For the first time in three seasons, the Harvard women’s hockey team is back where it feels it belongs—No. 1 in the nation.

The Crimson (7-1) garnered 10 of 15 first-place votes to earn the No. 1 Division I ranking in the USCHO.com poll released yesterday. Minnesota-Duluth (11-1-2) placed second and received the other five first-place votes, while last week’s No. 1 Minnesota (13-2-1) took the No. 3 spot.

The other major national poll, the USA TODAY/AHM poll, will not be released until later today, but Harvard is likely to earn top honors in that ballot as well.

Harvard captain Jamie Hagerman said that earning the No. 1 ranking was a great honor and a testament to the team’s hard work, but staying at No. 1 would be a much greater challenge.

“No. 1 is great, but it’s December,” Hagerman said. “We want be No. 1 in the last weekend of March. That’s what matters.”

Harvard’s first chances to defend its ranking will be home against Northeastern on Saturday and at Providence on Sunday. Ironically, Providence and Northeastern were the two next opponents the last time Harvard held the No. 1 ranking, in early February 2000. The Crimson fell out of the top spot for good after losing 1-0 to Providence and tying Northeastern.

If Harvard needs any reminder that early-season polls mean little come March, it can look to the 2000 team. Despite never falling below No. 3 in the national rankings all season, that Crimson squad was denied a berth to the four-team national tournament.

The current rankings aren’t entirely irrelevant, though. Hagerman contends that while Harvard maintains the No. 1 spot, every team it plays will bring its best game. The Crimson will have to respond by playing its own best game, regardless of the opposition.

“Definitely there’s added pressure, but I don’t think it’s any more than we’ve put on ourselves, because we know that we have the capabilities to be the best team in the country,” Hagerman said. “We just have to maintain that focus and not lower ourselves to anybody’s level and maintain high intensity throughout every game.”

Consistency is likely a big part of why Harvard earned the top spot. A 4-3 loss to Minnesota is the only blemish on the Crimson’s record, while Minnesota and UMD both lost to teams outside the national top five. Harvard is also ranked first in nearly every major statistical category.

Harvard started the season ranked third before climbing to No. 2 after beating preseason No. 1 UMD and falling to then-No. 2 Minnesota on the road in early November. UMD’s sweep of Minnesota this past weekend opened the door for the Crimson to take the top spot.

Harvard, UMD and Minnesota—who have combined to win the last four national championships—have been harrowingly close in their four head-to-head matchups this season. Each game was tied at some point within the final five minutes.

Harvard won’t get to see Minnesota or UMD again unless it earns an NCAA bid to the Frozen Four at Duluth, Minn. in March.

“It’s hard not to let yourself look to March because it’s going to be an exciting period of time for Harvard hockey,” Hagerman said. “But like coach says, our next game is the biggest game of the season.”

—Staff writer David R. De Remer can be reached at remer@fas.harvard.edu.