Jan. 15, 2008

Colorado Springs, Colo. - Another lengthy break proved costly to Mercyhurst's national rankings. After splitting a pair of games (3-7, 3-0) at unranked Providence last weekend to start the New Year, the Lakers fell three spots to No. 7 in the latest USA Today/USA Hockey Women's Poll released today. The Lakers had been idle since December 16.

New Hampshire, which split two games at Mercyhurst in early December, retained the No. 1 spot followed by Harvard and Minnesota-Duluth. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and St. Lawrence occupy places 4, 5, and 6.

ABOUT THE POLL: The 11th annual USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association. The poll includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the six NCAA Division I ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the American Hockey Coaches Association and USA Hockey Magazine, the most widely distributed hockey magazine in the world.

Team (First Place)	         Record	Pts	Last Week
1. New Hampshire (16)        19-3-0  	187	1
2. Harvard (3)               16-1-0	165	3
3. Minnesota Duluth          18-3-1	161	2
4. Minnesota	         15-4-3	120	5
5. Wisconsin 	         14-6-2	111	6
6. St. Lawrence	         15-7-0	98	7
7. Mercyhurst	         15-5-2	79	4
8. Connecticut	         15-4-3	47	9
9. Dartmouth                 11-5-2     34        8
10. St. Cloud State	         13-5-4	27	NR