Adrian, MI – The NCAA Division 3 Ice Hockey Tournament continues today at Adrian College, with the Bulldogs entering the mix.
Women’s Quarterfinals on Tap for Today…
The Women’s side of the bracket already saw first round games get played, back on Wednesday. The #5 Adrian College Bulldogs will play one of the winners of a first round game later today…#8 Hamilton. The Continentals defeated #9 Nazareth 2-1 in overtime at home to advance. The Bulldogs and HC played in the quarterfinal round last year, with HC winning at Adrian 2-0 in the first ever game between the two schools.
The Bulldogs come into today’s 3pm matchup having won 20 consecutive games and have one of the most prolific scorers in D3 Women’s hockey, Une Bjelland. She has 57 points (27G, 30A) in 29 games played in the 2023-24 season. Adrian’s goalie, Michaela O’Brien, has played in 15 games for the black and gold after transferring from Endicott College for her graduate year. She has a 0.66 Goals Against Average, 96.5 Save Percentage, 6 Shut Outs, and a 13-1 record.
For the Continentals, Abby Smith leads the way with 18 points (9G, 9A). In goal, Hamilton has leaned on their freshman goalie, Teagan Brown. She has played in 20 games, has a 1.13 Goals Against Average, a 95.1 Save Percentage, and an 11-4-4 record…with 5 Shut Outs.
The winner of today’s game will play in the Frozen Four, March 15th. The host school will be determined by the highest remaining seed…among other factors. The National Championship game would be Sunday, March 17th.
Men’s Tournament Begins Tonight…
The Men’s NCAA tournament begins tonight across the country. There are five first round games being played tonight at campus locations. #3 Adrian will host #8 University Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 7pm. The defending national runner-up Bulldogs are led in points by Mathew Rehding (16G, 29A) and Zach Heintz (17G, 20A). In goal for the Bulldogs in Dershahn Stewart. He has played in 26 games, with a 1.81 Goals Against Average, 93.4 Save Percentage, 5 Shut Outs, and an 18-6-1 record.
Adrian matched up with Stevens Point in the 2023 Quarterfinal round last year in Adrian, where the Bulldogs won in overtime, 3-2. The win moved AC’s all-time record with UWSP to 7-9-1, and 2-2 in the NCAA tournament. The two teams have split the series when played at the Arrington, 4-4.
For the Pointers from Stevens Point, they are led in points by Fletcher Anderson (13G, 17A) and Noah Finstrom (12G-12A). Their goalie, Alex Proctor, has played in 25 games for UWSP. He has a 2.10 Goals Against Average, a 92.4 Save Percentage, 1 Shut Out, and an 18-4-2 record.
The winner of tonight’s NCAA First Round game will take on the winner of St. Olaf / St. Norbert Saturday, March 16th. If AC wins tonight, they will play that game at home.
Can’t Make it to the Games?
Both games will be broadcast on 96.5fm The Cave and 965thecave.com with Ian Wendt on the play-by-play. The Women’s game will begin at 3pm, with the men to follow at 7pm.