MSU Hockey Earns No. 3 Seed in NCAA Tournament

Spartans to Face UConn in Worcester Regional on March 26

Mar. 22, 2026 at 8:24pm

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Michigan State hockey has earned a No. 3 overall seed and a No. 1 regional seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, marking the team's third consecutive appearance. The Spartans will face No. 4 seed UConn in the Worcester, Massachusetts regional on March 26.

Why it matters

MSU's third straight NCAA Tournament appearance demonstrates the program's sustained excellence under head coach Adam Nightingale. The Spartans won their third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title and finished third in the NPI Rankings, solidifying their status as one of the top teams in college hockey.

The details

MSU earned the No. 3 overall seed and a No. 1 regional seed after posting a 25-8-2 overall record this season. The Spartans will take on UConn, who lost to Merrimack in the Hockey East Tournament final but secured an NCAA bid based on the NPI. The winner of the MSU-UConn matchup will face the winner of No. 2 seed Dartmouth and No. 3 seed Wisconsin in the regional final on March 28.

  • MSU will face UConn on Thursday, March 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
  • The regional final will be played on Saturday, March 28.

The players

Adam Nightingale

Head coach of the Michigan State hockey team, leading the Spartans to their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

UConn

The No. 4 seed in the Worcester regional, UConn lost to Merrimack in the Hockey East Tournament final but earned an NCAA bid based on the NPI rankings.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The winner of the MSU-UConn matchup will face the winner of No. 2 seed Dartmouth and No. 3 seed Wisconsin in the regional final on March 28.

The takeaway

MSU's third straight NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Nightingale solidifies the program's status as one of the top teams in college hockey, as the Spartans look to make a deep run in this year's tournament.