The NCAA hockey season is winding down, with the puck dropping on the first round of the Division I national tournament on Thursday as players start down the road to the 2026 Frozen Four.
Unseeded qualifiers Franklin Pierce, Quinnipiac, Princeton, UConn, Yale, and Minnesota Duluth will open national bracket play in Thursday's regional semifinals.
The winners will then meet either No. 1-seed Ohio State, No. 2 Wisconsin, or No. 3 Penn State in Saturday's regional finals, with No. 4 Minnesota and No. 5 Northeastern readying to make their tournament debuts against each other the same round.
Conference tournament upsets notably shaped this year's field, with the Buckeyes earning the top seed after booking a 2-1 title victory over the formerly top-ranked Badgers in the WCHA Final Faceoff on Saturday.
The perennial titans have owned the national championship over the last six NCAA hockey seasons, with Wisconsin tallying four (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025) and Ohio State taking two (2022, 2024).
"Maybe we'll see them again down the road," Badgers co-captain Caroline Harvey said after Saturday's loss, hinting at a possible Midwestern rivalry rematch in the Frozen Four's national title game. "We'll look forward to that if that's the case."
How to watch the 2026 NCAA women's ice hockey tournament
Division I's best will hit the ice beginning with Yale vs. Minnesota Duluth at 6 PM ET on Thursday.
All tournament games will air live on ESPN+, with the network elevating the March 22nd championship game to ESPNU.
ESPN will exclusively present the 2026 NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship starting March 12th, with most games streaming live on ESPN+. This month's ice hockey tournament features 11 teams competing for the national title, with the championship game set for March 22nd.
Regional semifinals tip off Thursday, March 12th, followed by regional finals Saturday, March 14th., all streaming exclusively across ESPN platforms. The Frozen Four semifinals then take the ice on March 20th and 22nd, closing out the tournament at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.
No. 1 seed Ohio State (34-4-0) opens its regional campaign on Saturday at 6 PM ET on ESPN+. The Buckeyes finished as runners-up last season, going on to earn the No. 1 overall seed after defeating Wisconsin 2-1 at the WCHA championship.
No. 2 seed Wisconsin will defend its eighth national championship this year, after the Badgers won the 2025 title with a 4-3 overtime victory over Ohio State. The programs have alternated national championships over the last five seasons, while meeting in the title game for the last three consecutive years.
Penn State earned the No. 3 seed, after the Nittany Lions claimed their fourth straight Atlantic Hockey America title behind the nation's top-scoring defense at 1.35 goals per game.
Minnesota grabbed the No. 4 seed, while Northeastern rounds out this year's automatic berths. Five conferences earned bids, with six at-large teams set to battle through the tournament's opening round.
How to Watch the 2026 NCAA Women's Hockey Tournament on ESPN+
The tournament starts tonight at 6 PM ET, live on ESPN+, with the championship game airing Sunday, March 22 at 4 PM ET on ESPNU.
All coverage will also stream on the ESPN App via direct-to-consumer or pay TV authentication.
Ohio State women's hockey secured the No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA tournament, topping Wisconsin 2-1 in the WCHA Final Faceoff to win the conference championship.
Riding a 34-4-0 record into the national tournament, the Buckeyes next host the Columbus Regional at the OSU Ice Rink starting March 12th, where they'll face the winner of a regional semifinal between Minnesota Duluth and Yale.
This marks the program's eighth NCAA tournament appearance and seventh consecutive year in the field, with Ohio State last holding the top seed in 2024.
The WCHA placed four teams in the 2026 bracket, as Wisconsin earned the No. 2 seed while Minnesota received the fourth. Minnesota Duluth and Yale will battle for the powerhouse conference's final spot.
Ohio State finished the regular season 24-4-0 in WCHA conference play behind goaltender Hailey MacLeod's program-record 23 wins. The senior posted five shutouts during the season on a 23-3-0 record.
The winner of the Columbus Regional advances to the 2026 NCAA Women's Frozen Four. The Frozen Four runs March 20th through 22nd at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.
How to Watch Ohio State Hockey at the Columbus Regional Tournament
The Columbus Regional semifinal kicks off Thursday, March 12th at 7 PM ET, setting up Saturday's 7 PM ET final. Both matches will air live on ESPN+.
