NEWTOWN, Pa. – On Thursday morning, the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) released their preseason poll in anticipation of the 2026-27 Men's Hockey season and for the second consecutive season, Neumann University was picked to finish at the top of the table.
 
The Knights earned all eight first-place votes on their way to a total of 64 points. Last season's runner-up, Stevenson University finished second with 55 points while Alvernia had 50, and Wilkes had 42. Arcadia, Lebanon Valley, King's, and Misericordia took up the next four slots with newcomer, Albright, rounding out the poll.
 
Neumann finished the 2025-26 campaign with an overall record of 17-9-2 and was 14-5-2 in MAC conference play, earning the regular season title and the top seed in the tournament. In the semifinals, the Knights shut out Alvernia, 5-0, and in a wild championship game, Neumann prevailed in overtime, 5-4.
 
It was their first conference title since the 2012-13 season, and first trip back to the NCAA Division III National Tournament since the 2010-11 season. In the first round of the tournament, they challenged Hamilton College. The Knights led 1-0 after one period, and the game was tied at two after the second, but ultimately fell, 6-2. Hamilton would go on to win the National Tournament.
 
Receiving votes in the USCHO Preseason Poll, the Knights will start the new season on October 30^th and 31^st with road games at Nazareth and SUNY Brockport. They'll begin the defense of the MAC title on November 3^rd at King's College. The regular season will culminate with a weekend series against Misericordia on February 19^th and 20^th. With the addition of Albright College, the playoff field has expanded to five teams, with a first-round matchup on February 23^rd between the 4^th and 5^th seeds. The semifinals will be on February 27^th, and the championship game will be on March 6^th. Hosting each playoff game will be the higher seed of the two teams.