Division 3 Men's Hockey Championship
The Division 3 Men's Hockey Championship is an annual event that takes place in March and determines the national champion of men's ice hockey in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament features teams from all over the country and is one of the most exciting events in college ice hockey.
Format and Qualification
The tournament features 12 teams who have qualified for the championship through either an automatic or an at-large bid. The eight automatic bids are given to the winners of each conference tournament, while the remaining four teams are selected based on their regular-season performance and strength of schedule.
Once the 12 teams have been determined, they are seeded based on their performance throughout the season, with the teams ranked one through four receiving a first-round bye. The remaining eight teams then face off in the first round of the tournament, with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals where they will face one of the top four seeds.
The tournament then proceeds with single-elimination games until the national champion is crowned in the final game of the tournament.
History of the Championship
The Division 3 Men's Hockey Championship has been held annually since 1984 and has featured some of the most exciting moments in college ice hockey history. The tournament's first national champion was Middlebury, who won the championship in 1995.
Over the years, the championship has been dominated by a few teams, with Norwich and Wisconsin-Superior each winning four national championships. Other notable champions include Plattsburgh State, who has won two championships, and St. Norbert, who has won three.
Recent Champions
The most recent Division 3 Men's Hockey Championship was held in 2019, with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point winning their first national championship with a 3-2 victory over Norwich University in the championship game.
The 2020 championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point the reigning national champions heading into the 2021 tournament.
Notable Players
Over the years, the Division 3 Men's Hockey Championship has featured some of the most talented players in college ice hockey. Notable players who have gone on to professional careers include Scott Perunovich of the University of Minnesota Duluth, who won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college ice hockey in 2020, and Jack Connolly of the University of Minnesota Duluth, who won the award in 2012. Other notable players include Tyler Brickler of Hobart College, Ryan Kuffner of Princeton University, and Zacharias Skog of Adrian College.
Conclusion
The Division 3 Men's Hockey Championship is one of the most exciting events in college ice hockey, featuring some of the most talented players and teams from all over the country. Whether you are a die-hard fan or just looking for some exciting hockey action, the championship is definitely worth checking out.