Just like their PWHL counterparts, college hockey's Olympic stars will return to the ice on Friday night, when seven members of Team USA will rejoin their NCAA teams to battle through conference tournaments ahead of the national bracket's Selection Sunday on March 8th.
Hoping to kick off their 2025 NCAA title defense with a conference trophy is No. 1 Wisconsin and their four Team USA gold medalists: goaltender Ava McNaughton, forward Kirsten Simms, and defensemen Laila Edwards and Caroline Harvey — the 2026 Olympic tournament MVP.
"It's just more so getting the whole group back on the same page," Harvey said of Wisconsin's post-Olympic mindset. "There's a lot of excitement around playoffs now, so this is a time especially when we all naturally come together and we're united for a common goal, and we know that's winning a couple championships."
The Badgers, however, have other Olympic teammates standing in their way, with USA forwards Joy Dunne's No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes and Abbey Murphy's No. 4 Minnesota Golden Gophers also vying for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) crown.
Meanwhile, the seventh collegiate reigning Olympic gold medalist will be skating toward the 2026 Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) trophy, as forward Tessa Janecke helps her No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions hunt a fourth straight conference tournament title.
College hockey's five Division I conference tournaments — which also include the New England Hockey Alliance, Hockey East Association, and ECAC Hockey — run through next week, with the puck dropping on all five championship games on Friday, March 7th, before the NCAA tournament kicks off on March 12th.
How to watch US Olympic stars on this weekend's NCAA hockey ice
WCHA's best-of-three quarterfinals take center stage this weekend, with No. 2 Ohio State taking on St. Thomas starting at 6 PM ET on Friday before No. 1 Wisconsin faces Bemidji State and No. 4 Minnesota plays St. Cloud State at 7 PM ET.
Elsewhere, after earning a bye through to the best-of-three AHA semifinals, top-seeded No. 3 Penn State will take on Syracuse for this weekend's series, which also begins at 6 PM ET on Friday.
All games featuring the Top 4 teams will air live on B1G+.
Team USA put the hockey world on notice on Tuesday, defeating rival Canada 5-0 to remain unbeaten atop Group A in Milan — securing the Olympic tournament's No. 1 seed heading into Friday's quarterfinals.
While PWHL pro Hannah Bilka led the scoresheet with two goals, the University of Wisconsin provided the other three USA tallies, as current Badger stars Caroline Harvey, Kirsten Simms, and Laila Edwards all found the back of the net.
Edwards made more US hockey history in the process, as the 22-year-old became the first-ever Black woman to score an Olympic goal for Team USA.
With two assists from Harvey and a trio from University of Minnesota captain Abbey Murphy, young NCAA stars proved crucial to handing Canada their worst loss — and only shutout — in Olympic history.
Meanwhile, goalie Aerin Frankel stopped 20 shots in the clash to post her second shutout of the 2026 Winter Olympics, as an assist from captain Hilary Knight saw her tie hockey legend Jenny Potter's all-time US points record.
"Our team's making my life pretty easy," Frankel said postgame. "It's been so much fun to play behind them."
The defending gold medalists notably missed injured captain Marie-Philip Poulin in the loss, with the 34-year-old ruled out five hours before Tuesday’s puck-drop and still considered questionable ahead of Canada's rescheduled group-stage finale against Finland on Thursday.
Team USA, on the other hand, has now outscored opponents 20-1 through four Olympic hockey games, while also counting seven straight victories over Canada across all competitions.
"What's the hardest part of climbing the mountain? Getting home," USA head coach John Wroblewski said this week. "You think you've done something, that's when the mountain eats you up."
How to watch Team USA in the 2026 Olympic hockey quarterfinals
After Canada caps the group stage against Finland at 8:30 AM ET on Thursday, streaming live on Peacock, the top-seeded US will take on host nation and No. 8-seed Italy in the quarterfinal round on Friday.
The puck drops on the knockout clash at 3:10 PM ET, airing live on USA Network.
Laila Edwards made Olympic hockey history on Tuesday, becoming the first Black woman to score a goal for Team USA as the US secured a shutout 5-0 victory over rival Canada.
