Men's Hockey picked second in AHA Preseason Poll; Wilde chosen Preseason All-AHA

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT sophomore forward Matthew Wilde was named to the Atlantic Hockey Preseason All-Conference team, while the defending champion Tigers were picked to finish second in the preseason coaches poll, announced Tuesday.
 
Wilde finished his rookie season tied for fifth nationally among first-year players with 19 goals, while tying for 10th among all freshmen with 35 points. He also broke the Division I-era record for goals by a Tiger first-year by five.
 
Wilde finished the season with an 11-game point-scoring streak, totaling 10 goals and five assists during the Tigers' run to a second-straight Atlantic Hockey regular-season title, as well as their first Atlantic Hockey Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016. He also started the run with a team-best six-game goal-scoring streak, including two goals during a 9-2 win over Canisius (Feb. 23).
 
Wilde scored two goals, including what proved to be the game-winner, during RIT's 5-2 victory over AIC in the AHA Championship game.
 
Sacred Heart was voted first in this year's preseason poll with 102 votes, including five first-place votes. The Tigers received 94 votes (three first), followed by Holy Cross (93/1), AIC (84/1) and Bentley (76) in the top-five of the 11-team conference.
 
RIT returns after finishing the 2023-24 campaign with a 27-11-2 record, including an 18-7-1 AHA mark to clinch the Bob DeGregorio Trophy and the top seed for the AHA Tournament for the second-consecutive year. After sweeping five-straight victories in the AHA Tournament, the Tigers' run ended in the NCAA Regional Semifinals with a 6-3 setback to second overall seed Boston University in a game played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
 
RIT opens the 2024-25 campaign with a road trip to St. Lawrence (Oct. 5) and Clarkson (Oct. 6).