Ohio State Rises to No. 2 in National Rankings
2/17/2021 8:06:25 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s hockey team has moved up the national rankings and now sits at No. 2 in this week’s USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll. The Buckeyes earned 161 points, four ahead of No. 3 Northeastern. It is the highest national ranking in the history of the program.
Ohio State has been ranked in the top five of the poll all season but this week’s ranking represents its highest mark of the 2020-21 campaign. It is coming off a weekend in which they defeated then-No. 2 Minnesota twice at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.
So did the Buckeyes do it? A combination of commitment, grit and determination. Combined, those ingredients and have proven to be the perfect recipe to build a winner in Columbus.
“We’ve come a long way with the help and support of our administration in the Athletic Department, specifically Diana Sabau and Gene Smith,” said head coach Nadine Muzerall. “We’re now beating programs that are historically some of the best in the country. It’s nice that the coaches and people voting in the polls recognize that we’ve built here and where we’re going. They respect who we are because of how we play and who we’re beating.”
“It’s nice that the coaches and people voting in the polls recognize that we’ve built here and where we’re going. They respect who we are because of how we play and who we’re beating.” // Nadine Muzerall, head coach
Ohio State is also familiar with several of the other teams in the top 10. The Buckeyes are 2-2 this year against No. 1 Wisconsin, earning wins over the Badgers on Nov. 27 and Jan. 9. They’ve played No. 4 Minnesota six times and are 4-2 in those games. Ohio State split a pair of games against No. 7 Minnesota Duluth Jan. 15-16. The WCHA has four teams represented in the rankings, the most of any conference in the country.
“Our mindset is that we’re not going to back down to anyone,” said Muzerall. “The days of us thinking about ‘stealing’ a game against a top-ranked team are over. We know we belong in the conversation with the best programs and that will continue to be our mentality.”
The build has been a steady one. Muzerall took over the program at the beginning of the 2016-17 season and by her second year, Ohio State was in the Frozen Four. Last year, it continued to check off its lists of “firsts” when it won the program’s first-ever WCHA Final Faceoff title. It was primed to make another run in the NCAA Tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancelation. Still, the lessons of winning have been there along the way: talent is important, but consistency and trust are key.
“Coming here and building this, the hardest part was just getting the players to gain trust,” said Muzerall. “But once that happened, things took off. We’ve brought in tough-minded kids who are willing to put in the work. Now they’re seeing the rewards of that work.”
A key piece in Ohio State’s rise has been players like Emma Maltais, a senior from Burlington, Ontario who has been a steady and consistent point producer from the first day she stepped on campus. Her ascension – from 40 points as a freshman in 2017-18 to a single-season record 59 last winter – mirrors the Buckeyes’ rise as a team.
“It is truly so exciting to be recognized nationally for our success so far this year,” said Maltais. “I think it speaks volumes about our resilience and culture through a year as unpredictable as this one. We’re just excited to keep it rolling into playoffs.”
The Buckeyes unfortunately won’t have the opportunity to debut their No. 2 ranking at home this weekend as was originally scheduled. Their opponent, St. Cloud State, has paused team activities for seven days. Ohio State did look for an alternative opponent based on bye weeks throughout the conference but didn’t have any takers.
“We tried,” said Muzerall. “We made some calls but couldn’t find someone to play. Hopefully, we come out like caged animals the next time we’re on the ice.”
