The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) released its preseason coaches poll on Thursday, with the Ohio State Buckeyes clinching the top position, amassing 48 points and earning six first‑place votes, a clear indication that the Buckeyes are the favorites heading into the 2026 season.
Preseason Honors
Joy Dunne, the Buckeyes’ senior forward, was honored as the WCHA Preseason Player of the Year, collecting seven of the eight possible votes, underscoring her dominance after a campaign in which she posted 27 goals and 51 points across 31 games.
Adrianna Milani earned the Preseason Rookie of the Year accolade, a distinction that follows her recent silver‑medal performance with Team Canada at the U18 Women’s World Championships and her prior tenure with the Etobicoke Dolphins.
The WCHA also unveiled its Preseason All‑WCHA Team, featuring six returning standouts including Dunne, Jocelyn Amos, and goaltender Ève Gascon, who was named Goaltender of the Year after posting 21 career shutouts; the lineup signals a deep pool of talent that should shape the conference’s narrative throughout the year.
With the top four squads—Ohio State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth—secured spots in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the stage is set for a marquee showdown, as Wisconsin and Ohio State are slated to meet in the National Championship for the fourth straight year, heightening the conference’s profile on the national stage.