INDIANAPOLIS --- The NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Committee announced today the field of 14 teams for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. Ten conferences have been awarded an automatic qualification. The remaining four teams were selected at-large via NPI rankings. The championship playoff format involves six first-round games, March 14 and four quarterfinal games, March 21 that are played on the campuses of the participating institutions.
All games in the championship are single elimination. This year’s finalists will advance to Utica, New York at Adirondack Bank Center at Utica Memorial Auditorium for semifinals taking place on Friday, March 27, and the championship game on Sunday, March 29.
Conferences receiving automatic qualification are:
| Conference of New England | Endicott (21-3-3) |
| Little East Conference | Norwich (18-5-4) |
| Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference | Anna Maria (20-5-2) |
| Middle Atlantic Conference | Neumann (17-8-2) |
| Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Saint John’s (MN) (17-6-4) |
| New England Small College Athletic Conference | Williams (12-13-2) |
| Northern Collegiate Hockey Association | St. Norbert (21-6-2) |
| State University of New York Athletic Conference | Hobart (28-0) |
| United Collegiate Hockey Conference | Utica (19-7-1) |
| Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Wis.-Stout (21-5-1) |
Aurora (23-5-1), Hamilton (19-5-2), U of New England (21-6) and Salve Regina (17-3) enter the field as the four at-large selections.
In 2025, Hobart claimed their third national title in a row with a 2-1 (OT) win over Utica at the Nexus Center in Utica, New York. For more information about the 2026 Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, log on to krikya888s.com.
