Months after claiming its highest NCAA finish and national ranking in over a decade, the University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey will begin the 2021-22 season again ranked the fourth best team in the nation.  The Bulldogs shared the fourth slot with the University of Minnesota in the Preseason USA TODAY/ USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll released Tuesday morning.

This past March, UMD made itss first NCAA Frozen Four appearance since 2010, and it followed on its first NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal win in 11 years, a 1-0 overtime win over Colgate University at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Penn.

The Bulldogs finished  last season 12-7 and second in the WCHA regular season -- also the highest league finish in a decade.  UMD also finish third in the NCAA, as both semifinal teams that do not advance to the championship game have been awarded third place since 2005.

In total, four Western Collegiate Hockey Association's squads were named to the top-five (University of Wisconsin first, Ohio State University ranked second).  The 25th 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 five NCAA women's hockey conferences who are eligible for the NCAA Women's National Collegiate Ice Hockey Championships, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey.