2026 NCAA TOURNAMENT MEGA-THREAD: THE ROAD TO UTICA

[Pioneer247]

Bracketology is over, the bracket is now we take the 14 qualifiers to find our national champion!

FIRST ROUND (3/14)

#14 Neumann @ #3 Hamilton
#13 Williams @ #4 Utica
#12 Anna Maria @ #5 UW-Stout
#10 Norwich @ #6 Salve Regina
#11 Saint John's @ #7 Aurora
#9 UNE @ #8 St. Norbert

QUARTERFINALS (3/21)

QF1: #9 UNE/#8 St. Norbert @ #1 Hobart
QF2: #11 Saint John's/#7 Aurora @ #2 Endicott
QF3: #10 Norwich/#6 Salve Regina @ #14 Neumann/#3 Hamilton (highest seed hosts)
QF4: #12 Anna Maria/#5 UW-Stout @ #13 Williams/#4 Utica (highest seed hosts)

SEMIFINALS (3/27, 3 and 7 PM ET)

SF1: QF1 winner vs QF4 winner
SF2: QF2 winner vs QF3 winner

FINALS (3/29, 3 PM ET)

SF1 winner vs SF2 winner

 

[bakdraft21]

looks like some Line-up,just curious, how many of these teams are public institutions???? TIA....

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

looks like some Line-up,just curious, how many of these teams are public institutions???? TIA....

I believe UW-Stout is the only public school on there.

Now that the MASCAC and SUNYAC have private schools in them, the only fully public school D3 league left is the WIAC I believe.

 

[altazo]

I believe UW-Stout is the only public school on there.

Now that the MASCAC and SUNYAC have private schools in them, the only fully public school D3 league left is the WIAC I believe.

Almost. The WIAC had Northland and now Beloit.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Almost. The WIAC had Northland and now Beloit.

Nevermind...now there are no fully public school leagues anymore.

 

[***JCB***]

Go Norwich!

 

[ColdInRomney]

What's the history of at-large teams making it to the final four or national champion?

 

[Pioneer247]

What's the history of at-large teams making it to the final four or national champion?

Here's the list from 2000-2025. The only years where 0 At-Large teams made the semis are 2002, 2004, and 2008

Frozen Four:
Utica - 2025
Adrian - 2024
UNE - 2023
Augsburg - 2022
Hobart - 2019
Stevens Point - 2019
Salve Regina - 2018
Stevens Point - 2018
Adrian - 2017
Stevens Point - 2016
St. Norbert - 2016
Stevens Point - 2015
Trinity - 2015
Stevens Point - 2014
Geneseo - 2014
Utica - 2013
Eau-Claire - 2013
Oswego - 2012
Oswego - 2011
Plattsburgh - 2010
Hobart - 2009
Oswego - 2007
Hobart - 2006
St. Norbert - 2006
Trinity - 2005
Middlebury - 2003
River-Falls - 2001
St. Thomas - 2000

National Champion:
Stevens Point - 2019
Stevens Point - 2016
Trinity - 2015
Eau-Claire - 2013
Oswego - 2007

 

[altazo]

Here's the list from 2000-2025. The only years where 0 At-Large teams made the semis are 2002, 2004, and 2008

Frozen Four:
Utica - 2025
Adrian - 2024
UNE - 2023
Augsburg - 2022
Hobart - 2019
Stevens Point - 2019
Salve Regina - 2018
Stevens Point - 2018
Adrian - 2017
Stevens Point - 2016
St. Norbert - 2016
Stevens Point - 2015
Trinity - 2015
Stevens Point - 2014
Geneseo - 2014
Utica - 2013
Eau-Claire - 2013
Oswego - 2012
Oswego - 2011
Plattsburgh - 2010
Hobart - 2009
Oswego - 2007
Hobart - 2006
St. Norbert - 2006
Trinity - 2005
Middlebury - 2003
River-Falls - 2001
St. Thomas - 2000

National Champion:
Stevens Point - 2019
Stevens Point - 2016
Trinity - 2015
Eau-Claire - 2013
Oswego - 2007

Dang, was Point really a Pool C team in 2019? I would’ve guessed they were either Pool B or the WIAC had gotten their autobid by then.

 

[Pioneer247]

Dang, was Point really a Pool C team in 2019? I would’ve guessed they were either Pool B or the WIAC had gotten their autobid by then.

I believe that the WIAC didn't have the auto-bid at this point, so they we're an "at-large", but were also the #1 overall seed

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Dang, was Point really a Pool C team in 2019? I would’ve guessed they were either Pool B or the WIAC had gotten their autobid by then.

Pool B didn’t exist that year because there weren’t enough teams that didn’t have a conference auto bid. They got a Pool C bid.

 

[bakdraft21]

I believe UW-Stout is the only public school on there.

Now that the MASCAC and SUNYAC have private schools in them, the only fully public school D3 league left is the WIAC I believe.

still cant understand Hobart in the SUNYAC,but hey UCLA USC etc are in the Humungus big ten;-))),,,or big 20???

 

[Sk8save!]

still cant understand Hobart in the SUNYAC,but hey UCLA USC etc are in the Humungus big ten;-))),,,or big 20???

Not by choices of the Conference coaches. Decision was forced on them by Presidents and AD's to accept Hobart and Skidmore to enhance the academic appeal of the conference. SUNYAC was just fine with the departures of Brockport and Geneseo without the need to add two private schools.

 

[ColdInRomney]

to enhance the academic appeal of the conference

???

What the hell does "academic appeal" have to do with an athletic conference?

 

[Tom Coughlin]

???

What the hell does "academic appeal" have to do with an athletic conference?

I was going to ask the same thing. I've heard similar arguments about what schools a conference like the Big 10 will let in, but I'm failing to see how Hobart's academic appeal helps the SUNY schools