INCH'S INTRODUCTION TO COLLEGE HOCKEY
NCAA Tournament Basics

Sixteen teams make it to the NCAA Tournament, with six earning automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments (Atlantic Hockey, CCHA, CHA, ECACHL, Hockey East, WCHA).

Unlike the NHL, the rest of the field can’t be filled out simply by record, since not everyone plays a balanced schedule. The NCAA uses a complex formula to compare teams and make its decisions, revealing the field the day after the conference tournaments.

The 16 teams are seeded and sent to four predetermined regional sites (this year it’s Albany, N.Y.; Worcester, Mass.; Green Bay, Wis.; and Grand Forks, N.D.). The winners of those regionals advance to the Frozen Four (this year in Milwaukee, Wis.).

For more details on the tournament, visit here.

Intro to College Hockey