Week 24 Hockey Release
OFFICIAL RELEASE
• The Big Ten Conference has qualified four teams for the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Championship after crowning its tournament champion on March 21. No. 2 seed Michigan set a record for goals in a championship game in a 7-3 win over No. 5 seed Ohio State before a sold-out crowd of 5,800 at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich. The No. 1/1-ranked Wolverines received the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament and are joined by No. 3/3 Michigan State, No. 10/9 Penn State and No. 12/12 Wisconsin, which received at-large berths. Michigan is the No. 1 seed overall and Michigan State the No. 3 seed overall in the 16-team field. The four teams selected matches a league record set in 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. The 78th NCAA Tournament begins this week with regional semifinals followed by regional finals. A look at the participating Big Ten teams:
• No. 4 seed Connecticut (20-12-5) vs. No. 1 seed Michigan State (25-8-2)
Thursday (1:30 p.m. ET) | Worcester Regional Semifinal | DCU Center
Michigan State is making its third-straight appearance in the NCAA postseason and its 30th overall. The Spartans are the last Big Ten team to win a national championship (2007). Adam Nightingale was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second time and features two conference award winners in Matt Basgall (Defensive Player of the Year) and Trey Augustine (Goaltender of the Year). Augustine is one of three finalists for the Mike Richter Award. Freshman Porter Martone and senior Charlie Stramel were named to the All-Big Ten First Team. No. 13/13 Connecticut finished third in the Hockey East standings and lost to Merrimack, 2-1, in the Hockey East Tournament Final. UConn and MSU are meeting for the first time.
• No. 3 seed Wisconsin (21-12-2) vs. No. 2 seed Dartmouth (23-7-4)
Thursday (5 p.m. ET) | Worcester Regional Semifinal | DCU Center
Wisconsin is making its second NCAA appearance in three seasons under Head Coach Mike Hastings. The Badgers will be playing in their 28th NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin’s defensive corps was recently honored with Big Ten honors as senior defenseman Ben Dexheimer was named to the All-Big Ten First Team while freshman blueliner Luke Osburn received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Team accolades. No. 8/8 Dartmouth is making its first NCAA appearance in 46 years after winning the ECAC Hockey Tournament with a 3-2 overtime victory over Princeton. The Big Green finished tied for second during the ECAC Hockey regular season. Wisconsin and Dartmouth will be meeting for the first time.
• No. 4 seed Bentley (23-11-5) vs. No. 1 seed Michigan (29-7-1)
Friday (5:30 p.m. ET) | Albany Regional Semifinal | MVP Arena
Michigan will participate in the NCAAs for the fifth time this decade and for the 42nd time overall, which ties the NCAA all-time record. Coach Brandon Naurato’s squad leads the nation in scoring, averaging 4.57 goals per game, and is led by senior forward T.J. Hughes, who was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament. Hughes (153 GP, 67-108—175) also holds an 18-point lead as the NCAA’s leading active career scorer. No. 20/20 Bentley secured the Atlantic Hockey Double on Saturday, adding the conference tournament title to its regular season crown. Michigan is 3-0-0 lifetime against Bentley with the last meeting taking place in 2012.
• No. 3 seed Penn State (21-13-2) vs. No. 2 Minnesota Duluth (23-14-1)
Friday (9 p.m. ET) | Albany Regional Semifinal | MVP Arena
Penn State has advanced to the NCAAs for the third time in four years under Head Coach Guy Gadowsky. The Nittany Lions are making their fifth trip to the NCAA Tournament, having reached the Frozen Four last year. Forward Gavin McKenna was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year after becoming the first Penn Stater to win the conference scoring title. Freshman defenseman Jackson Smith, a 2025 NHL First Round Draft pick, received All-Big Ten Second Team honors along with McKenna. No. 6/6 Minnesota Duluth finished fourth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings and lost to Denver, 4-3 in double overtime in the NCHC Tournament Final. Penn State and Minnesota Duluth are meeting for the first time.