Women's College Hockey: Badgers pegged as WCHA preseason favorites

MADISON — Fresh off winning its fifth NCAA title, the Wisconsin women's hockey team is picked to win its eight WCHA regular-season title, according to the league's annual preseason coaches' poll that was announced Wednesday.

The Badgers earned 36 points and six first-place votes, while Minnesota earned 31 points and the other first place vote. The two Border Battle rivals will rekindle their rivalry with a series on Nov. 2-3 in Minnesota and a series Jan. 24-25 in Madison.

Wisconsin's Abby Roque was named the Preseason WCHA Player of the Year along with Ohio State forward Emma Maltais. Roque, who was the league's forward of the year in 2016-17, was second on the Badgers last year with a career-high 43 points.

Roque was one of four Badgers named to the Preseason All-WCHA Preseason Team along with 2019 WCHA Goaltender of the Year Kristen Campbell, 2019 WCHA Rookie of the Year Sophie Shirley and 2019 first-team All-WCHA selection Mekenzie Steffen.

The Badgers open their season on the road with a series at Lindenwood on Sept. 27-28. UW will open its home slate a week later, Oct. 4-5, with a series against Penn State at LaBahn Arena. Single-game tickets for the Badgers' 14 regular-season home games will go on sale on Sept. 17.