LINK TO POLL

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A run to the title game at the WMCH Tournament last week helped the Minot State women's hockey team climb one spot in the latest ACHA Division I women's hockey poll, landing them at No. 5 in the nation as the Beavers prepare for the ACHA National Tournament.

With a new format at the national tournament this season, the Beavers (24-9-1) will be in a three-team pool for the opening round of action, joining No. 4 ranked Midland (Neb.) and No. 9 ranked Indiana Tech.

The winner of each of the four pools advances to the semifinals on Thursday, March 20, with the national championship game slated for noon on Friday, March 21.

Minot State opens pool play at nationals on Tuesday, March 18, taking on a familiar foe in Midland at 10 a.m. at the USA Arena-Centene Community Ice Center. The Beavers close out pool play against Indiana Tech at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19.

The Beavers are 3-4 this season against the Warriors (26-8-0), most recently beating Midland 4-2 in the quarterfinals of the WMCH Tournament last week. Minot State last played Indiana Tech (20-10-2) in Fort Wayne, Ind., in October of 2024, splitting a two-game series with the Warriors.

Midland and Indiana Tech open pool play head-to-head at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 17.

The other pools include No. 1 Liberty (Va.), No. 8 Niagara (N.Y.), and No. 12 Grand Canyon in pool A, No. 2 Maryville (Mo.), No. 7 Michigan-Dearborn, and No. 11 Miami (Ohio) in pool B, and No. 3 Adrian (Mich.), No. 6 McKendree (Ill.), and No. 10 Arizona State in pool C.