Sacred Heart Picked to Win Atlantic Hockey Again as Gundarah Earns Preseason Player of the Year Honors

By: J.J. Pavlick| New York, NY| September 16, 2026|

Pioneers Enter Season With Expectations Higher Than Ever

Boston, MA-For the third consecutive year, Sacred Heart men’s hockey finds itself in a familiar position: at the top of the Atlantic Hockey America preseason coaches poll.

The difference this time is that the designation feels less like a projection and more like a reflection of what the program has already accomplished. After a landmark 2025-26 campaign that saw the Pioneers set a program record with 23 victories and advance to the Atlantic Hockey Championship Game, Sacred Heart enters the new season as one of the most established programs in the conference. Coaches around the league clearly took notice, voting the Pioneers as the preseason favorite for the third straight year.

The selection places Sacred Heart in rare company. The Pioneers are the first Atlantic Hockey program since AIC to earn preseason favorite status three consecutive seasons, a testament to the consistency the program has built over the last several years.

Historic Success Raises the Standard

Last season represented another significant step forward for head coach C.J. Marottolo’s program.

Sacred Heart not only set a new single-season wins record but did so while making a deep postseason run that energized the program and its fan base. The Pioneers won eight of their final 10 games, including a breakthrough semifinal series victory at Martire Family Arena, before ultimately falling just short of a conference championship.

Rather than viewing the season as a missed opportunity, the program now enters 2026-27 with proof that it belongs among the conference’s elite.

The narrow margin at the top of the preseason poll illustrates just how competitive Atlantic Hockey is expected to be. Sacred Heart collected 59 points and three first-place votes, edging defending champion Bentley, which received 58 points and five first-place votes. RIT rounded out the top three with 51 points and the remaining first-place vote.

While the gap between the league’s contenders remains slim, Sacred Heart enters the year carrying the confidence that accompanies sustained success.

Gundarah Emerges as One of the Nation’s Top Goaltenders

If there is one player most responsible for the excitement surrounding the Pioneers, it is junior goaltender Ajeet Gundarah.

The British Columbia native was named Atlantic Hockey America’s Preseason Player of the Year after a sensational sophomore season that established him as one of the premier netminders in college hockey.

Gundarah’s statistics tell the story of a goaltender capable of changing games on his own. Despite missing time with injury, he appeared in 22 games and finished with a 13-7-1 record, a .928 save percentage, and a 2.10 goals-against average. Both marks led the conference, while ranking among the nation’s best.

His performance earned him another appearance on the Mike Richter Award Watch List and further solidified his reputation as the backbone of the Sacred Heart roster.

Dominant Finish Fueled Championship Run

What made Gundarah’s season particularly impressive was the timing of his best performances.

Following his return from injury, he helped carry the Pioneers down the stretch and into the postseason. Over his final nine appearances, Gundarah posted a 7-2 record while recording a remarkable 1.67 goals-against average and .943 save percentage.

Even more telling was his consistency. In all seven victories during that stretch, he surrendered two goals or fewer, giving Sacred Heart a chance to win virtually every night.

Teams with elite goaltending are often the teams playing meaningful games in March. Sacred Heart experienced exactly that last season and expects more of the same heading into the new year.

Championship Aspirations Define 2026-27

The challenge facing Sacred Heart now is no longer maintaing respect, its now in the phase of showing NHL scouts why the school has produced elite talent for decades.

The Pioneers enter the season with legitimate championship aspirations and the weight that comes with being viewed as the conference favorite. Bentley remains the two-time defending Atlantic Hockey champion, while RIT, Holy Cross, and Air Force are all capable of making title runs of their own.

Yet Sacred Heart’s combination of veteran leadership, postseason experience, and elite goaltending makes it difficult to ignore.

For a program that came within one victory of a conference title last season, anything less than another deep postseason run will likely feel disappointing.

Season Opens at Martire Family Arena

Sacred Heart begins its highly anticipated 2026-27 campaign on Oct. 9 when it hosts Bowling Green in the Ice Breaker Tournament at Martire Family Arena.

After a record-setting season and another preseason No. 1 ranking, the message surrounding the Pioneers is unmistakable: Sacred Heart is the standard for Atlantic Hockey.

Atlantic Hockey America Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Sacred Heart (3 first-place votes) – 59 points
2. Bentley (5) – 58 points
3. RIT (1) – 51 points
4. Holy Cross – 42 points
5. Air Force – 34 points
6. Robert Morris – 27 points
7. Army West Point – 25 points
T-8. Canisius – 14 points
T-8. Niagara – 14 points