DENVER – After sweeping Colorado College before a 19-day holiday break, the Denver Pioneers hockey team (11-4-3, NCHC 3-3-2-1) moved to 7^th in the USCHO.com poll and rose one spot to 5^th in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.
 
The Pioneers earned 715 points in the USCHO.com poll on a ballot submitted by 50 voters, including coaches, beat writers and sports professionals from across the country. North Dakota ranked 1^st with 992 points and 44 first-place votes, while Cornell took 2^nd with 939 points and four first-place votes and Minnesota State took 3^rd with 897 points and two first-place votes. View the complete USCHO.com poll here.
 
Denver received 351 points in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll conducted in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) with input from coaches and members of the media from each of the six Division I college hockey conferences as well as officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey. North Dakota took 1^st with 506 points and 33 first-place votes, while Cornell ranked 2^nd with 467 points and Minnesota State ranked 3^rd with 439 points and one first-place vote. View the complete USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll here.
 
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) had four teams ranked in the USCHO poll: North Dakota (1) Denver (7), Minnesota Duluth (10) and Western Michigan (19). The NCHC had three teams ranked in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll: North Dakota (1), Denver (5) and Minnesota Duluth (10).
 
UP NEXT: Denver Hockey presented by Centura Health returns from its 19-day break ahead of non-conference home series on Jan. 3-4 against UMass

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