ADRIAN, Mich. – The preseason national polls for NCAA Division III men's hockey were recently released by DIIIHockeyNews and USCHO.com, with the Adrian College Bulldogs earning the No. 10 ranking in both polls to open the 2025-26 season.

The Bulldogs are coming off an 18-10-1 campaign in their first season under head coach Adam Phillips. Adrian finished fourth in the NCHA standings with a 10-7-1 conference record, securing the No. 4 seed in the NCHA Harris Cup Playoffs. The Bulldogs advanced past MSOE in the quarterfinals after a thrilling mini-game victory, then stunned No. 2 seed Aurora University with a road shutout. Adrian's postseason run concluded with a loss to top-ranked St. Norbert in the Harris Cup Finals, narrowly missing an NCAA Tournament berth as the first team out and finishing No. 11 in the NPI rankings.

Looking ahead to 2025-26, the Bulldogs return a strong core of offensive production and experience, while adding seven newcomers to the roster including a transfer goaltender, a Division I transfer defenseman, two freshman defensemen, and three freshman forwards.

In the USCHO.com poll, fellow NCHA programs St. Norbert (No. 5), Aurora (No. 6), and Trine (No. 7) also earned top-10 recognition. The DIIIHockeyNews preseason poll mirrors those results with St. Norbert at No. 5, Aurora at No. 6, and Trine at No. 8. Hobart enters the season as the No. 1-ranked team in both polls, while Adrian's opening-weekend opponent, Utica University, holds the No. 2 spot.

The Bulldogs will open the 2025-26 regular season on the road at No. 2 Utica University, playing a two-game series from October 31 to November 1. Friday's matchup is set for 7:00 p.m., followed by a 2:00 p.m. puck drop on Saturday.