Sept. 29, 2003

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State hockey is ranked 11th in the preseason USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll, which was released today (Sept. 29). The Spartans, who finished with a 23-14-2 record and were ranked 15th in last year's final poll, received 159 points.

Minnesota, the two-time defending National Champion, earned the top spot with 481 points and 25 first-place votes. Michigan (442 points and three first-place votes) was No. 2, followed by Boston College (439 points and three first-place votes) at No. 3, New Hampshire (369 points) at No. 4 and North Dakota (366 points and two first-place votes) at No. 5.

Michigan State opens the 2003-04 hockey season with a pair of games this week. The Spartans will play their annual Green and White game on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m., before facing the University of Windsor on Sunday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at Munn Ice Arena.

State opens the regular season with the Ice Breaker Tournament Oct. 10-11 at Munn Ice Arena. On Oct. 10, No. 3 Boston College and No. 15 Minnesota-Duluth will meet in game one at 5 p.m., followed by No. 11 Michigan State and Findlay in game two. The third-place game is set for 5 p.m. on Oct. 11, followed by the championship game at 8 p.m.

USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Preseason Poll
		          2002-03 Final	2002-03
		             Ranking	Record
1.	Minnesota, 481 (25)	1	28-8-9
2.	Michigan, 442 (3)	4	30-10-3
3.	Boston College, 439 (3)	8	24-11-4
4.	New Hampshire, 369	2	28-8-6
5.	North Dakota, 366 (2)	NR	26-12-5
6.	Harvard, 301	        10	22-10-2
7.	Boston University, 267	7	25-14-3
8.	Cornell, 251 (1)	3	30-5-1
9.	Ferris State, 246	6	31-10-1
10.	Colorado College, 202	5	30-7-5
11.	Michigan State, 159	15	23-14-2
12.	Denver, 154	        NR	21-14-6
13.	Maine, 128	        9	24-10-5
14.	Ohio State, 83	        12	25-13-5
15.	Minnesota-Duluth, 60	14	22-15-5

Others receiving votes: UMass 29, Dartmouth 21, MSU-Mankato 16,
Miami (Ohio) 19, Northern Michigan 12, Wisconsin 10, St. Cloud State 9,
Notre Dame 8, Providence 5, Brown 1, Mercyhurst 1, Yale 1.