North Dakota Climbs to No. 5 in Latest USCHO Men’s Poll as Fighting Hawks Gain Momentum
North Dakota continues its steady rise in the national picture, moving up to No. 5 in this week’s USCHO Division I Men’s Poll released Monday, December 1, 2025. The Fighting Hawks jump one spot after another strong showing, tightening their grip as one of the NCHC’s top contenders heading into December.
The very top of the poll remains largely unchanged. Michigan stays at No. 1 with 42 first-place votes and a 15–3–0 record, followed by Wisconsin at No. 2 and Michigan State at No. 3. But just behind that Big Ten trio, the NCHC is making noise.
UND sits firmly in the mix, trailing only fellow NCHC member Minnesota Duluth, which climbed to No. 4. Denver slides from No. 4 to No. 6 after an overtime loss to Minnesota, giving North Dakota a small but notable edge in the conference hierarchy this week. Western Michigan holds strong at No. 7, while Quinnipiac and Penn State remain steady at 8 and 9. Dartmouth makes the biggest splash in the top 10, leaping from 13 to No. 10 and staying perfect at 8–0–0 with a first-place vote to show for it.
Further down, the middle section of the poll remains mostly in shuffle mode. Maine and Northeastern dip to 11 and 12, Minnesota State rises to 13, Connecticut falls to 14, and Boston University nudges up to 18. Boston College, Providence, and Cornell stay put at 15, 16, and 17.
The bottom of the rankings brings fresh movement as well: Miami breaks in at No. 19 after its tournament title win in Belfast, while Colorado College claims No. 20—adding yet another ranked opponent that North Dakota could see in NCHC play.
With UND climbing and the NCHC tightening, the Fighting Hawks are positioned exactly where they want to be: rising, relevant, and ready for a December push.
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