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2026 Bracketology: The Road to the Aud

IJustLost said:
So I noticed they removed the West pool restrictions and are just taking the AQs and 4 AT-Largers regardless of region. This means theoretically that there could have been exactly 5 West Teams in the bracket, which would force a quadrant to exist that isn't 100% West or East. This would imply that they're now willing to allow East/West travel in R2. Does this mean they are changing they way they do things entirely, and will now give fairer seeding in opening rounds. Have they commented on this? Please correct me if I said something wrong above.
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Adrian is a western region team that has played eastern region teams is Round 1 a couple different times. Last season Trine hosted Oswego is a first round game. There were 5 teams from the west last season.
 
The NCAA has stated that they plan to avoid intraconference matchups in the first round period starting last year or the year before. I do not believe you will see two conference teams scheduled to play each other in the first round for the foreseeable future, even if it creates flights.
 
altazo said:
Adrian is a western region team that has played eastern region teams is Round 1 a couple different times. Last season Trine hosted Oswego is a first round game. There were 5 teams from the west last season.
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I seem to remember though they used to have regional /pool restrictions on who got selected so that the appropriate #'s would be in and they would even skip over a school with a higher ranking to get this. When was this restriction lifted? This year, or a prior year? Is it because some Western schools who are a little more to the east are allowed to go both ways?
 
All of this discussion is moot. Hobart is head & shoulders & torsos above any other team I've seen play. No one can compete with their skill, speed and quickness, plus they'll be sleeping in their own beds for the entire tourney.
 
Don't know if we can find a way to win a couple or not but Norwich has faced them the most of anyone over the last few years in the old NEHC. Might be something. As Lloyd Christmas reminded us there's always a chance!
 
elbojpb said:
All of this discussion is moot. Hobart is head & shoulders & torsos above any other team I've seen play. No one can compete with their skill, speed and quickness, plus they'll be sleeping in their own beds for the entire tourney.
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So will Utica the way it's looking, and Utica was the team closest to beating them this season if I remember correctly 🤷‍♂️
 
elbojpb said:
All of this discussion is moot. Hobart is head & shoulders & torsos above any other team I've seen play. No one can compete with their skill, speed and quickness, plus they'll be sleeping in their own beds for the entire tourney.
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They are undoubtedly the favorite. But let’s not act like they are unbeatable. Anything can happen in a one game elimination tournament. They haven’t exactly played a ringer of a schedule.
 
I know I've read a lot about the NCAA leaning more toward bracket integrity lately but I'm surprised none of the projections have the West playing down to one semifinal team. Would it be right? No. But it's happened enough times over the years to be a real possibility.
 
***JCB*** said:
I know I've read a lot about the NCAA leaning more toward bracket integrity lately but I'm surprised none of the projections have the West playing down to one quarterfinal team. Would it be right? No. But it's happened enough times over the years to be a real possibility.
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After last year, I think the line of thinking is that they are content with the possibilities of having either the most possible West teams, or no West teams at all
 
Pioneer247 said:
Slight updates to the NPI overnight put Salve and Aurora ahead of St. Norbert, which changes the West outlook.

CNE: Endicott (2)
Little East: Norwich (14)
MAC: Neumann (27)
MASCAC: Anna Maria (20)
MIAC: Saint Johns (17)
NCHA: St. Norbert (8)
NESCAC: Middlebury (16)
SUNYAC: Hobart (1)
UCHC: Utica (4)
WIAC: UW-Stout (5)

At-Large:
Hamilton (3)
Salve Regina (6)
Aurora (7)
UNE (9)

First Four Out:
Adrian (10)
Bowdoin (11)
Geneseo (12)
Babson (13)

Round 1:
Neumann @ Hamilton
Anna Maria @ Utica
St. Norbert @ UW-Stout
Middlebury @ Salve Regina
Saint Johns @ Aurora
Norwich @ UNE

Quarterfinals:
Norwich/UNE @ Hobart
Saint Johns/Aurora @ Endicott
Middlebury/Salve Regina @ Neumann/Hamilton
St. Norbert/UW-Stout @ Anna Maria/Utica
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Welcome Williams, Good-bye Midd
 
Pioneer247 said:
Slight updates to the NPI overnight put Salve and Aurora ahead of St. Norbert, which changes the West outlook.

CNE: Endicott (2)
Little East: Norwich (14)
MAC: Neumann (27)
MASCAC: Anna Maria (20)
MIAC: Saint Johns (17)
NCHA: St. Norbert (8)
NESCAC: Middlebury (16)
SUNYAC: Hobart (1)
UCHC: Utica (4)
WIAC: UW-Stout (5)

At-Large:
Hamilton (3)
Salve Regina (6)
Aurora (7)
UNE (9)

First Four Out:
Adrian (10)
Bowdoin (11)
Geneseo (12)
Babson (13)

Round 1:
Neumann @ Hamilton
Anna Maria @ Utica
St. Norbert @ UW-Stout
Middlebury @ Salve Regina
Saint Johns @ Aurora
Norwich @ UNE

Quarterfinals:
Norwich/UNE @ Hobart
Saint Johns/Aurora @ Endicott
Middlebury/Salve Regina @ Neumann/Hamilton
St. Norbert/UW-Stout @ Anna Maria/Utica
Click to expand...
Welcome Williams........Goodbye Middlebury
 
The final update which really only re-slots Williams into the NESCAC spot, and shuffles a couple of first round matchups in the East

CNE: Endicott (2)
Little East: Norwich (14)
MAC: Neumann (28)
MASCAC: Anna Maria (20)
MIAC: Saint Johns (17)
NCHA: St. Norbert (8)
NESCAC: Williams (27)
SUNYAC: Hobart (1)
UCHC: Utica (4)
WIAC: UW-Stout (5)

At-Large:
Hamilton (3)
Salve Regina (6)
Aurora (7)
UNE (9)

First Four Out:
Adrian (10)
Bowdoin (11)
Geneseo (12)
Babson (13)

Round 1:
Neumann @ Hamilton
Williams @ Utica
St. Norbert @ UW-Stout
Anna Maria @ Salve Regina
Saint Johns @ Aurora
Norwich @ UNE

Quarterfinals:
Norwich/UNE @ Hobart
Saint Johns/Aurora@ Endicott
Anna Maria/Salve Regina @ Neumann/Hamilton
St. Norbert/UW-Stout @ Williams/Utica
 
Also I know it works out the way it works out and all that jazz...that Hamilton quadrant of the bracket with Neumann/Anna Maria/Salve Regina is disgustingly bad, especially with Hamilton on the current form their on
 
I've seen the West get screwed too many times and I don't think they will like the Salve tier so I think it will look like this:

Quarterfinals:
Norwich/UNE @ Hobart
Anna Maria/Salve Regina @ Endicott
Williams/Utica @ Neumann/Hamilton
Saint Johns/Aurora @ St. Norbert/UW-Stout
 
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