Feb 14, 2006 -- Fordham University moved up one spot from the last ranking period in today's new ACHA Division 3 rankings. The team's number 9 ranking is the highest for the team this year, their first as members of the ACHA. Fordham's 4-1 record during the final ranking period (January 15th - February 4) was not as impressive as previous ranking periods, however a key win over Fairfield and a competitive loss to Albany State may have played a role in moving the team up. Fordham ranked in the top 10 for three out of the five ranking periods.
1 Penn State Berks - last period ranking 2
2 Indiana University of PA - last ranking period 3
3 SUNY-Albany - last ranking period 4
4 Univ. of Pitt-Johnstown - last period ranking 1
5 Robert Morris University - last ranking period 5
6 Saint Vincent College - last ranking period 7
7 Penn State Delco - last ranking period 6
8 California Univ. of PA - last ranking period 9
9 Fordham University - last ranking period 10
10 Fairfield University - last ranking period 8
For those of you unfamiliar with it, the (ACHA) American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) began as a men's collegiate club hockey league in 1992, and quickly grew to a league of over 150 teams in three men's divisions. The Women's Division was added in 2000, and currently boasts four divisions with over 300 teams from across the nation. Divisions are usually based on school size however over this past summer the MCHC approached the ACHA about waving the student population issue to guarantee entrance in the Division 3 level. An accord was met and now Fordham as well as a predominant numbers of other MCHC teams joined in the newly formed Atlantic conference this year. So now, not only is a league game important, it is now, in most instances consider an ACHA game as well and take on an even greater impact.
The ACHA ranking committee gathers information on the various teams from the four regions Atlantic - North - South - Pacific. Each region is ranked on a monthly basis with the top four ranked teams in each region at the end of February, meeting to play for a national championship. This season the championships will be held in Fort Myers Florida March 1-4.
