WCHA Coaches Poll Picks Wisconsin, Preseason Stars

WCHA head coaches have tapped Wisconsin as the team to beat heading into the 2024-2025 NCAA season.

Winning the WCHA title, before falling in the national championship final last year, Wisconsin received five first-place votes from the league's eight coaches.

Last year's national champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes finished second in voting with Minnesota third, and Minnesota-Duluth fourth.

The WCHA this season will be under the eye of new commissioner Michelle McAteer.

While the league's coaches picked Wisconsin as the top team heading into the preseason, they also selected their preseason all-conference players. Taking top billing was Patty Kazmaier finalist Kirsten Simms who was the WCHA Player of the Year in 2023, and was named the WCHA Preseason Player of the Year in the coach's poll. Also receiving votes were Abbey Murphy of Minnesota, and Wisconsin's Caroline Harvey and Casey O'Brien.

Conference coaches tapped Chloe Primerano as the WCHA's Preseason Rookie of the Year, while Caitlin Kraemer (Minnesota-Duluth) and Mira Jungaker (Ohio State) also received votes.

The All-WCHA preseason team was Simms, Murphy, Joy Dunne (Ohio State), Harvey, Nelli Laitinen (Minnesota), and Eve Gascon (Minnesota-Duluth).

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