Utah M1 debuts at #7 in first ACHA Computer Rankings, highest in team history

October 30, 2024
Salt Lake City, Utah

The first five weeks of the 2024-25 season are in the books, and the first computerized rankings are out! Your Skatin’ Utes have debuted at #7 in the first “official” ranking of the season. This is the highest ranking for Utah since moving to Division 1. In their last season of Division 2, they finished the season ranked at #2.

During the first month of the season, the American Collegiate Hockey Association relies on an informal coaches ranking until sufficient game data is present for the computerized rankings.

The Utah M1 schedule has been less on the travel this season, with only five of their first nine games on the road. This does not include the two road games against Ohio, which were canceled because of rink issues.

The Utes opened the season at home against University of Colorado for non-conference games on September 20 and 21st. After a shootout loss on Friday, they bounced back for 5-3 win on the 21st.

After a bye weekend the Utes hosted Western Collegiate Hockey League rival San Diego State a secured signature wins of 15-0 on Friday and 4-0 on Saturday. The 19 goals of offense demonstrated offensive power of the Utes, and added confidence for the next road trip.

Utah M1 then traveled to Phoenix for two games against WCHL rivals Grand Canyon University. The Utes secured a 2-1 victory on Friday and a 6-5 shootout win on Saturday for the weekend sweep.

To close out October, the Utes traveled to Oklahoma City for a three game tilt in the Sooner State. The Utes had their first loss on Thursday against #8 Oklahoma with a score of 4-3. Utah did score three late goals in the third to tie, but allowed a power play goal at 6:46 of the third.

Next was perennial ACHA powerhouse Central Oklahoma for a two game tilt. Friday yielded a 4-1 win, but on Saturday the flood gates opened for a 10-2 victory over the Bronchos.

Utah’s record currently stands at 7 wins, 1 loss, and 1 overtime loss.

Individual play has also been superb, with #24 Ethan Light leading the entire ACHA with 22 points, and all three goaltenders demonstrating commanding goals against avergages, #30 Jaxon Letey with a 0.00 GAA, #31 Joseph Greilich with 2.00 GAA, and #32 Garrett Fuller with 1.94 GAA.

The Western Collegiate Hockey League, of which Utah M1 is a member, had a strong performance with eight (of 11) of its member teams ranked. The Great Lakes 6 Hockey Conference, playing in its inaugural season, had five (of 6) of its member teams ranked and Midwest College Hockey has five (of 10) of its member teams ranked.

With the ACHA switching to a computer-based ranking from a coaches poll, the ACHA will use the two computer rankings generated by USHSHO.com, Ranking A (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 7) and Ranking B (Wins with Maximum Goal Differential of 1), and come up with an average of the two rankings. The ACHA will then use the list generated from the average for its weekly ranking. Ties will be broken using the higher ranked team from Ranking B until the Top 25 teams are listed. All games that go to overtime will be scored as ties in the computer ranking.

Now in its 34nd season of action, there have been a total of 14 schools that have won the ACHA Men’s Division 1 National Championship. Over the past 19 seasons, 12 different schools have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship: Penn State (5), Lindenwood (4), Ohio (4), Adrian (3), Minot State (3), Central Oklahoma (2), Illinois (2), Arizona State, Davenport, Iowa State, Oakland, Delaware,   and Rhode Island.

A total of 73 teams will compete in Men’s Division I this season, including former Men’s Division II member Drury University and former Men’s Division III members Northwood University and Saginaw Valley State University.

The computer ranking will for the eleventh time determine the 24 teams that qualify for the 2025 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships, which will include the following eight auto bids:

• (CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America
• (ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
• (ESCHL) Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
• (GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
• (MCH) Midwest College Hockey
• (NECHL) Northeast Collegiate Hockey League
• (WCHL) Western Collegiate Hockey League
• (WHAC) Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

The fifth ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

2024-2025 ACHA MEN’S DIVISION 1 RANKING #4