Wisconsin Wins 2026 NCAA Women's Title

Claire Enright scored the tiebreaking goal with just over six minutes remaining in regulation, and the University of Wisconsin won its second straight NCAA Division I women's hockey national title with a 3-2 victory over archrival Ohio State University on Sunday in State College, Pa. It was the fourth straight meeting in the national title game between Wisconsin and OSU, with the Badgers now having won three of those.

Kelly Gorbatenko and Laney Potter staked Wisconsin to a 2-0 lead before the game was eight minutes old, with Adéla Šapovalivová assisting on both goals for the Badgers. The score remained unchanged until Kassidy Carmichael and Joceyln Amos tallied just over two minutes apart early in the third period for the Buckeyes, setting the stage for Enright's heroics with the final goal of her college career.

Ava McNaughton stopped 34 shots for the Badgers (35-4-2 overall), whose top-ranked power play went scoreless in six opportunities. Hailey MacLeod made 31 saves for the Buckeyes (36-5-0), who won 43 of 71 faceoffs overall but saw their 10-game winning streak dating back to Feb. 13 snapped.

It is the ninth national title overall for Wisconsin, all since 2006 with head coach and Badger alumnus Mark Johnson at the helm, and the most among NCAA schools all-time since the NCAA women's Division I tournament began in 2001. OSU, which won this year's WCHA title game over Wisconsin, was seeking its second national crown in three years, and third overall.

2026 NCAA Men's D-1 Hockey Field Set

The field for the 2026 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey championship is set. The matchups, times and TV outlets, per collegehockeynews.com:

Albany Regional (Friday, March 27)

1. Michigan vs. 4. Bentley, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN-U

2. Minnesota Duluth vs. 3. Penn State, 9 p.m. ET ESPN2

Loveland Regional (Friday, March 27)

1. Western Michigan vs. 4. Minnesota State, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN-U

2. Denver vs. 3. Cornell, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Sioux Falls Regional (Thursday, March 26)

1. North Dakota vs. 4. Merrimack, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

2. Providence vs. 3. Quinnipiac, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Worcester Regional (Thursday, March 26)

1. Michigan State vs. 4. Connecticut, 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

2. Dartmouth vs. 3. Wisconsin, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN-U

The top four overall seeds in order are Michigan, North Dakota, Michigan State, and defending national champion Western Michigan. Michigan, Bentley, Minnesota State, Denver, Dartmouth and Merrimack all advanced to this year's NCAAs by winning their respective conference championships, while the other 10 schools earned at-large berths.

The four regional winners will advance to the 2026 Frozen Four in Las Vegas on April 9 (5/8:30 p.m., ESPN 2), with the Albany champion playing the Loveland champion, and the Sioux Falls winner facing the Worcester winner. The national championship game will be contested two days later (5:30 p.m., ESPN).

2026 Conference Tournaments Continue

Friday's games moved NCAA Division I men's hockey closer to filling out its 2026 NCAA tournament field, with three conference semifinal rounds and one conference final taking place, while the national title tilt for women's hockey is all set.

In Hockey East, UConn defeated Boston College in overtime, 4-3, while Merrimack edged UMass, 2-0. In ECAC Hockey, Princeton outlasted two-time champion Cornell, 3-2, while Dartmouth blanked Clarkson, 4-0. In the CCHA, Minnesota State topped St. Thomas, 2-1, to win its fourth league playoff crown in five years.

Saturday will be championship night, as Merrimack will meet UConn to decide Hockey East, Princeton and Cornell will face off in ECAC Hockey, Sacred Heart will take on Bentley for the Atlantic Hockey America championship, Michigan will host Ohio State for Big Ten accolades, and Denver will skate against Minnesota-Duluth for NCHC honors. As with Minnesota State, the championship game winners will earn their respective conference's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Boston College, UMass, Clarkson, and St. Thomas have all been eliminated from NCAA consideration. 

On the NCAA Division I women's side, Wisconsin and Ohio State will meet on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, ESPNU) in State College, Pa. to decide the national champion in a rematch of the past three NCAA title games. Ohio State punched its ticket with a 5-0 shutout of Northeastern on Friday, while defending national champion Wisconsin upended host Penn State, 4-3, in OT.

ADDENDUM: Dartmouth Denver, Merrimack, Bentley, and Michigan all won their respective men's conference championships and earned automatic berths to the 2026 NCAA tournament. The NCAA selection show will be televised on Sunday (3 p.m., ET, ESPNU).

Top 10 Hobey Baker Award Finalists Named

The top 10 finalists for the 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey have been announced (listed by last name with class, position, and 2025-26 stats to date): 

Trey Augustine, Jr., G, Michigan State (23-8-1, 2.09 GAA)

James Hagens, So., F, Boston College (23g-22a—45 pts.)

