Few could have predicted the stunning turnaround from Niagara, a team that finished dead last in the conference the prior two seasons.
However, thanks to first-year coach Jason Lammers as well as first-year assistant coaches Andy Boschetto and Matt Nicholson, the Purple Eagles were the premier team in the conference in the first half of the season. Niagara won four of its first five games against Atlantic Hockey foes and earned its first national ranking in four years.
