Michigan hockey leads trio of top NCAA Tournament seeds from the state

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The Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, and Western Michigan Broncos have all earned top seeds in the 2026 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. Michigan is the overall #1 seed and will face Bentley in the first round, while Michigan State is the #3 seed and will take on Connecticut. Defending champion Western Michigan is the #4 overall seed and will play Minnesota State in the opening round.

Why it matters

This marks the first time in NCAA hockey history that three teams from the state of Michigan have earned top-4 seeds in the tournament. It showcases the strength of college hockey in the state and the competitiveness of the Big Ten and CCHA conferences.

The details

The Michigan Wolverines (29-7-1) won the Big Ten Tournament title and are the #1 overall seed. They will face 4-seed Bentley in the first round. The bottom half of Michigan's regional features a potential matchup between Penn State and Minnesota Duluth, led by Detroit Red Wings prospect Max Plante. Michigan State (25-8-2) won the Big Ten regular season title but fell in the conference tournament semifinals. They are the #3 overall seed and will play Hockey East runner-up Connecticut. Western Michigan (26-10-1) is the defending national champion and the #4 overall seed. They will take on CCHA champion Minnesota State in the opening round, with a potential regional final matchup against host Denver looming.

• The NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament begins on Friday, March 27, 2026.
• The Frozen Four is scheduled for April 9-11, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

What’s next

The first round of the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament begins on Friday, March 27, 2026. The Frozen Four is scheduled for April 9-11, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.