March Madness: Michigan Hockey Left Out of NCAA Tournament for First Time Since 2019

For the first time since 2019, the Michigan hockey team has not qualified for the NCAA tournament. This season has been challenging for the team, while several Big Ten rivals have found their rhythm, resulting in Michigan narrowly missing the opportunity to compete for their fourth consecutive Frozen Four appearance.

Unlike other sports, this absence isn’t as significant; the tournament now features 16 teams, comparable to the 12-team college football playoffs, with participants including six conference champions and 10 at-large selections. In contrast, NCAA baseball and softball tournaments include 64 teams, and basketball has 68, making hockey’s smaller field mean that the margin for error is considerably tighter.

Under the guidance of coach Brandon Naurato, the Wolverines finished fourth among seven Big Ten teams in the regular season, trailing Ohio State, Minnesota, and Michigan State, and were ranked #17 nationally. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the first round of the Big Ten tournament by fifth-seeded Penn State, jeopardizing their chances for a tournament bid. When #12 Quinnipiac lost to Cornell in the Eastern College Athletic Conference semifinals, Michigan’s hopes for an at-large invitation vanished.

The Big Ten will be represented in the NCAA Tournament by Michigan State as a 1-seed, Minnesota as a 2-seed, Ohio State as a 3-seed, and Penn State as a 4-seed. If a few close matches had turned in their favor, the Wolverines would be preparing to extend their season this week. Instead, they conclude the season with a record of 18-15-3 and will aim to bounce back next year.