MINNEAPOLIS – For the first time in program history, the Augsburg Auggies are headed to the NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Tournament.
In front of a capacity crowd at Ed Saugestad Rink in Minneapolis on Saturday night, the top-seeded Auggies defeated No. 2 seed Gustavus, 3-2, in overtime, to win the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Women's Hockey Playoff Championship.
Following the game, Augsburg received the MIAC Playoff Championship plaque and the Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Augsburg will learn its next opponent and Gustavus will look for an at-large berth on Sunday night when the NCAA releases its 2025 national tournament field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-For the second time in as many games, Aunna Schulte scored the game-winning goal in a sudden-death period. After tallying the deciding goal in the longest women's hockey in NCAA Division III history last weekend - a 3-2, four-overtime win over Saint Mary's in the conference semifinals - Schulte registered a power-play goal eleven minutes into OT of the MIAC Playoff Championship game to send the Auggies to the NCAA Tournament. It was Schulte's second goal of the game - she also scored an even-stength goal with four minutes to play in the second period.
-The first two goals of the game were both unassisted; Nora Stepan gave the Auggies the early advantage midway through the first period before Brooke Power put the Gusties on the board eleven minutes into the second frame.
-Noelle Hemr's goal for Gustavus 10:32 into the final period of regulation tied the game at 2-2.
-Augsburg goaltender Kayla Simonson earned the win with 37 saves, stopping ten pucks in each period of regulation and seven in overtime.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
-With the victory, Augsburg earned the MIAC's automatic qualifier to the 2025 NCAA Women's Hockey Tournament. This will be the first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Augsburg women's hockey program. Augsburg's only other national tournament appearance came in 2000 when the Auggies finished as runner-ups for the American Women's College Hockey Alliance (AWCHA) Division III title.
-The MIAC Playoff title is the second for Augsburg all-time. The program's previous MIAC playoff championship came 25 years ago in the year 2000.
-Augsburg was No. 2 in the most recent NCAA Power Index (NPI), while Gustavus was No. 5. There are eight automatic qualifiers and four at-large spots for the NCAA Women's Hockey Tournament.
2025 MIAC WOMEN'S HOCKEY PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals | Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025
No. 4 Saint Mary's 3, No. 5 St. Olaf 2 | Box Score |
Semifinals | Saturday, Mar. 1, 2025
No. 2 Gustavus 4, No. 3 Hamline 0 | Box Score |
No. 1 Augsburg 3, No. 4 Saint Mary's 2 (4OT) | Box Score |
Championship | Saturday, Mar. 8, 2025
No. 1 Augsburg 3, No. 2 Gustavus 2 (OT) | Box Score |