ITHACA, N.Y. — ECAC Hockey announced Wednesday that the Cornell men's hockey team has been predicted to finish first in both the coaches' and media poll for the 2018-19 season. The Big Red is coming off a season in which it went 17-3-2 in league play to capture ECAC Hockey's Cleary Cup, awarded annually to the circuit's best regular season.
 
After leading the nation in team defense last season – and the entirety of its blue line and All-American goaltender Matthew Galajda – Cornell has been tabbed first in the preseason polls for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Mike Schafer, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Men's Hockey, returns to the helm for a 23rd season after winning ECAC Hockey Tim Taylor Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in his storied career.
 
In the coaches poll, Cornell garnered eight of the 12 first-place votes and 117 voting points. Princeton was second with 106 points and the other four first-place votes. Union (97), Clarkson (92) and Harvard (89) rounded out the top five. Yale (64) edged Quinnipiac (63) for sixth.
 
The top two spots were the same in the media poll, with Cornell receiving 16 of 21 first-place votes for 246 points. Four of the remaining first-place votes went to second-place Princeton (217), and Clarkson (200) is tabbed third. Union (193) is fourth and Harvard (180), with the help of one first-place vote, sits in fifth. Dartmouth (126) rounds out the top half of the table.
 
The Big Red gets its season rolling with eight of its first 10 games at historic Lynah Rink, starting with a pair of exhibitions against Canadian universities Laurentian (Oct. 13) and Guelph (Oct. 21). The regular season commences with Michigan State's visit for two games Oct. 26-27, then Cornell hosts Ivy League rival Yale on Nov. 2 to kick off the ECAC Hockey schedule. Season tickets are available now at CornellBigRedTickets.com.
 

ECAC HOCKEY PRESEASON POLLS

Coaches (First-place votes)    Points
1. Cornell (8)                           117
2. Princeton (4)                        106
3. Union                                    97
4. Clarkson                               92
5. Harvard                                89
6. Yale                                      64
7. Quinnipiac                            63
8. Dartmouth                            54
9. Colgate                                 36
T-10. Rensselaer                      28
T-10. St. Lawrence                   28
12. Brown                                 18
 
Media (First-place votes)        Points
1. Cornell (16)                           246
2. Princeton (4)                          217
3. Clarkson                                200
4. Union                                    193
5. Harvard (1)                           180
6. Dartmouth                             126
7. Yale                                      124
8. Quinnipiac                            119
9. Colgate                                 92
10. Rensselaer                         56
11. Brown                                 47
12. St. Lawrence                      40