We’ve reached the midpoint of the WCHC season, with half of the conference games played. Tier 1 is wide open, with teams splitting series and close games across the board. Tier two has seen 2 teams emerge in each region as front-runners, vying for the final playoff spots in the exciting February tournament.
The Tier 1 conference plays a 10 game schedule. As of today, Arizona State leads the tier with 8 points, after wins at LMU, LBSU and NAU. Though only having three games remaining on their conference schedule, ASU can wrap up a top 2 spot with a few more wins. The rest of the conference is back and forth, with many series split and UCLA yet to play the bulk of their schedule. All six Tier 1 teams make the playoff tournament, but are jockeying for position of first round games.
Tier two south will send three playoff teams to the playoffs, and CSUN is the current leader. Each team playing a 10 game schedule, CSUN has won all five of their Tier 2 games so far, and playing close games against Tier 1, CSUN is the favorite to lock up the top tier 2 spot. Not to be outdone, Fullerton also has 10 points, with their only loss coming to CSUN. UCSB and UCI are battling for the third playoff spot from the region, hoping to make it to the February Tournament.
Tier 2 North has become a two team race for the one playoff spot, with each team scheduled to play 9 conference games this season. SRJC and SCU are tied for first place, with SCU holding a slight advantage with one fewer game played. Though these two teams have split their first two games of the season, the winner may come down to their third game of the year. With all 4 Tier 2 North teams being new to the conference, whoever qualifies will make their first WCHC playoff appearance.
However it shakes out, we are looking at an exciting WCHC playoffs in February. Hosted by UCLA at the Cube in Santa Clarita, the 4 tier 2 teams will play in the first round, with the two winners joining the six Tier 1 teams in the final 3 rounds of playoffs. The winner of the playoffs will get an auto-bid to the ACHA regionals. Can LMU repeat as WCHC champions, or will we see a brand new WCHC team take it home this year?