WINTHROP, Mass. -- The Penn State women's hockey team received every possible first-place vote in the 2022-23 College Hockey America (CHA) preseason coaches' poll as announced by the league office Wednesday morning. In addition, four Nittany Lions earned preseason recognition within the league.
This comes just two days after Penn State earned a No. 14 preseason ranking per USCHO.com, being the only CHA team to receive a national ranking.
Along with being voted first in the preseason coaches' poll as a team, freshman forward Tessa Janecke was selected as the Preseason Rookie of the Year voted unanimously by the other four head coaches.
Headlining the coaches' Preseason All-CHA Team are junior forward Kiara Zanon, senior defenseman Mallory Uihlein, and junior goaltender Josie Bothun. Also receiving votes by conference coaches were Janecke, and senior defensemen Rene Gangarosa and Izzy Heminger.
The Nittany Lions captured each of the possible first-place votes among opposing CHA head coaches, as coaches could not vote for their own teams. The full breakdown of the poll is listed below.
The 2022-23 CHA Preseason Poll:
Rk. Team (1st Votes) Points
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Penn State (4) 20
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Syracuse (1) 16
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Mercyhurst 15
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Lindenwood 10
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RIT 8
Coaches could not vote for their own teams. Based on a 5-4-3-2 scale.
View the full CHA release here.
Head coach Jeff Kampersal's squad finished the 2021-22 season 18-10-5, earning a school record for most wins in a season.
At the conclusion of last year, Zanon and former Nittany Lion Natalie Heising front lined the All-CHA First team, while Uihlein held down the blueline. Gangarosa garnered All-CHA Second Team honors, and Karley Garcia was named to the All-CHA rookie team for the 2021-22 season.
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