BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – NCAA Championship opportunities continue for Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) student-athletes this week. The NCAA has announced its tournament fields for men's and women's ice hockey, along with the qualifiers for the Indoor Track & Field and Swimming & Diving Championships. The opening rounds of the Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments also began over the weekend, which saw five MIAC squads in competition.
THREE MIAC TEAMS HEADED TO 13-TEAM NCAA WOMEN'S HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
A trio of MIAC teams heard their names called on Sunday night with the announcement of the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Tournament brackets. For the first time in program history, Saint Benedict (17-7-4) is going dancing as a result of the Bennies' victory over Gustavus in the MIAC Playoff Championship on Saturday afternoon. CSB will head to Massachusetts to face NESCAC champion Amherst (19-2-6) in the first round on Saturday, March 14 at 2:00 p.m. Central time.
MIAC regular season champion Augsburg (21-4-1) will host a first-round game as one of six at-large berths in the Tournament. The Auggies will take on UCHC champion Elmira (19-5-2) on Saturday afternoon. Opening round victories by the Auggies and Bennies would set up a meeting between the two squads in the national quarterfinals the following weekend.
On the bubble heading into the weekend, Hamline (20-5-1) not only earned an at-large bid but will host an opening round game against CNE champion Endicott (21-4-2) on Saturday. The winner will square off with 25-2-0 Norwich in the national quarterfinals the following weekend.
First round game times are tentatively set for 3:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, March 14, with the national quarterfinals scheduled for Saturday, March 21. The national semifinals will be held on Friday, March 27. The 2026 NCAA Division III national championship game will be played on Sunday, March 29.
NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Tournament Bracket
MIAC CHAMPION JOHNNIES EARN FIRST TRIP TO MEN'S HOCKEY NATIONALS SINCE 2013
For the first time since 2013, Saint John's (17-6-4) is headed to the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament. The Johnnies stormed back from a 3-0 second-period deficit to defeat Gustavus, 4-3, in overtime on Saturday night to claim the program's first MIAC playoff title in more than a decade. SJU will open the 14-team tournament on the road when the Johnnies travel to Illinois on Saturday night for a first-round matchup with Aurora (23-5-1). The winner of that contest will meet CNE champion Endicott (21-3-3) in the national quarterfinals the following weekend. Game times are tentatively set for 7:00 p.m. local time.
The first round of the national tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, with the national quarterfinals scheduled for Saturday, March 21. The national semifinals and final will be held at Utica University in Utica, New York, on March 27-29.
NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket
WOMEN'S HOOPS WEEKEND TURNS OUT SWEET FOR COBBERS, ROYALS
MIAC regular-season champion Concordia (25-4) and playoff champion Bethel (24-6) both advanced to the Sweet 16 after successfully defending their home courts in opening-round action of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament over the weekend. The Cobbers defeated UW-Superior, 73-61, and Ripon, 68-65, to secure Concordia's first Sweet 16 berth since 1993, while the Royals are Sweet 16-bound for the first time since 1996 after topping Millsaps, 81-73, and Coe, 57-48.
The Royals will take on undefeated Washington and Lee (30-0) on Friday night in Lexington, Virginia. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central time. The Cobbers are also headed east, where they will take on Johns Hopkins (27-1) at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania, for a 3:30 p.m. Central time tip-off on Friday afternoon.
Gustavus (18-9) and Saint Mary's (20-8), which earned at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, both bowed out in the first round on Friday with losses to UChicago and Wisconsin Lutheran, respectively.
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament Bracket
SECOND-HALF RALLY SENDS GUSTIES TO SWEET 16
MIAC men's basketball champion Gustavus is headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003 following opening-round wins against Bethany Lutheran and Mary Hardin-Baylor over the weekend. After defeating the Vikings, 86-70, in first-round action on Friday night, the Gusties battled back from 18 points down to defeat the Crusaders, 90-72, in St. Peter on Saturday.
