BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Michigan Tech was selected third in both WCHA preseason polls the league announced on Monda. Seniors Mark Auk and Joel L’Esperance and sophomore Mitch Reinke earned Preseason All-WCHA recognition.

The Huskies were nine points behind Bemidji State in the Mankato Free Press Preseason Coaches’ Poll and five points behind the Beavers in theUAHHockey.com Preseason Media Poll. Minnesota State was the top pick to win the MacNaughton Cup in both polls.

Auk, a defenseman from St. Clair Shores, Michigan, was a coaches’ pick for Preseason All-WCHA and a Preseason All-WCHA Second Team pick by the media. He had 10 points in the final 11 games of the 2016-17 season and enters his final campaign with 53 career points (12 goals, 41 assists) in 106 games.

The media placed Reinke on the Preseason All-WCHA Second Team, and he also received votes from the coaches. The native of Stillwater, Minnesota was a WCHA All-Rookie Team selection last year on the blueline and will serve as an alternate captain. He appeared in 41 games in his rookie campaign and was fifth in the WCHA in power play points (14) and seventh in WCHA freshmen scoring (6g-14a=20).

L’Esperance was placed on the Preseason All-WCHA Second Team by the media. The forward from Brighton, Michigan leads the team in career games played (108) and points (34g-37a=71). He led last year’s squad with 28 points on 11 goals and 17 assists, receiving the Gary Crosby Memorial Award as the team’s top scorer. He will also be an alternate captain.

Gavin Gould received votes in the media’s preseason picks. The sophomore forward appeared in 33 games last year, scoring 12 goals and adding 11 assists for 23 points. The native of North Vancouver, British Columbia tied for second in the WCHA with seven power play goals and ranked fourth in scoring amongst WCHA freshmen. He scored a hat trick in the decisive WCHA Semifinal Game 3 win over Minnesota State to send the Huskies to the WCHA Championship Game.

Tech begins its 97th season on Sunday at the University of Wisconsin in the annual US Hockey Hall of Fame Game. The puck drops at 3 p.m. at the Kohl Center. The first home series is October 20-21 against Alabama Huntsville.

First-year head coach Joe Shawhan will return 18 players from last year’s team that won 20 games for the third season in a row. Tech finished 23-15-7 and won the Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA Tournament Champions to go to the NCAA tournament for the second time in the last three years.