T.J. Hughes, Sr., F, Michigan (19-31—50)

Gavin McKenna, Fr. F, Penn State (15-36—51)

Max Plante, So., F, Minnesota Duluth (23-25—48)

Erik Pohlkamp, Jr., D, Denver (17-20—37)

Hayden Stavroff, So., F, Dartmouth (28-19—47)

Charlie Stramel, Sr., F, Michigan State (19-25—44)

Felix Trudeau, Sr., F, Sacred Heart (25-22—47)

Ethan Wyttenbach, Fr. F, Quinnipiac (24-34—58)

Wyttenbach leads the nation in points, while Stavroff is first in goals scored and McKenna is second in assists. Five of the finalist have already been drafted by National Hockey League teams, while McKenna is expected to go in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. 

This year's Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced next month during the NCAA Frozen Four in Las Vegas.

Minnesota Hockey Seeking New Head Coaches

The University of Minnesota is now looking for two new hockey head coaches.

The men's program has parted ways with Bob Motzko after eight seasons. The Austin, Minn, native had guided the Golden Gophers since 2018-19 after 13 seasons at the helm of his alma mater, St. Cloud State. Motzko, 65, complied a record of 172-104-24 while at Minnesota, including three Big Ten regular season titles, one Big Ten tournament crown, and five NCAA tournament berths, including a national runner-up finish in 2023. Minnesota finished 11-22-3 this past season, falling in the Big Ten tournament to Penn State. For his NCAA Division I career, Motzko has put together an overall head coaching mark of 448-296-73, including 13 trips to the NCAAs.

On the women's side, Brad Frost was not retained after 19 seasons at the Minnesota helm, following five years as an assistant and one as an associate/interim head coach. A Bethel College product and former men's team captain, the Burlington, Ont. native fashioned a 554-133-43 mark with the Golden Gophers, including 17 NCAA tournament appearances, eight WCHA regular-season titles, five WCHA tournament crowns, and four national championships since he took over in 2007-08. Frost, 52, led Minnesota to a 26-12-1 overall record this past season, which ended with a loss to Northeastern in the NCAAs.

Princeton Takes One Game Lead on Union

Jake Manfre scored two goals as Princeton University raced out to a four-goal lead en route to a 5-2 win over No. 20 Union College tonight at Hobey Baker Rink. The Tigers now lead the best-of three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series, one game to none. It was Princeton's first home playoff game since 2018, and fifth consecutive home playoff victory dating back to 2017.

Despite being outshot, 31-24, overall and only winning 32 of 75 total faceoffs. Princeton nevertheless dominated a Union team that had shutout its opposition for over 66 minutes entering the game, and which had also been connecting at nearly 25 percent with a man advantage. The Tigers killed off all six Union power plays on the night, and also limited a Garnet Chargers team that had been averaging over five goals per game since Feb. 1 to just two late scores after the outcome was no longer in doubt.

"They're a tremendous team, with a ton of firepower," said Princeton head coach Ben Syer about Union. "I thought we did a really nice job tonight–but they force you to play honest, and I wasn't comfortable until the final buzzer."

Joshua Karnish opened the scoring for Princeton just over six minutes into the first period, his fourth goal of the season and fourth in as many games. Tyler Rubin and Manfre then scored four minutes apart in the second stanza to put the Tigers up by three, before Manfre notched his second goal of the night and 14th of the season just 23 seconds into the final frame. Princeton captain David Jacobs finished with a game-high two assists.

"It helps to get production from our depth, and they played well," said Syer.

Union's Ethan Benz and Parker Lindauer then sandwiched goals around an empty-net tally by Princeton's Jaxson Ezman over the final five minutes for the final margin.

Princeton goaltender Arthur Smith stopped 29 shots, earning his ninth win of the campaign and the 21st of his college career.

"He was solid, and we needed him to be solid," said Syer.

The Tigers also blocked 20 shots on the night, with Rubin recording a team-high four blocks. 

"We all trust each other," said Smith. "We have lot of seniors on the back end, and when you trust each other to do the job, you do well."

Cameron Korpi had 14 saves on 18 shots for the Garnet Chargers before being relieved early in the third period by Brayden Gillespie (five saves). Union skaters blocked just eight shots in all.

Game Two is Saturday at Baker Rink at 7 p.m. A win would send the Tigers on to the ECAC Hockey semifinals in Lake Placid, while a Union victory would force a deciding Game Three on Sunday at 4 p.m.

"It's a long series, and tomorrow will be a grind," said Syer.

"I think we'll be ready," said Smith. "I don't think we'll carry the win into tomorrow, and we'll approach it the same way." 

ADDENDUM: Manfre continued his scoring streak with another goal, Smith made 32 saves, and Kai Daniells notched a hat trick as Princeton ousted Union with a 5-2 triumph in Game Two. Princeton (17-12-3 overall) moves on to the ECAC semifinals against Cornell, while Union (22-12-3) saw its season come to end.

Several Schools See Seasons End

Several NCAA Division I men's hockey teams saw their 2025-26 seasons come to a close with losses on Wednesday night.

Vermont, UMass Lowell, New Hampshire, Notre Dame, and Minnesota were all eliminated from their respective conference tournaments with single-elimination defeats. Each would have had to win their tournament to secure an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Conference playoffs continue this Friday and Saturday, and Sunday if necessary.