Miami’s turnaround from a year ago has been documented ad nauseum.
The RedHawks finished last season 3-28-3. Friday’s win gave MU a record of 12-7-2, a wins milestone the team hasn’t reached since 2017-18.
But how unique is Miami’s complete 180 among college hockey teams?
Well, very, as it turns out.
Last night, Wisconsin became just the fifth team to win more games this season than in 2024-25. Lindenwood was third when it won its ninth game on Jan. 2, and RIT joined that list with its 11th victory a night later.
Minn.-Duluth accomplished that feat Dec. 12.
Last night, the Bulldogs and Tigers won, giving both two more wins than in 2024-25.
Miami exceeded the win total from its first campaign under coach Anthony Noreen on Oct. 11, its fourth game of the season when the RedHawks improved to 4-0. MU already has nine more W’s did last season, three more than the other four teams combined.
And MU still has 13 regular season games remaining.
| Wins | ‘24-’25 | ‘25-’26 | Differential |
| Miami | 3 | 12 | +9 |
| Minn.-Duluth | 13 | 15 | +2 |
| RIT | 10 | 12 | +2 |
| Lindenwood | 8 | 9 | +1 |
| Wisconsin | 13 | 14 | +1 |
In terms of winning percentage, Miami is also running away with the NCAA’s way-too-soon (or maybe not?) most improved award.
The RedHawks not only finished dead last in the NCAA in wins (3), their .132 winning percentage was the worst in Division I (a whopping .039 behind second-last Mercyhurst) as well as the low-water mark in program history.
Fast forward to 2025-26 and Miami sits at .619, an improvement of .487. No other NCAA team has jumped more than 40 percent from last season to the current one, and only two have seen a spike of 30 percent or more.
Wisconsin is second in that category at plus-.398, and the Bulldogs are third at .312.
| Teams | ’24-’25 pct. | ’25-’26 pct. | Change |
| Miami | .132 | .619 | +.487 |
| Wisconsin | .392 | .789 | +.397 |
| Minn.-Duluth | .403 | .714 | +.311 |
| Princeton | .450 | .733 | +.283 |
| Michigan | .542 | .810 | +.268 |
Miami currently sits at No. 30 in the NPI, putting the RedHawks in the top half of the Division I field. MU finished 2024-25 second-last in that index.
Miami’s rejuvenation from Year 1 to Year 2 under Noreen has been momentous to this point, and no men’s college hockey program has even come close to revitalizing itself like the RedHawks have the past 3 1/2 months.
View From the Glass 