COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams have earned a spot in the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Tournament, which begins on Thursday. NCHC teams make up a quarter of the 16-team field with all four teams from the National landing No. 1 or No. 2 seeds.
 
North Dakota is the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, while Western Michigan is the No. 4 overall seed, with both garnering No. 1 seeds in their regional. Denver finished fifth in the NPI, used to determine the NCAA Tournament field, to receive a No. 2 seed, while Minnesota Duluth is also a No. 2 seed in its regional.
 
The NCHC’s four NCAA Tournament participants tie with the Big Ten for the most from one conference in 2026, however the National is the only one with all No. 1 and No. 2 seeds. ECAC Hockey and Hockey East each placed three teams in the NCAA field, while Atlantic Hockey America and the CCHA have one representative each.
 
The National is home to the last two NCAA National Champions and seven of the last nine, with all four NCHC teams winning the national title in that span making this year’s NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan is the defending National Champions, while Denver won the 2024 crown to capture its NCAA-record 10th Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship overall, also including 2017 and 2022 while in the NCHC. Minnesota Duluth won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2018 and 2019, while UND won the NCHC’s first national title in 2016.
 
NCHC in NCAA Regional Semifinals Schedule (March 26-27)

• Merrimack vs. North Dakota – Thursday, 7:30 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
• Minnesota State vs. Western Michigan – Friday, 2:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. MT (ESPNU)
• Cornell vs. Denver – Friday, 4:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
• Penn State vs. Minnesota Duluth – Friday, 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT (ESPN2)

No. 2 North Dakota (27-9-1) will open the NCAA Tournament for the NCHC on Thursday night in the Midwest Regional in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Fighting Hawks face fourth-seeded and No. 16 Merrimack (21-15-2) at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in the regional semifinals with puck drop set for 7:30 p.m. CT and the game televised on ESPN2. Also in Sioux Falls are No. 2 seed Providence and No. 3 seed Quinnipiac, who will meet in the first regional semifinal, with the regional final set for Saturday with the time to be announced.
 
The West Regional in Loveland, Colo. features the last two NCAA champions in fifth-ranked Western Michigan (26-10-1) and fourth-ranked Denver (25-11-3), who is hosting the regional. The reigning National Champion Broncos begin their NCAA title defense on Friday at Blue Arena against No. 4 seed and 14th-ranked Minnesota State (22-10-7) in a rematch of last year’s NCAA opening-round game. Puck drop is set for 2:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. MT and will be televised on ESPNU. The Pioneers then battle No. 3 seed and ninth-ranked Cornell (22-10-1) at 4 p.m. MT after WMU plays with the game on ESPN+. The regional final is on Sunday with the time TBA.
 
Should WMU and Denver meet in the regional final, it would be their fourth postseason meeting in the last two years with the first three needing overtime. The two teams recently squared off at Magness Arena on March 14 in the Frozen Faceoff Semifinals, with DU winning in overtime. They also met in the 2025 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in St. Louis and the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship in Saint Paul, Minn. last year, with the Broncos prevailing in double overtime in both.
 
The final NCHC team to begin NCAA Tournament play is sixth-ranked Minnesota Duluth (23-14-1), which heads east to the state capital of New York for the Albany Regional. The Bulldogs face No. 3 seed and 10th-ranked Penn State (21-13-2) in the last regional semifinal of the first round Friday night. Puck drop is slated for 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT at MVP Arena with the game televised on ESPN2. In the first regional semifinal in Albany is overall No. 1 seed Michigan and fourth-seeded Bentley, with the regional final on Sunday and time TBA.
 
All NCAA Tournament games can be seen on the ESPN family of networks in the United States and on TSN+ in Canada.
 
The four regional champions will advance to the 2026 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, which is set for April 9-11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The national semifinals are on Thursday, April 9 on ESPN2, with the championship game on Saturday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.
 