The Ohio native's tally sealed the group-stage win for Team USA. The historic moment also cemented the 2022 Beijing silver medalists as the tournament's top goalscorers, outscoring Olympic opponents 20-1 en route to clinching first place in Group A.
Edwards called the milestone "an incredible honor" in an interview with CBS Mornings.
"I get to be the first of something and a role model for others," she said.
The University of Wisconsin defender joined USA Women's Hockey in 2023, becoming the squad's first-ever Black player. Now competing in her first Olympic hockey tournament, Edwards continues breaking barriers at the highest level of international competition.
"It's cliché, but it's my safe space," Edwards said of the sport. "I just feel like I can be myself and do what I love."
The 22-year-old credits her family for helping her make the Olympic hockey team. Her father started her in figure skating at age three, subsequently transitioning her to hockey two years later.
"I definitely felt like I belonged, but there were times when there was a bit of intimidation, just being the only girl on my team," Edwards recalled. "I was such a tomboy... basically one of them."
"There's no rule book that says hockey is for boys," she continued. "There's no reason you shouldn't do it if you love it."
What's next for Team USA at the 2026 Olympic hockey tournament
Team USA now leads the Olympic hockey standings heading into the quarterfinals, delivering a perfect 4-0 group-stage record. They enter the knockout rounds as the gold medal favorite.
The US now takes the ice against host nation Italy on Friday at 3:10 PM ET, live on Peacock.
PWHL players made their voices heard this week, as The Athletic published the results of the third-year league's first-ever anonymous player poll on Wednesday, surveying athletes on everything from the best trash-talkers to which nation's team will win Olympic gold at next month's 2026 Winter Games.
Leading the poll's individual accolades is 34-year-old Team Canada and Montréal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin, dubbed the PWHL's best player by 80% of respondents.
Poulin's Team USA counterpart, Seattle Torrent forward Hilary Knight, snagged second as each standout prepares for a fifth career Olympic run.
As for who will win gold in Italy, all but one player predicted a Canada vs. USA Olympic Final, with a 50/50 split on the eventual victor.
Athletes also answered overarching questions about the growing league in the player poll, with Detroit earning the most nods as a PWHL expansion city — though Denver and Chicago also scored double-digit votes.
As for the future face of the league, current New York Sirens forward and 2024 PWHL No. 1 draftee Sarah Fillier narrowly edged out current University of Wisconsin senior and Team USA Olympic defender Caroline Harvey in the players' poll.
Toronto Sceptres forward Emma Maltais beat out Montréal's Abby Roque by one vote for the title of top PWHL trash-talker, though most players tapped her for quantity over quality — an assessment Maltais herself agrees with.
"I'm not trash-talking," clarified the 26-year-old Canadian. "I'm just yapping."
USA Hockey is sending a refreshed lineup to Italy this winter, with Friday's 23-player Olympic roster tapping both newcomers and seasoned veterans looking to avenge 2022's silver-medal finish.
US hockey legend Hilary Knight will play in her fifth — and final — Winter Games next month, with the 36-year-old forward joining fellow veteran mainstays Kendall Coyne Schofield and Lee Stecklein as just 11 players return from the team's Beijing campaign.
After falling just short of gold in Beijing, this year's USA hockey roster balances youth with experience, heading to Milan with a full dozen Olympic debutants, including seven college players — a full four from reigning NCAA champion Wisconsin.
All other 16 athletes currently compete in the PWHL with the pro league sending players from five of its eight teams to join the US squad in February.
The rest of the team focuses on young talent, including University of Wisconsin defender Laila Edwards, who will make history as USA Hockey's first-ever Black woman Olympian when she steps on the ice in Italy.
"It still hasn't really kicked in yet. Getting that call is like a dream come true," said Edwards.
How to watch Team USA hockey in the 2026 Winter Olympics
The USA will open their 2026 Olympic campaign against Czechia at 10:40 AM ET on February 5th before subsequent Group A games against Finland, Switzerland, and defending champions Canada.
The clash will air live on USA Network as part of the full 2026 Olympic Games coverage across NBC platforms.
