NCAA D1 & D3 Championship Weekend

NCAA Division 1

For the first time in its 21 year history, the NCAA D1 tournament expanded from 8 to 11 teams. Another first included the tournament selection show being aired on national television thanks to ESPN News.

With regional competition having been held on the campuses of the top four schools, the Frozen Four will take place March 18 and 20 at Penn State University at Pegula Ice Arena in State College, PA.

Qualifying teams: 11

Here is how those 11 teams were selected …

Automatic qualifiers: 

• Automatic bid (4): Postseason tournament champions from CHA, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East and WCHA are given “auto bids”.
  • Syracuse University – College Hockey America (CHA)
  • Colgate University – ECAC Hockey
  • Northeastern University – Hockey East Association (HEA)
  • Ohio State University – Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) 
• At-large bid (7): selected based on a set of criteria between eligible teams. Institutions from qualifying conferences that are not their conference champions, and the remaining teams not in automatic-qualifying conferences receive an “at-large” bid invitation based on their season record and body of work.
  • Clarkson University
  • Harvard University
  • Quinnipiac University
  • the University of Minnesota-Duluth
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Yale University

How to watch:

March 18th – Semifinals

• Northeastern vs. Minnesota-Duluth – 3:30pm ET on ESPN+ or watch online.
• Yale vs Ohio State – 7pm ET on ESPN+ or watch online.

March 20th – Championship

• TBD vs. TBD, 4pm EST, ESPNU or watch online

NCAA Division 3

The Division 3 National Championship kicked off with a selection show where 10 teams were selected to compete in single elimination games. First round games began March 9th where the winners of those two games then joined the six teams chosen for the quarterfinals. 

Qualifying teams: 10

Here is how those 10 teams were selected …

Automatic Qualifiers: 

• Automatic bid / Pool A (7): Postseason tournament champions from CCC, MIAC, NEHC, NESCAC, NEWHL, NCHA and UCHC are given “auto bids”.
  • Endicott – Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC)
  • Gustavus Adolphus – Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC)
  • Elmira – New England Hockey Conference (NEHC)
  • Middlebury – New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
  • Plattsburgh State – Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL)
  • Aurora – Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA)
  • Nazareth – United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC)
• At-large bid / Pool C (3): Institutions from automatic-qualifying conferences that are not their conference champions, and the remaining teams not in automatic-qualifying conferences receive an “at-large” bid invitation based on their season record and body of work.
  • Colby
  • Wisconsin-Eau Claire
  • Wisconsin-River Falls

How to watch:

March 18th – Semifinal

• Plattsburgh vs. Gustavus Adolphus, 3pm EST, watch online
• Middlebury vs. Elmira, 7pm EST, watch online

March 19th – Championship

• TBD vs. TBD, 7pm EST, watch online