Union Men’s Hockey Earns Top Seed In East Regional of NCAA Tournament

On the heels of the program’s first ECAC Hockey Championship, the Union College men’s hockey team (24-7-7, 14-4-4 ECAC Hockey) earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will take on No. 4 seed Michigan State (19-15-4, 14-11-3 CCHA). Union will travel to the East Regional in Bridgeport, CT for the second straight season and will play on Friday, March 23 at 3:00 p.m.

The Dutchmen earned their first NCAA Tournament berth in 2010-11 as a No. 2 seed in Bridgeport, falling 2-0 to No. 3 seed Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs went on to win the national championship.

Friday’s meeting will mark the first time in Union’s 21-year Division I history that Union and Michigan State will meet.

The Spartans earned an at-large berth after finishing fifth in the CCHA. Michigan State fell in the CCHA Quarterfinals to Miami (OH) 2-0 in a best-of-three series, dropping a 4-1 decision on March 10 in its most recent contest. The Spartans are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2007-08, and their 27th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance. Michigan State has won three NCAA titles (1966, 1996, and 2007).

Notes

2012 will mark the program's sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in school history and second in the Division I era. The Dutchmen earned a bid to the Division III NCAA Tournament four times, the last coming in 1989, when Union fell to Babson in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
Union is 1-0-2 against CCHA opponents this season, including two ties (2-2, 3-3) against Western Michigan on Oct. 14-15 at Messa Rink, and a 6-3 win at Michigan on Nov. 27.

East Regional

Friday March 23 and Saturday March 24, 2012
Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut (Hosts = Yale University and Fairfield University)
Game Times: 3:00 & 6:30 p.m. on Friday, 6:30 p.m. on Saturday (all times Eastern)

Hotel Information: Hotels near Webster Bank Arena

Ticket Information

All-session tickets are available for $60 by calling the Union Athletics box office at 518-388-6020. The box office will be open on Monday and Tuesday from 9-5, and on Wednesday from 9-3.

The preceding information was provided by Jeffrey Weinstein, Assistant Sports Information Director for Union College Athletics.