NCHC IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

• The NCHC has now placed 45 teams in the NCAA Tournament in its 13-year history (3.75 teams/tournament), tying with Hockey East for the most during that span, with at least two NCHC teams in the championship field every year since 2014 when the NCHC began play. This year marks the fifth time the National has placed exactly four teams in the NCAA field and first time since 2024, while this is the seventh NCAA Tournament to feature at least four NCHC teams.
• NCHC teams are 57-34 all-time in the NCAA Tournament (.626 win percentage), including 51-28 against non-NCHC teams (.646). The 57 wins are 15 more than any other conference since the NCHC began play in 2013-14, with Hockey East second at 42.
• The National has seen 16 teams qualify for the Men’s Frozen Four in its history, including both WMU and Denver last year. The NCHC has placed at least one team in the Frozen Four every year since 2014, except in 2023. The National is also home to seven of the last nine NCAA National Champions, including the last two.
• NCHC teams face four different conferences in the regional semifinals this year. North Dakota faces Merrimack of Hockey East, with NCHC teams 20-12 all-time in the NCAA Tournament against Hockey East foes, including 4-0 last year. WMU takes on Minnesota State of the CCHA, with NCHC squads 11-1 all-time against CCHA/WCHA teams in the NCAA Tournament. Denver battles Cornell of ECAC Hockey, with NCHC teams 6-2 all-time against ECAC foes in the NCAAs, while UMD squares off with Penn State of the Big Ten with NCHC teams 10-10 all-time against Big Ten opponents in the NCAA Tournament.

 NORTH DAKOTA NOTABLES

• North Dakota is making its 36th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2024. UND’s 36 NCAA berths are fifth-most in men’s college hockey history and second among 2026 NCAA Tournament participants (Michigan, 42).
• Thursday’s regional semifinal against Merrimack will mark only the third all-time meeting between UND and the Warriors, and first in the postseason. North Dakota swept a series in Grand Forks against Merrimack in October of 2009 to open the 2009-10 season.
• The Fighting Hawks earned a No. 1 seed for the first time since 2021 and eighth time since the current 16-team format started in 2003. North Dakota’s last NCAA Tournament victory came in 2021 as a No. 1 seed in a win over American International in Fargo, N.D.
• North Dakota won its seventh Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions this year, including sixth outright title. UND’s 27 overall victories this season are its most since the 2015-16 squad won 34 on the way to North Dakota’s eighth national title. NoDak’s 25 regulation wins this season are the most in the country.
• Senior forward Tyler Young is set to face his former school, Merrimack, on Thursday night. The Falmouth, Mass., native spent three seasons with the Warriors, where he scored six goals and added five assists for 11 points in 55 career games. This season, he has five goals and 11 points in 29 games alone as a Fighting Hawk.
• North Dakota is home to a trio of NCHC award winners this season in Herb Brooks Coach of the Year Dane Jackson, who earns the honor in his first year at the helm, as well as NCHC Rookie of the Year Cole Reschny and NCHC Goaltender of the Year and fellow freshman Jan Špunar.

WESTERN MICHIGAN NOTABLES

• Western Michigan is making its fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, which extends a program record, and 11th appearance overall. The five-year appearance streak ties for the second-longest active streak along with Denver (Quinnipiac is first at seven straight years). The Broncos are now 5-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament after earning four wins en route to the 2025 NCAA National Championship last year – the first in program history.
• The Broncos will battle Minnesota State in the regional semifinals for the second straight year. Last year, WMU clipped the Mavericks, 2-1, in double overtime on a goal by current junior forward Grant Slukynsky. Slukynsky earned Third-Team All-NCHC honors this season. Friday’s first round rematch will be only the second meeting all-time between the Broncos and MSU Mavericks.
• WMU is a No. 1 seed for the third time in program history, also earning a top seed last year and for the first time in 2022. The Broncos have won at least one game both times as a No. 1 seed previously, going 5-1 in those two NCAA Tournaments, including winning the title in 2025. That was also the Broncos first ever Frozen Four appearance.
• Junior forward and captain Owen Michaels is the reigning NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player, scoring four goals in St. Louis last year to lead WMU to the title. He scored two goals in both Frozen Four games, including the game-winning goal against Denver in the National Semifinals. Michaels has at least one point in all five NCAA Tournament games he’s played in, totaling seven points (4g/3a).
• Sophomore goaltender Hampton Slukynsky, who earned Second-Team All-NCHC-honors for the second straight year and won the NCHC’s Three Stars Award, leads the country with 26 wins in net, going 26-10-1, while starting every game this season. He carries a .916 save percentage and 2.26 GAA into the tournament, including going 7-2-1 with a 1.75 GAA and a .936 save percentage in that stretch. Slukynsky was named to the NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team last year after posting a .943 save percentage and 1.26 GAA in four NCAA Tournament games.

