2; Scott Williams, Lakeland Public Television/KBUN Sportsradio, Brandon Veale/Michael Bleach, Daily Mining Gazette