The United Collegiate Hockey Conference is pleased to announce its 2025-26 Men's Preseason Coaches' Poll. The 2025-26 UCHC Preseason Poll is voted on by all nine league coaches with defending league champion SUNY Geneseo selected as the top team in the conference at the start of the year.
SUNY Geneseo, who advanced to the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Hockey National Semifinals, garnered five of the nine first place votes and 61 total points. The Knights finished 24-5-1 last season and begin 2025-26 ranked third in the USCHO.com Division III Men’s Hockey preseason national poll.
Utica University is right behind Geneseo with 60 total points and four first place votes in the 2025-26 UCHC Preseason poll. Utica, who advanced to the 2025 NCAA Division III National Championship game, has won all eight regular season UCHC Championships since the conference began play in 2017-18. The Pioneers are attempting to win their sixth UCHC title, having also won in 2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. The Pioneers finished with a 24-5-2 record in 2024-25, including a 16-2-2 mark in UCHC play. Utica begins the season ranked No. 2 nationally in the USCHO.com preseason poll.
Chatham University is selected by the coaches to finish third in the UCHC preseason poll, with 48 points. Chatham advanced to the UCHC Semifinals last season and return 2025 UCHC Player of the Year Nick Cyprian. Elmira College, who rejoins the UCHC after spending the previous four seasons as a member of the New England Hockey Conference, has 41 points, slated to place fourth in the UCHC poll. UCHC newcomer Albertus Magnus College, who also was a member of the NEHC in 2024-25, is right behind Elmira with 40 points in the 2025-26 UCHC preseason poll.
Manhattanville University, who advanced to the UCHC Semifinals in 2024-25, is selected to finish sixth in the 2025-26 UCHC Preseason poll with 27 points. Nazareth University, who advanced to the first round of the UCHC Tournament last season, is seventh with 19 points, while fellow UCHC Tournament First Round finisher SUNY Brockport has 17 points in the 2025-26 UCHC preseason poll.
St. John Fisher University, which makes its NCAA Division III hockey debut this season, garnered 11 points overall and is predicted to finish ninth in the 2025-26 UCHC Coaches’ poll.
2025-26 UCHC Men's Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. SUNY Geneseo – 61 Points (5 First Place Votes)
2. Utica University – 60 Points (4 First Place Vote)
3. Chatham University – 48 Points
4. Elmira College – 41 Points
5. Albertus Magnus College – 40 Points
6. Manhattanville University – 27 Points
7. Nazareth University – 19 Points
8. SUNY Brockport – 17 Points
9. St. John Fisher University – 11 Points
Next week, the UCHC will unveil its 2025-26 Players to Watch. Exhibition action continues this weekend before the regular season formally begins on Friday, Oct. 31. Conference play starts on Nov. 14-15
ABOUT THE UNITED COLLEGIATE HOCKEY CONFERENCE
The United Collegiate Hockey Conference provides a competitive environment and structure for NCAA Division III men's and women's ice hockey in the Eastern United States. The UCHC will enter its ninth season in 2025-26 with original member Elmira College returning, along with newcomers Albertus Magnus College, Hilbert College, and St. John Fisher University joining second-year members SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo, in addition to founding members Chatham University, Manhattanville University, Nazareth University and Utica University. For more on the UCHC, visit the league's homepage at
http://www.theuchc.com/.
UCHC SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook –
Twitter –
Instagram