Michigan, NMU make NCAA tourney

School Press Releases

The University of Michigan received a bid to the NCAA Tournament for a national-best 20th consecutive season, the NCAA Ice Hockey Selection Committee announced Sunday.

U-M, the 2010 CCHA Tournament champion, is the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Regional in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Wolverines will face the Bemidji State Beavers (23-9-4) -- the College Hockey America regular-season champion -- in the opening round on Saturday (March 27) at 7:30 p.m. ESPN360.com will stream the game live, while ESPNU will broadcast the game on tape delay at 11:30 p.m.

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum will host the Midwest Regional. Prior to the Michigan-Bemidji State semifinal will be the match-up between No. 1 seed Miami and No. 4 seed Alabama-Huntsville. Game time is 4 p.m. The Midwest Regional championship contest will take place Sunday (March 28) at 8 p.m. and be televised live on ESPNU.

U-M is appearing in its 33rd NCAA Tournament overall, which ranks first in the nation. The Wolverines are 46-25 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, leading the nation with nine national titles (1948, '51, '52, '53, '55, '56, '64, '96 and '98).

The contest marks the first time the Wolverines will face off against Bemidji State, which ascended to Division I status in 1998-99. The Beavers reached the 2009 Frozen Four, defeating Notre Dame and Cornell before falling to Miami. BSU will move to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association beginning in 2010-11.

Notre Dame is serving as the host for the Midwest Regional. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum has a seating capacity of 10,500 for hockey games and is home to the Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League. U-M has played once at the venue, a 9-2 win against Notre Dame on Feb. 18, 2005.

Michigan has extensive knowledge of the Miami RedHawks, as the Wolverines beat Miami in the CCHA Tournament semifinals last Friday. U-M is 69-22-3 vs. MU all-time. The CCHA rivals have never met in the NCAA Tournament, however. Michigan has a 2-0-0 all-time record against Alabama-Huntsville, earning one win each during the 1990-91 and 2006-07 regular seasons.

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The Northern Michigan University hockey team is back in the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship for the first time since 1999.

NMU (20-12-8), the No. 3 seed in the West Regional at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. will face No. 2 seed St. Cloud State (23-13-5) of the WCHA Friday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. The Wildcats are appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time overall.

Wisconsin the No. 1 seed will play No. 4 seed Vermont at 9 p.m. Friday. The West Regional Championship will be played Saturday, March 27 at 9 p.m.