NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship

The annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament determines the top men's ice hockey team in NCAA Division I and Division III. ^[1]

The semi-finals and finals of the Division I Championship are branded as the Frozen Four, a passing nod to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known as the Final Four in its final rounds. The final two rounds of the hockey tournament were first referred to as the Frozen Four in 1999.

The NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championship is a single elimination competition that has determined the collegiate national champion since the inaugural 1948 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament. The tournament features 16 teams representing all six Division I conferences in the nation. The Championship Committee seeds the entire field from 1 to 16 within four regionals of 4 teams. The winners of the six Division I conference championships receive automatic bids to participate in the NCAA Championship. The tournament begins with initial games played at four regional sites culminating with the semi-finals and finals played at a single site.^[1]

In setting up the tournament, the Championship Committee seeks to ensure "competitive equity, financial success and likelihood of playoff-type atmosphere at each regional site." A team serving as the host of a regional is placed within that regional. The top four teams are assigned overall seeds and placed within the bracket such that the national semifinals will feature the No. 1 seed versus the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed versus the No. 3 seed should the top four teams win their respective regional finals. Number 1 seeds are also placed as close to their home site as possible, with the No. 1 seed receiving first preference. Conference matchups are avoided in the first round; should five or more teams from one conference make the tournament, this guideline may be disregarded in favor of preserving the bracket's integrity.

The NCAA started a Women's Frozen Four beginning with the 2000-01 season.

The Hobey Baker Award ceremony, Hockey Humanitarian Award ceremony, and USCHO.com Town Hall Meeting take place annually during Frozen Four weekend.^[2]

Division I

Championship game results

Most championships won by school

Teams are listed first in order of championships won, and then by most recent championship.

Most championships won by state

The following list is of championships won ranked by state.

Tournament format history

1948–1976

4 teams (1 game series)

1977–1980

5-6 teams (1 game series)

1981–1987

8 teams (2 game, total goals first round at higher seed)

1988

12 teams (2 game, total goals first two rounds at higher seed)

1989–1991

12 teams (best of 3 games first two rounds series at higher seed)

1992–2002

12 teams (divided up into 2 regionals, East Regional and West Regional; 6 Teams each)

2003–present

16 teams (divided up into 4 regionals: Northeast, East, Midwest and West Regionals: 4 Teams each)

Division II

The Division II Championship was suspended following 1999, due to a lack of sponsoring schools. Most of the schools in Division II hockey became members of newly formed hockey conferences such as College Hockey America. The Northeast Ten Conference is the last remaining Division II conference that sponsors ice hockey.

Championship game results

Division III

Championship game results

# - Participation in the tournament vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.

See also

List of NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four appearances by school

References

v · d · eNational Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA Awards • Hall of Champions • Conferences Division I sports and championships Institutions • Athletic Directors • Baseball (Championship, CWS) • Basketball (Men, Women) • Women's Bowling • Boxing • Cross Country (Men, Women) • Fencing (Championship) • Women's Field Hockey • Football (FBS / BCS, FCS) • Golf (Men, Women) • Gymnastics (Men, Women) • Ice Hockey (Men, Women) • Lacrosse (Men, Women) • Rifle • Rowing (Women's Championship) • Skiing • Soccer (Men, Women) • Softball (Championship, CWS) • Swimming & Diving (Men, Women) • Tennis (Men, Women) • Track & Field (Men's Indoor & Outdoor, Women's Indoor & Outdoor) • Volleyball (Men, Women) • Water Polo (Men, Women) • Wrestling (Championship) Division II Institutions • Baseball (CWS) • Basketball (Men, Women) • Football (Championship) • Soccer (Men) • Softball (CWS) Division III Institutions • Baseball (CWS) • Basketball (Men, Women) • Football (Championship) • Soccer (Men) • Softball (CWS)