Falcons, RIT picked to contend for Atlantic Hockey title

As usual, Air Force is picked to be near the top of the Atlantic Hockey Association with rival Rochester Institute of Technology, the league announced Tuesday at its annual media day.

RIT, the 2010-11 regular-season champs, was picked to repeat while the Falcons, the postseason winner, were second by one point in the coaches preseason poll. Both squads received five first-place votes out of a possible 12. Holy Cross was third and received the other two top votes.

Falcons coach Frank Serratore likes the respect shown, but is focused on the playoff championship, which means an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

“Our goal right now is to finish in the top four and get the home ice bye in the playoffs,” he said. “Sure we’d like to win the league but the playoff title is first and foremost.”

Air Force has won the league playoff title and advanced to the NCAAs four of the past five seasons.

Serratore also affirmed that Air Force is happy staying in the AHA after an offseason full of conference realignments that included Colorado College helping form the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

“It’s flattering to be the attractive girl everyone wants, but at the end of the day you have to decide if you’d be better off,” Serratore said. “If Air Force wanted to be in a different league we’d already be there or have helped create one.”