The No. 7-ranked Gusties will hit the road this weekend for a Saturday afternoon matchup against No. 6-ranked UChicago (23-4) in the Sweet 16. The Maroons will host at the Ratner Athletic Center in Chicago at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket
MIAC TRACK & FIELD STUDENT-ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The NCAA released its list of qualifiers for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday. Sixteen men and eleven women from the MIAC qualified for the national meet. The 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships will be held March 13-14 at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama.
MIAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Qualifiers
Ellie Hernes | Sr. | Bethel | Triple Jump (11.95m)
Anna Speratos | Sr. | Bethel | Weight Throw (17.98m)
Shalom Sulungaine | Jr. | Bethel | 400 Meter Dash (55.21)
Hannah Preisser | Sr. | Carleton | 5000 Meter Run (16:58.95)
Josie Brown | Fy. | Concordia | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:47.41)
Kyla Nygaard | Jr. | Concordia | 800 Meter Run (2:11.15)
Kyla Nygaard | Jr. | Concordia | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:47.41)
Lauren Pearson | Fy. | Concordia | Pentathlon (3,494)
Lauren Pearson | Fy. | Concordia | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:47.41)
Emily Rengo | Sr. | Concordia | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:47.41)
Lexi Brainer | Sr. | Hamline | Weight Throw (17.71m)
Ariella Rogahn-Press | So. | Macalester | 200 Meter Dash (24.67)
Ariella Rogahn-Press | So. | Macalester | 400 Meter Dash (54.60)
Isabel Wyatt | Sr. | St. Olaf | 800 Meter Dash (2:11.10)
MIAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Qualifiers
Pryce Ferrin | So. | Bethel | 60 Meter Hurdles (8.06)
Elliot Kent | Fy. | Bethel | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:12.74)
Caleb Ketterling | Jr. | Bethel | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:12.74)
Victor Lelinga | Jr. | Bethel | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:12.74)
Landen Liu | Sr. | Bethel | 60 Meter Dash (6.74)
Grant Nelson | Sr. | Bethel | 400 Meter Dash (47.33)
Grant Nelson | Sr. | Bethel | 4x400 Meter Relay (3:12.74)
Cooper Folkestad | Sr. | Concordia | Shot Put (18.57m)
Isaiah Watson | So. | Hamline | Triple Jump (14.64m)
John Ihrke | So. | Macalester | 800 Meter Run (1:50.90)
Cole Stencel | So. | Saint John's | Mile Run (4:07.11)
Christian Fells | Jr. | St. Olaf | 800 Meter Run (1:51.95)
Cullen Moore | Sr. | St. Olaf | 800 Meter Run (1:51.18)
Paxon Myers | Fy. | St. Olaf | 800 Meter Run (1:51.99)
Lance Nemecek | Sr. | St. Olaf | 800 Meter Run (1:51.47)
Kevin Turlington | Sr. | St. Olaf | 5000 Meter Run (14:11.17)
Trent Beseth | Sr. | St. Scholastica | Shot Put (18.12m)
NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Qualifiers
SIX MIAC STUDENT-ATHLETES SELECTED FOR NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The MIAC had three swimmers and three divers selected to compete at the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships. The 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships will be held March 18-21 at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Franklin College, the Indiana Sports Corporation, and the IU Natatorium will serve as hosts.
MIAC Women's Swimming & Diving Qualifiers
Ainsley Kashatus | Fy. | Macalester | 1-Meter, 3-Meter Diving
Nina Schwab | So. | Carleton | 1-Meter, 3-Meter Diving
Haley Zelen | Jr. | Saint Benedict | 50-Yard Freestyle (23.07)
Haley Zelen | Jr. | Saint Benedict | 100-Yard Freestyle (50.79)
Haley Zelen | Jr. | Saint Benedict | 100-Yard Butterfly (54.10)
MIAC Men's Swimming & Diving Qualifiers
Hans Anderson | Sr. | Carleton | 1-Meter, 3-Meter Diving
Braden Ripken | So. | Gustavus | 100-Yard Breaststroke (53.76)
Brayden Slavik | Jr. | Saint John's | 1650-Yard Freestyle (15:32.16)
NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championship Psych Sheet