Michigan Hockey Earns No. 1 Overall Seed in NCAA Tournament

Wolverines to face Bentley in Albany Regional opener

Mar. 22, 2026 at 8:38pm

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The Michigan Hockey team secured the top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament after winning the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines (29-7-1) will face Bentley (23-11-5) in the Albany Regional this Friday, with the winner advancing to face the victor of the Penn State-Minnesota-Duluth matchup.

Why it matters

Michigan's No. 1 seed and tournament berth continue the program's strong season, which has seen them win the Big Ten title. A deep tournament run would further cement the Wolverines' status as an elite college hockey program.

The details

Michigan earned the top overall seed after posting a 29-7-1 record and winning the Big Ten Tournament. In the Albany Regional, they will face Bentley, which finished 23rd in the NPI Rankings. The other matchup in the Albany Regional is between ninth-ranked Penn State and eighth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth. On the other side of the bracket, No. 3 Michigan State will take on Connecticut, while Wisconsin will face Dartmouth.

  • The NCAA Tournament begins on Friday, March 28, 2026.
  • Michigan's opening-round game against Bentley is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 28, 2026.

The players

Michigan Hockey

The University of Michigan's men's ice hockey team, which won the Big Ten Tournament and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Bentley

The Bentley University men's ice hockey team, which earned an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament after finishing 23rd in the NPI Rankings.

Penn State

The Pennsylvania State University men's ice hockey team, which earned a tournament bid and will face Minnesota-Duluth in the Albany Regional.

Minnesota-Duluth

The University of Minnesota Duluth men's ice hockey team, which earned a tournament bid and will face Penn State in the Albany Regional.

Michigan State

The Michigan State University men's ice hockey team, which earned a tournament bid and will face Connecticut in the Worcester Regional.

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What’s next

Should Michigan advance past the opening weekend, it will face the winner of the No. 4 Western Michigan/Minnesota State and Denver/Cornell Loveland Regional.

The takeaway

Michigan's No. 1 overall seed and tournament berth are a testament to the program's strength and success this season. The Wolverines will look to capitalize on their top seeding and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, potentially setting up another Big Ten showdown along the way.