ASHLAND, Wis. – The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) has released its 2014-15 Preseason Coaches' Poll and Northland College has been picked to finish ninth. Northland College is coming off a 4-21 season in 2013-2014. The LumberJacks suffered two key losses with the graduation of Michael Lennon and Louis Labbe which scored 16 goals and had 23 assist collectively for the season. The LumberJacks do have three strong returners in sophomore forward Anthony Stempin (Livonia, MI), and our two seniors in senior forward Matt Lennon (Reedsburg, WI) and senior defenseman Matthew Valley (Thunder Bay, ONT).

There is a bright future for the hockey program.  Key newcomers coming in are freshman's defenseman Chance Cregar (Lafayette, CO), forward Timothy Perks (Oxford, MI), defenseman Colton Robak (Gilbert Plains, MB) and defenseman Ben Owen (Devils Lake, ND). Also, two defensive sophomores from Devils Lake, ND in Karson and Kyle Kuntz.

Also, the LumberJacks will be under new direction. Seamus Gregory will be leading the LumberJacks. He was hired June 1st, 2014 and left with only 10 returning players; the LumberJacks are most definitely a team in transition coming into the 2014-2015. It's a fresh start for the Jacks with a new Head Coach in Gregory who is back in the NCHA and 17 new players. "It's basically a new team but also a new day for our program. In his first year of this rebuilding process, we are looking to compete every night. There will most definitely be some growing pains but we are on the road to recovery and excited for what the future holds", Coach Gregory stated.
 
The LumberJacks start their season opener on the road against Adrian October 31st, 2014. 

MEN'S NCHA COACHES POLL
1. St. Norbert: 81 points, 9 first-place votes
2. Adrian: 69, 1 first-place
3. St. Scholastica: 68
4. Lake Forest: 51
5. Marian: 50
6. Concordia: 37
7. MSOE: 36
8. Lawrence: 31
9. Northland: 14
10. Finlandia: 13