DULUTH — With just six weeks remaining in the 2025-26 NCAA Division I women’s hockey regular season, and seven weeks for the NCHC, the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Bulldogs are assessing their NCAA tournament prospects. As both the men’s and women’s teams completed their nonconference schedules, attention turns to their standings in the NCAA tournament landscape.
The NCAA Percentage Index (NPI) has replaced the Pairwise rankings to determine at-large teams and seedings for the NCAA tournaments. Both the men’s and women’s teams are currently utilizing this index, which evaluates a team’s performance based on its overall record, particularly in nonconference play.
Women’s Tournament Outlook
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) has again showcased its strength, achieving a remarkable record of 40-6-2 against other conferences, including the ECAC and Hockey East. In contrast, the Bulldogs finished their nonconference schedule with a 4-2 record, securing victories over Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) teams but suffering losses to Harvard and Quinnipiac. These defeats leave the Bulldogs on the tournament bubble, necessitating wins in the second half of the season to secure a sixth consecutive NCAA tournament berth.
As of mid-January, teams ranked between No. 8 and No. 10 are poised to enter the 11-team tournament field, with the NEWHA champion guaranteed a spot. The current competitive landscape suggests that UMD must navigate potential upsets from lower-seeded teams in conference tournaments.
The projected bracket for the women’s tournament includes:
– Madison, Wisconsin Regional: 1. Wisconsin* vs. 8. Princeton*; 9. Minnesota Duluth
– Columbus, Ohio Regional: 2. Ohio State vs. 7. Northeastern*; 10. Cornell
– Minneapolis, Minnesota Regional: 3. Minnesota vs. 6. Quinnipiac; 11. Saint Anselm
– University Park, Pennsylvania Regional: 4. Penn State* vs. 5. UConn
Men’s Tournament Prospects
The Bulldogs men’s team is positioned for a strong NCAA tournament showing, potentially as a No. 1 seed after missing the national tournament for the previous three seasons. UMD finished the nonconference portion of the schedule with an impressive 9-1 record, with their only loss coming against Augustana, a team likely to qualify for the tournament.
The NCHC continues to set the standard among NCAA conferences, with a combined record of 62-29-2 against other leagues, including a 10-5 mark against the Big Ten. The NCHC boasts four teams in the top 11 and three in the top five, all competing for a coveted No. 1 seed.
Predicting the men’s bracket is more complex due to numerous variables. Notably, Denver, currently ranked No. 11, must be placed in Loveland, Colorado, as the host. The challenge lies in accommodating various teams while adhering to tournament guidelines.
The anticipated bracket for the men’s tournament includes:
– Albany, New York Regional: 1. Michigan* vs. 16. Bentley*; 8. Penn State vs. 9. Cornell
– Loveland, Colorado Regional: 2. North Dakota* vs. 15. UConn*; 7. Dartmouth vs. 11. Denver
– Worcester, Massachusetts Regional: 3. Wisconsin vs. 14. St. Thomas*; 6. Michigan State vs. 10. Quinnipiac*
– Sioux Falls, South Dakota Regional: 4. Minnesota Duluth vs. 13. Providence; 5. Western Michigan vs. 12. Augustana
As the regular season progresses, both UMD teams will need to capitalize on upcoming matchups to solidify their positions in the NCAA tournament. The stakes are high, and the next few weeks will be crucial for their postseason aspirations.