USA Hockey's 2026 Olympic roster
Goaltenders: Aerin Frankel (Boston Fleet), Ava McNaughton (University of Wisconsin), Gwyneth Philips (Ottawa Charge)
Defenders: Cayla Barnes (Seattle Torrent), Laila Edwards (University of Wisconsin), Rory Guilday (Ottawa Charge), Caroline Harvey (University of Wisconsin), Megan Keller (Boston Fleet), Lee Stecklein (Minnesota Frost), Haley Winn (Boston Fleet)
Forwards: Hannah Bilka (Seattle Torrent), Alex Carpenter (Seattle Torrent), Kendall Coyne Schofield (Minnesota Frost), Britta Curl-Salemme (Minnesota Frost), Joy Dunne (Ohio State University), Taylor Heise (Minnesota Frost), Tessa Janecke (Penn State University), Hilary Knight (Seattle Torrent), Abbey Murphy (University of Minnesota), Kelly Pannek (Minnesota Frost), Hayley Scamurra (Montréal Victoire), Kirsten Simms (University of Wisconsin), Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota Frost)
The 2025 PWHL Draft spotlighted the wealth of women's hockey talent currently rising through the ranks, as the league ushered in its third rookie class on Tuesday night.
With the first overall pick, the New York Sirens selected Colgate University alum Kristýna Kaltounková, after the 23-year-old Czech forward finished her college career as the team's all-time leading scorer.
"Coming from such a small town in the Czech Republic, it's a great honor," Kaltounková said after the announcement.
The PWHL's eight teams selected a total of 48 players across the Draft's six rounds, with 43 draftees coming out of the NCAA system.
Ohio State produced the most 2025 prospects with six selected players, after the Buckeyes won two of the last four national titles.
Of the five non-NCAA recruits, four made the leap from international pro leagues in Sweden and Russia, while one player joins the PWHL from the University of British Columbia.
With two of the eight first-round picks, New York played the Draft's most aggressive hand, trading defender Ella Shelton to Toronto in order to receive the Sceptres' third and 27th overall picks.
Due to that deal, the Sirens also snagged 2024/25 NCAA MVP Casey O'Brien, a three-time national champion and the Wisconsin Badgers' all-time leading scorer.
New York also traded top forward Abby Roque to Montréal before the 2025 PWHL Draft, receiving forward Kristin O'Neill and Tuesday's 28th overall pick in return.
With league expansion widening this year's PWHL talent pool, college programs have stepped up to fill the gaps as the professional game grows.
The PWHL dropped its 2025 Draft details on Tuesday, with the league’s third-annual entry draft set to take over Ottawa, Canada — home of the Charge — on June 24th.
Eligible NCAA standouts and other pro hockey prospects have until May 8th to declare for selection, following the PWHL’s May 3rd regular-season finale.
Notably, the second-year league follows the Gold Plan when it comes to determining draft order. Under this system, teams eliminated from the playoffs have an incentive to continue hunting wins, as franchises who amass more points post-elimination secure higher draft picks.
The New York Sirens and 2024 champions Minnesota Frost currently sit below the postseason cutoff line, meaning both teams could snag the most draft capital when the league returns from international break later this month.
NCAA stars likely to top 2025 PWHL Draft selections
Last year, the New York Sirens selected Princeton star Sarah Fillier as the overall No. 1 pick, with the rookie forward having an immediate impact in her debut pro season.
Fillier currently ranks second in individual points scored on the 2024/25 PWHL stat sheet, trailing only US hockey legend and Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight.
As for who will join Fillier and Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise — the inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft No. 1 pick — atop this year's draft, two NCAA standouts are likely contenders.
Should she declare, University of Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy is the projected 2025 No. 1 pick.
However, Murphy could return to the Golden Gophers for a final NCAA season following her international duty with the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship semifinals-bound Team USA.
Should Murphy defer her pro debut, 2024/25 NCAA MVP Casey O'Brien is the likely top selectee, having already declared for the draft.
The Wisconsin captain wrapped up her NCAA campaign as this season's leading scorer, claiming 88 points on 26 goals and 62 assists en route to this year’s national championship — the third NCAA title of her college career.