ST. PETER, Minn. – The puck dropped on the 2026 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Women's Hockey Playoffs on Wednesday night. In the lone quarterfinal matchup of the conference tournament, No. 4 Gustavus defeated No. 5 Bethel, 2-0.
With the win, the Gusties will face No. 1 Augsburg at the Ed Saugestad Rink in Minneapolis on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The other half of the semifinal round will be played at 3:00 p.m. that afternoon in St. Paul, where No. 2 Hamline will host No. 3 Saint Benedict.
NO. 4 GUSTAVUS 2, NO. 5 BETHEL 0 | Box Score |
-Gustavus scored less than three minutes into the first period and found the back of the net less than 30 seconds into the second period to defeat Bethel by a 2-0 margin.
-Gustie forward Kylie Scott was credited with assists on both goals. Grace Schuck scored in the opening frame before Lily Mortenson recorded a tally in the second. Mortenson also earned an assist on Schuck's goal.
-Gustavus goaltender Lily Timmons stopped all 26 shots she faced, while Bethel's Ashley Gustafson made 18 saves against 20 shots.
-Gustavus is now headed to the MIAC semifinals for the ninth consecutive postseason.
SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS SET
The 2026 MIAC Women's Hockey Playoffs will continue with two semifinal contests on Saturday, February 28. Tickets are on sale now. All tickets will be sold and purchased online via HomeTown Ticketing. There will not be cash sales at any venue; however, spectators can purchase tickets using a mobile device, including while at the venue. Playoff tickets will go on sale after the regular season has concluded. General admission adult tickets are $12 (plus HTT service charge). Student (with ID) tickets are $3 (plus HTT service charge), and children ages five and under are admitted free.
NO. 3 SAINT BENEDICT AT NO. 2 HAMLINE | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
-The Pipers will host the Bennies at TRIA Rink in St. Paul on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
-Hamline took five of six standings points in the regular season series, earning two points from a shootout victory after a 2-2 tie in St. Cloud on January 30 and claiming a 5-1 regulation win in St. Paul on January 31.
-This will be the first playoff meeting between the Bennies and Pipers. Hamline is 3-5 all-time in semifinal games, while CSB is 0-3.
NO. 4 GUSTAVUS AT NO. 1 AUGSBURG | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
-Augsburg and Gustavus split their regular-season series in December, with each team claiming a one-goal win on their home ice.
-This will be the fourth time since 2020 that the Auggies and Gusties will meet in the MIAC Playoffs, but the first time the two programs will meet in the semifinal round. Each of their previous playoff matchups has come in the MIAC Championship game, including last year's 3-2 Augsburg win in overtime.
-Game time is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Saturday at Ed Saugestad Rink in Minneapolis.
PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The semifinal winners will meet on Saturday, March 7, in the 2026 MIAC Women's Hockey Playoff championship game. The MIAC Playoff champion will receive the postseason championship trophy, the inaugural Jill Pohtilla Cup, and the Conference's automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Tournament.
PAY-PER-VIEW
The 2026 MIAC Women's Hockey Playoffs will be streamed live on the MIAC Sports Network in a pay-per-view format. Individual playoff contests will be streamed for $10 each, or $25 for a "championship pass" to stream the entire tournament live. On-demand access to playoff games will be available after the NCAA Tournament concludes.
The MIAC Sports Network Help Page provides guidance and links to help fans navigate the streaming platform. Hudl Customer Support is also available by email or 24/7 chat to assist with any issues.
PLAYOFF APPAREL
Official playoff apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament. Team champion apparel will be added and available for purchase shortly after the championship game.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the 2026 MIAC Women's Hockey Playoffs, containing schedules, links, and information on each of the five teams in the field. Throughout the tournament, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.
2026 MIAC WOMEN'S HOCKEY PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals | Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026
No. 4 Gustavus 2, No. 5 Bethel 0 | Box Score |
Semifinals | Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
No. 3 Saint Benedict at No. 2 Hamline | 3:00 PM | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
No. 4 Gustavus at No. 1 Augsburg | 4:00 PM | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
Championship | Saturday, Mar. 7, 2026
High-seed host | TBD | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
GAME TIMES ARE TENTATIVE