2025–26 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season
| 2025–26 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | October 31, 2025– March 29, 2026 | ||||
| NCAA tournament | 2026 | ||||
| National championship | Adirondack Bank Center Utica, New York | ||||
| |||||
The 2025–26 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season began on October 31, 2024, and will conclude on March 29, 2026. This is the 53rd season of Division III college ice hockey.
Regular season
Realignment
Carrying through on an announcement that had been made in the summer of 2024, the Little East Conference formally supported ice hockey beginning with this season.[1] The return of Keene State's program a year earlier gave the conference six active ice hockey programs, the minimum number required to secure an automatic qualifying bid for the NCAA tournament. The five other active teams, Plymouth State, Southern Maine, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth and Vermont State Castleton, announced their departure from their then-current conferences for this season. The six full Little East members were subsequently joined by three other teams, Babson, New England College and Norwich, as affiliate members while a seventh full member, Western Connecticut, announced that their ice hockey program would be starting this season.[2]
The majority of the new LEC members had come from the New England Hockey Conference and left the NEHC severely reduced. While the league still had enough members (seven) to retain the league's automatic NCAA qualifier, the remaining clubs started looking for their own way out. In the spring of '25, Hobart and Skidmore agreed to join SUNYAC for this season while Albertus Magnus and Elmira departed for UCHC.[3][4] Around the same time, Salem State also left the NEHC, joining its primary conference, MASCAC. The lone remaining team, Salve Regina, was unable to find a home for this season, however, they did eventually reach a deal to rejoin the Conference of New England in 2026.[5]
Beloit - Northland
With the closure of Northland College following the 2024-25 academic year, the entire ice hockey program was transferred to Beloit College. The eligible players, staff and administration were all moved and Beloit assumed Northland's place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.[6]
New programs
Aside from Western Connecticut and Beloit, two other Division III programs were founded this season. Both Hiram College (independent) and St. John Fisher University (UCHC) played their first games this season. Additionally, Roger Williams University revived its ice hockey program, having last fielded a varsity team in 1998. The +4 change brought up the number of active programs to 91. Because the ratio of programs to NCAA seeds had recently been changed from 6.5:1 to 6:1,[7] this meant that there were now enough active teams to merit fifteen spots for the 2026 tournament, increasing the number of at-large bids from four to five.
Standings
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Curry | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Endicott | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Johnson & Wales | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Nichols | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Roger Williams | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Suffolk | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| University of New England | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Wentworth | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Western New England | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions | |||||||||||||||||
| Overall record | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |
| Hiram | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Salve Regina | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Babson | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Keene State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Massachusetts Boston | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Massachusetts Dartmouth | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| New England College | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Norwich | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Plymouth State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Southern Maine | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Vermont State Castleton | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Western Connecticut | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 8 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion | |||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Anna Maria | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Fitchburg State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Framingham State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| MCLA | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Rivier | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Salem State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Westfield State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Worcester State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions | ||||||||||||||||
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OW | OL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| Alvernia | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Arcadia | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| King's | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Lebanon Valley | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Misericordia | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Neumann | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Stevenson | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Wilkes | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions | ||||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Augsburg | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Bethel | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Concordia (MN) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Gustavus Adolphus | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Hamline | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Saint John's | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Saint Mary's | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| St. Olaf | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| St. Scholastica | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion | |||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Amherst | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Bowdoin | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Colby | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Connecticut College | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Hamilton | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Middlebury | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Trinity | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Tufts | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Wesleyan | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Williams | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 8 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion | |||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Adrian | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Aurora | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Concordia (WI) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Dubuque | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Lake Forest | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Lawrence | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Marian | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| MSOE | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| St. Norbert | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Trine | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion | |||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||||
| Buffalo State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Canton State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Cortland State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Fredonia State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Hobart | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Morrisville State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Oswego State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Plattsburgh State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Potsdam State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Skidmore | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions | |||||||||||||||||
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OW | OL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| Albertus Magnus | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Brockport State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Chatham | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Elmira | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Geneseo State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Manhattanville | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Nazareth | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| St. John Fisher | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Utica | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions | ||||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Beloit | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Wisconsin–Eau Claire | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Wisconsin–River Falls | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Wisconsin–Stevens Point | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Wisconsin–Stout | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Wisconsin–Superior | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 7 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion | |||||||||||||||||
Note: Mini-games are not included in standings
NCAA Percentage Index
2026 NCAA Tournament
2026 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey tournament
See also
References
- ^ "LEC Announces Men's Ice Hockey as Conference's 22nd Championship Sport". Little East Conference. July 24, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "LEC Announces Addition of Babson and Norwich as Men's Ice Hockey Affiliates for 2025-26". Little East Conference. March 6, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "SUNYAC adds Hobart, Skidmore to men's hockey conference, William Smith to women's hockey conference". USCHO. April 10, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ "Albertus Magnus, Elmira, Hilbert, St. John Fisher to join UCHC men's, women's hockey conferences for 2025-26 season". USCHO. May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^ "Salve Regina Ice Hockey Reunites with CNE Membership". Salve Regina Seahawks Athletics. September 12, 2025. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
- ^ "Beloit adds men's, women's NCAA Division III hockey teams for 2025-26 season". USCHO. February 28, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
- ^ "NCAA D-III hockey men's national tournament going from 12 teams to 14 teams, while women's tournament moving from 11 teams to 12 teams". USCHO. April 18, 2024. Retrieved March 10, 2025.