GRAND FORKS, N.D. ? The University of North Dakota will enter the 2008-09 regular season next weekend ranked fifth nationally according to the latest USCHO.com/CSTV Division I men's hockey poll, released earlier today.

UND, which defeated Manitoba 6-2 in exhibition action last night in Grand Forks, received 789 points and one first-place vote in the balloting.

Defending NCAA champion Boston College is the nation's top-ranked team after collecting 36 of 50 first-place votes. Second-ranked Michigan, third-ranked Colorado College and fourth-ranked Notre Dame round out the top five. Boston University, UND's opponent in Friday's regular season opener, is ranked ninth.

UND and Colorado College are among seven Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) teams ranked in this week's poll, joining No. 6 Denver, No. 10 Minnesota, No. 14 Wisconsin, No. 15 St. Cloud State and No. 18 Minnesota State.

The Sioux will face Boston University on Friday night at the IceBreaker Invitational in Boston, then will square off the following night against Massachusetts.

 Team (First Place)                Record          Pts   Last Week

 1 Boston College (36)            25-11-8          969           7

 2 Michigan (5)                        33- 6-4          922           1

 3 Colorado College (7)            28-12-1          874           6

 4 Notre Dame (1)                  27-16-4          829          12

 5 North Dakota (1)           28-11-4          789           3

 6 Denver                              26-14-1          707           4

 7 New Hampshire                  25-10-3          648           5

 8 Miami                                 33- 8-1          613           2

 9 Boston University                19-17-4          565          15

10 Minnesota                         19-17-9          503          10

11 Michigan State                   25-12-5          440           9

12 Princeton                          21-14-0          427          13

13 Clarkson                            22-13-4          375          11

14 Wisconsin                          16-17-7          358          17

15 St. Cloud State                  19-16-5          299           8

16 Northern Michigan              20-20-4          257          NR

17 Cornell                              19-14-3          186          NR

18 Minnesota State                 19-16-4          170          14

19 Harvard                             17-13-4          134          16
20 Vermont                           17-15-7            90          18

Others Receiving Votes: Northeastern 74, Air Force 59, Niagara 58, Ferris State 42, Mass.-Lowell 30, Massachusetts 21, Minnesota-Duluth 17, Providence 8, Yale 6, Maine 5, Bowling Green 3, Dartmouth 3, Quinnipiac 3, Rensselaer 3, Union 3, Bemidji State 2,