The annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
tournament determines the top ice hockey team in the NCAA Division I and Division III. [1] The semi-finals and finals are branded as the Frozen Four
, as a parallel to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known as the Final Four
in later rounds - which was also previously used by the hockey championship.
This tournament is a single elimination competition that has determined the collegiate national champion since the inaugural 1948 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament. The tournament was first referred to as the Frozen Four in 1999. The term is derived from the term "final four." The tournament structure begins with four regional sites culminating to a single site, where the national semifinals and final game are played.[ The NCAA started a Women's Frozen Four beginning in the 2000-01 season.
]
The Hobey Baker Award ceremony, Hockey Humanitarian Award ceremony, and USCHO.com Town Hall Meeting take place annually during Frozen Four weekend. [2]
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NCAA FROZEN FOUR TICKETS
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Division I
Championship game results
Rankings by most championships
If teams have equal amount of championships, most recently won is listed first.
| Rank
| School
| #
|
| 1
| Michigan
| 9
|
| 2
| Denver
| 7
|
| North Dakota
| 7
|
| 4
| Wisconsin
| 6
|
| 5
| Boston University
| 5
|
| Minnesota
| 5
|
| 7
| Boston College
| 3
|
| Michigan State
| 3
|
| Lake Superior State
| 3
|
| Michigan Tech
| 3
|
| 11
| Maine
| 2
|
| Rensselaer
| 2
|
| Cornell
| 2
|
| Colorado College
| 2
|
| 15
| Northern Michigan
| 1
|
| Harvard
| 1
|
| Bowling Green
| 1
|
Rankings by state
The following list is of championships won ranked by
state.
| Rank
| State
| School
| #
|
| 1
| Michigan
| Michigan (9)
Lake Superior State (3)
Michigan State (3)
Michigan Tech (3)
Northern Michigan (1)
| 19
|
| 2
| Colorado
| Denver (7)
Colorado College (2)
| 9
|
| Massachusetts
| Boston University (5)
Boston College (3)
Harvard (1)
| 9
|
| 4
| North Dakota
| North Dakota (7)
| 7
|
| 5
| Wisconsin
| Wisconsin (6)
| 6
|
| 6
| Minnesota
| Minnesota (5)
| 5
|
| 7
| New York
| Cornell (2)
Rensselaer (2)
| 4
|
| 8
| Maine
| Maine (2)
| 2
|
| 9
| Ohio
| Bowling Green (1)
| 1
|
Tournament format history
;1948–1976
4 teams (1 game series)
;1977–1980
5-6 teams (1 game series)
;1981–1987
8 teams (2 game, total goals first round at higher seed)
;1988–1991
12 teams (best of 3 games first round series at higher seed)
;1992–2002
12 teams (divided up into 2 regionals, East Regional and West Regional; 6 Teams each)
;2003–present
16 teams (divided up into 4 regionals: Northeast, East, Midwest and West Regionals: 4 Teams each)
Division II
The Division II Championship was suspended following 1999, due to a lack of sponsoring schools. Most of the schools in Division II hockey became members of newly formed hockey conferences such as
College Hockey America. The
Northeast Ten Conference is the last remaining Division II conference that sponsors ice hockey.
Championship game results
| Year
| Champion
| Score
| Runner-up
| Notes
|
| 1978
| Merrimack
| 12–2
| Lake Forest
|
|
| 1979
| Lowell
| 6–4
| Mankato State
|
|
| 1980
| Mankato State
| 5–2
| Elmira
|
|
| 1981
| Lowell
| 5–4
| Plattsburgh State
|
|
| 1982
| Lowell
| 6–1
| Plattsburgh State
|
|
| 1983
| RIT
| 4–2
| Bemidji State
|
|
| 1984
| Bemidji State
| 6–3, 8–1
| Merrimack
| Two-game, total-goal series
|
| 1985-1992
| Not held
|
| 1993
| Bemidji State
| 10–6, 5–0
| Mercyhurst
| Best-of-three series
|
| 1994
| Bemidji State
| 3–5, 2–1, 2–1 (OT)
| Ala.-Huntsville
|
|
| 1995
| Bemidji State
| 6–2, 5–4
| Mercyhurst
|
|
| 1996
| Ala.-Huntsville
| 7–1, 3–0
| Bemidji State
|
|
| 1997
| Bemidji State
| 3–2, 4–2
| Ala.-Huntsville
|
|
| 1998
| Ala.-Huntsville
| 6–2, 5–2
| Bemidji State
|
|
| 1999
| St. Michael's
| 4–4, 8–5
| New Hampshire College
|
|
Division III
Championship game results
| Year
| Champion
| Score
| Runner-up
|
| 1984
| Babson
| 8–0
| Union (N.Y.)
|
| 1985
| RIT
| 5–1
| Bemidji State
|
| 1986
| Bemidji State
| 8–5
| #Plattsburgh State
|
| 1987
| #Plattsburgh State
| 8–3
| Oswego State
|
| 1988
| Wis.-River Falls
| 7–1, 3–5, 3–0
| Elmira
|
| 1989
| Wis.-Stevens Point
| 3–3, 3–2
| RIT
|
| 1990
| Wis.-Stevens Point
| 10–1, 3–6, 1–0
| Plattsburgh State
|
| 1991
| Wis.-Stevens Point
| 6–2
| Mankato State
|
| 1992
| Plattsburgh State
| 7–3
| Wis.-Stevens Point
|
| 1993
| Wis.-Stevens Point
| 4–3 (OT)
| Wis.-River Falls
|
| 1994
| Wis.-River Falls
| 6–4
| Wis.-Superior
|
| 1995
| Middlebury
| 1–0
| Fredonia State
|
| 1996
| Middlebury
| 3–2
| RIT
|
| 1997
| Middlebury
| 3–2
| Wis.-Superior
|
| 1998
| Middlebury
| 2–1
| Wis.-Stevens Point
|
| 1999
| Middlebury
| 5–0
| Wis.-Superior
|
| 2000
| Norwich
| 2–1
| St.Thomas (Minn.)
|
| 2001
| Plattsburgh State
| 6–2
| RIT
|
| 2002
| Wis.-Superior
| 3–2 (OT)
| Norwich
|
| 2003
| Norwich
| 2–1
| Oswego State
|
| 2004
| Middlebury
| 1–0 (OT)
| St. Norbert
|
| 2005
| Middlebury
| 5–0
| St. Thomas (Minn)
|
| 2006
| Middlebury
| 3–0
| St. Norbert
|
| 2007
| Oswego State
| 4–3 (OT)
| Middlebury
|
| 2008
| St. Norbert
| 2-0
| Plattsburgh State
|
| 2009
| Neumann College
| 4-1
| Gustavus Adolphus
|
# - Participation in the tournament vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.
See also
- NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship
References
- NCAA page for men's ice hockey
- Hobey Baker Award