Wednesday, February 16, 2005
BUFFALO MAKES 2005 NATIONALS!

WEST BLOOMFIELD (MI) - The votes are in and the University at Buffalo Ice Bulls will be one of five new teams that will be competing at the 2005 ACHA Division 1 National Tournament. Joining the Big Dance for the first time is #5 Lindenwood, #8 Robert Morris (IL), #9 Duquesne, and #15 Mercyhurst. Mercyhurst qualified for an automatic berth as the Regular-Season Champions of the Eastern Collegiate Hockey League (ECHL). Mercyhurst and Buffalo are also the first two teams to make the ACHA Division 1 National Tournament from the ECHL.

The University of Rhode Island remains the #1 ranked team in the country, its sixth consecutive ranking on top. Rhode Island received 30 of a possible 32 first-place votes, and qualified for its 2nd consecutive ACHA Division 1 National Tournament as the Regular-Season Champions of the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association (ECHA). #2 Penn State received one first-place vote and -- along with Iowa State and Michigan-Dearborn -- have now qualified for all fourteen ACHA Division 1 National Tournaments. Defending ACHA Division 1 National Champion #3 Ohio University, Regular-Season Champions of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL), collected the other first-place vote and will be making its 12th consecutive appearance. Illinois comes in at #4 and will make its 8th consecutive appearance, and 10th overall. Michigan-Dearborn is #6 and makes its 14th consecutive appearance at the National Tournament. Weber State comes in at #10 and qualifies for its 2nd ACHA Division 1 National Tournament. #11 Arizona State will make their 4th appearance at the ACHA Division 1 National Tournament, while #12 Iowa State will make its 14th consecutive appearance at the National Tournament. #13 Kent State will make its 3rd appearance at the ACHA Division 1 National Tournament, and first since the 2001-2002 season, while #14 Washington & Jefferson and #16 West Chester will make their 2nd consecutive appearances. #7 Eastern Michigan was forced to decline its bid to the National Tournament as a result of school-imposed sanctions from the 2003-2004 season.

Round One - 2005 National Tournament:

#1 Rhode Island vs #16 Buffalo
#2 Penn State vs. #15 West Chester
#3 Ohio vs. #14 Mercyhurst
#4 Illinois vs. #13 Washington & Jefferson
#5 Lindenwood vs. #12 Kent State
#6 Michigan-Dearborn vs. #11 Iowa State
#7 Robert Morris IL vs. #10 Arizona State
#8 Duquesne vs. #9 Weber State

The 2005 National Tournament is hosted by Robert Morris College at The Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Illinois from March 3-6, 2005. For complete information, please visit The 2005 ACHA Division I National Tournament Website

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