BOSTON, Mass. – While the Wentworth hockey team doesn't open its season until Monday, November 7, the 2011-2012 edition of the Leopards is already on the national radar screen, earning two points in the USCHO.com Division III Men's Pre-Season Poll.

Defending national champion St. Norbert collected 16 of 20 first-place votes to garner 296 points. Oswego (three first-place votes) earned 266 points, while Norwich picked up the other first-place vote and collected 265 points.

The Leopards have four games against three teams earning recognition in the poll. Wentworth will open its season against Salem State, which also received votes, while hosting eighth-ranked Bowdoin on January 3. The Black & Gold will battle 15^th-ranked Curry in a pair of ECAC Northeast games; in Milton on Saturday, January 21, and at Matthews Arena on Thursday, February 16. The complete 2011-2012 schedule can be viewed here.

Last season Wentworth appeared among those receiving votes on three occasions. The Leopards last cracked the Top 15 when they were ranked 15^th on February 1, 2010.

Practice begins for the Black & Gold on Saturday, October 22, in advance of the November 7 opener. Sixth-year head coach R.J. Tolan lost just one player to graduation and among the returnees are four players who earned All-ECAC Northeast honors a season ago. The 2010-2011 Leopards finished 14-9-4 and advanced to the ECAC title game for the seventh time in 10 seasons before falling to Curry, 2-1, in overtime.