COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Western Michigan junior defenseman Ronnie Attard has been voted to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Preseason All-Conference team, the NCHC has announced Tuesday afternoon.

Media members voted for three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender on their ballot with each vote worth one point. The top three vote-getters at forward, top two defensemen (plus ties) and highest vote-getting goaltender made up the preseason all-conference team. A total of 25 ballots were submitted by media members covering each team, as well as select national media.

Attard tied St. Cloud State forward Veeti Miettinen for the most votes with 22. Attard also had nine votes more than defenseman Nick Perbix from SCSU and North Dakota's Jake Sanderson, who both earned spots on the team due to a vote tie at 13.

The Whitelake, Mich., native heads into the 2021-22 season off the back of his most successful year yet. The Philadelphia Flyers' draft pick finished the COVID-19 shortened season with 22 points on eight goals and 14 assists in just 25 games. He was named First Team All-NCHC, the NCHC's Best Offensive Defenseman and a CCM/AHCA West Division First Team All-American.

2021 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team
F – Veeti Miettinen, So., St. Cloud State – 22 votes
F – Noah Cates, Sr., Minnesota Duluth – 18 votes
F – Chayse Primeau, Sr., Omaha – 13 votes
D – Ronnie Attard, Jr., Western Michigan – 22 votes
D – Nick Perbix, Sr., St. Cloud State – 13 votes
D – Jake Sanderson, So., North Dakota – 13 votes
G – Ludvig Persson, So., Miami – 10 votes