DENVER NOTABLES

• Denver is making its 35th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament, including fifth straight, tying with WMU for the second-longest active streak. The Pioneers 35 trips to the NCAA Tournament are sixth-most in men’s college hockey history (third among this year’s NCAA Tournament participants). Excluding the COVID-19 pandemic season of 2021, DU has made 17 straight NCAA Tournaments.
• The Pioneers have made it to the NCAA Frozen Four in three of the past four seasons and six times in the last nine held tournaments. The last time DU hosted the Loveland Regional in 2022, the Pios not only made the Frozen Four but won the NCAA title in Boston. Denver’s 10 National Championships are the most in men’s college hockey history.
• The Pioneers will face Cornell in the regional semifinals, marking the teams’ third meeting in the NCAA regionals in the last four years. In 2024, Denver topped the Big Red in the Northeast Regional final, 2-1, while in 2023, Cornell blanked DU in the regional semifinals, 2-0. Overall, the squads have played six times previously in the NCAA Tournament, with the teams splitting them at 3-3. DU defeated Cornell, 4-3, to win the 1969 National Championship in Colorado Springs. Denver is 8-6-0 all-time against Cornell in all games played.
• Denver has a 46-26 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament and is 12-3 in its last 15 games and a 17-4 mark dating back to 2017. Since 2015, the Pioneers are 20-6 in their 26 tournament contests. DU owns a 23-12 all-time mark in opening-round games and is 8-3-0 this year against NCAA Tournament teams, best among the 16 teams.
• Denver heads into the NCAA Tournament on a 13-game unbeaten streak (12-0-1) and nine-game winning streak, both the longest in the country. DU won the 2026 NCHC Frozen Faceoff last Saturday on home ice in double overtime against Minnesota Duluth. It was the Pioneers’ fourth NCHC Tournament title, the most in conference history.
• Junior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award and one of two in the NCHC (UMD’s Max Plante). The San Jose Sharks draft pick was named NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year this year, as well as First-Team All-NCHC and to the Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team. He leads all NCAA defensemen with both 17 goals and 37 points this season, with the 17 goals an NCHC single-season record by a blueliner.
• Freshman goaltender Johnny Hicks has been red hot to start his career, going unbeaten so far with a 12-0-1 record – all since late January. He leads the country with both a .958 save percentage and a 1.14 GAA. Hicks was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 NCHC Frozen Faceoff after backstopping DU to the championship, going 4-0-0 with a .958 save percentage, a 1.15 GAA and one shutout.

MINNESOTA DULUTH NOTABLES

• Minnesota Duluth is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2022 and 16th in program history. The Bulldogs have won at least one NCAA Tournament game/opening-round game in each of their last 14 trips to the Big Dance (all but their first appearance in 1983).
• UMD has compiled a 29-14-0 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament and a 23-8-0 mark since head coach Scott Sandelin's arrival in 2000-01. That mark is punctuated by three National Championships that have all come during the Sandelin era in 2011, 2018 and 2019. The Bulldogs have eight Frozen Four appearances in program history, including four straight from 2017-2021.
• The Bulldogs will battle Penn State in the regional semifinals on Friday night in Albany. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools. UMD went 2-0-0 against Big Ten teams this year, sweeping rival Minnesota, while PSU swept Arizona State to go 2-0-0 against NCHC teams.
• Sophomore forward Max Plante was named NCHC Player and Forward of the Year earlier this month, as well as one of 10 finalists for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award (along with DU’s Pohlkamp). The Detroit Red Wings draft pick was also the lone unanimous First-Team All-NCHC selection this year. Plante leads the NCHC and is tied for third nationally with 24 goals this season, while his 49 points are fifth in the NCAA and first in the NCHC.
• Max’s brother and classmate, Zam Plante, garnered Third-Team All-NCHC honors this season and is second in the NCHC behind his brother and tied for eighth nationally with 47 points. The Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick has 20 goals on the year to tie for second in the NCHC and 11th in the country. Both Max and Zam earned Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team honors last week after helping UMD reach the NCHC Tournament Championship Game. Zam tallied four goals and six points in four games, while Max recorded four points on two goals and assists each.
• Sophomore Adam Kleber was named NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year this season. He is both the first Bulldog to win the award in conference history and the first sophomore to claim the honor.

To see the NCHC’s entire NCAA Tournament history, click HERE. For the full 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket, click HERE.