Men's Ice Hockey

Reigning Champion Assumption Picked First in Ice Hockey Coaches' Poll

Jonathan Surrette, Player of the Year, Returns for Greyhounds

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Assumption, the reigning league champion, has been picked to repeat according to the Northeast 10 Conference Ice Hockey Coaches' Poll released on Thursday morning. 

It is the second time in three years that Assumption has earned the top spot in the poll, which is voted on by league head coaches. They Greyhounds tallied 34 points and four first-place votes, holding off Saint Michael's - which finished second with 30 points and three first-place votes. Saint Anselm, last year's NE10 Championship finalist, placed third with 27 points. 

Assumption's Jonathan Surrette, the 2025-26 NE10 Player of the Year, returns for the Greyhounds coming off a historic season. In 33 games, he scored 34 goals, added 31 assists for a conference-record 65 points - leading Assumption to the NE10 Championship for the fourth time in program history. He also won the 25th Joe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England at the Division II/III level. 

Saint Michael's, the 2025 NE10 champion, had the best scoring defense in the conference last year - allowing just 2.39 goals per game. Ty Bloom and Aj Sacco return to the Purple Knights after finishing second and third on the team in points. Saint Anselm returns Sean Connolly, its First Team All-Conference defender from a year ago. 

Franklin Pierce finished fourth in the poll, followed by Southern New Hampshire (SNHU), Post and American International (AIC). AIC will compete for the first time as an ice hockey program in the NE10. 

The 2026-27 NE10 season opens the weekend of October 30 - November 1. All home games and conference games can be watched this season on NE10 NOW on FloCollege. 

2026-27 NE10 Ice Hockey Coaches' Poll
Rank Team Votes (1st Place)
1 Assumption 34 (4)
2 Saint Michael's 30 (3)
3    Saint Anselm 27
4 Franklin Pierce 17
5 SNHU 16
6 Post 14
7 AIC 9

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
 
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast 10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.