ADRIAN, Mich. – The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) released their 2025-2026 preseason coaches' poll on Thursday afternoon. The University of Dubuque men's hockey team was voted to finish tenth in the conference standings.
The Spartans enter their third full season as a program in 2025-2026 looking to build on a season where they will be returning 18 players from a season ago and will look to break through this winter thanks to a bevy of incoming talent.
The Spartans return 87% of last year's goals from a season ago. Leading the offense this season is senior forward Nikita Borodayenko who scored eight goals and tallied 14 assists for a team-leading 22 points. Joining Borodayenko in anchoring the offense is sophomore forward Owen Hardy who was able to notch 15 points and six goals during his freshman campaign and shot .146 last season, leading the Spartans. Junior forward Max Erstad and sophomore forward Zach Burfoot look to have an increased impact on the offense this season. Anchoring the defense is junior defender Brandon Rossetti, scoring four goals last season and a team-high 34 blocked shots.
Third-year head coach Seamus Gregory will lead the Spartans with third-year associate head coach Michael Lennon and first-year graduate assistant Sam Coulter.
The 2025-2026 campaign kicks off at home as the Spartans host the second annual Key City Collegiate Classic on October 31 and November 1. The Spartans will welcome #11 UW-Stevens Point, Augsburg, and #6 Aurora to ImOn Arena in a bracket style tournament. On October 31, Augsburg will take on #6 Aurora at 3:00 p.m., while the Spartans will face off against #11 UW-Stevens Point at 7:00 p.m. The two losers will play the following day on November 1 at 3:00 p.m., while the two winners will compete in the championship game at 7:00 p.m. The non-conference slate continues when the Spartans travel to UW-Superior to compete over Thanksgiving weekend in the UW-Superior Showdown. The Spartans will play #13 UW-Superior on November 28 at 7:00 p.m. and play again the next day. A single road match against Saint Mary's University on December 9 will conclude the fall semester before the Spartans take on (RV) Gustavus Adolphus College on January 2-3 to conclude the non-conference slate.
The Spartans begin NCHA play at home against #5 St. Norbert on November 7-8 and travel to #7 Trine University the following weekend. The Spartans return home on November 20 to host Dubuque Youth Hockey Night against Marian at 7:00 p.m. The Spartans travel to Marian on November 22 and to Concordia-Wisconsin on December 5-6 to conclude the first half of NCHA play.
The second half of NCHA play begins with a split doubleheader against MSOE (Jan. 16-17) before the Spartans host No. 10 Adrian College on January 23-24. A road series against Lake Forest (Jan. 30-31), a home series against Lawrence (Feb. 7-8), and a split series against No. 6 Aurora (Feb. 13-14) will conclude the regular season for the Spartans. The Spartans will hold Senior Day on February 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the home half of the split doubleheader against No. 6 Aurora.
The top eight teams in the NCHA after the regular season will compete in the Harris Cup Playoffs. The quarterfinal round will be a best-of-three series and take place February 20-21. Teams who advance to the semifinals will play a single game February 28, and the two winners will clash for the championship on March 7. All games will be played at the higher seed's home rink. The Harris Cup champion will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship.
For more information regarding the University of Dubuque men's hockey team please visit https://udspartans.com/sports/mhockey for all the latest on news, schedules, rosters, etc.
NCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Poll (first place votes)
1. St. Norbert - 96 (7)
2. Aurora - 85 (2)
3. Adrian - 81 (1)
4. Trine - 77
5. MSOE - 56
6. Concordia (WI) - 47
T-7. Lawrence - 31
T-7. Marian - 31
9. Lake Forest - 24
10. Univ. of Dubuque - 22
