Bulldogs Make it Four NCAA Tournament Berths in a Row, will Face Connecticut on Thursday in Columbus
For a fourth-straight season, the University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team is going to the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs officially punched their ticket to the big dance Sunday morning after the NCAA's selection show revealed UMD will travel to Columbus, Ohio to play the University of Connecticut in the NCAA First Round Thursday with a 6:00 p.m. puck drop at the OSU Ice Rink.
UMD will face a non-Western Collegiate Hockey Association opponent in the NCAA tournament opening round for a fourth consecutive season. Overall, the Bulldogs own a 20-13-34 record and have gone 2-10-2 against teams in the NCAA tournament. The winner of the Bulldog-Huskies showdown Thursday will face top-seeded Ohio State University on Saturday in the NCAA Regional Final.
"It's very unique, only 11 teams got to be part of a selection show today," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell, who has now led the Bulldogs into five NCAA tournament berths. "75 percent of the teams are done and on to next season, those numbers, when you sit there and you think about that, it's pretty special. While we've had it four years in a row, I think it's always sweet to see your name up there and be able to celebrate with your players, staff and media people."
This will mark the third-ever NCAA First Round game for UMD in the NCAA Tournament, which expanded to 11 teams two seasons ago. All-time, UMD is 20-9 in the NCAA postseason, including 8-5 in NCAA First Round/Quarterfinals and marks the 15th time UMD has been invited to the NCAA Tournament in program history.
"We don't take this for granted, even if we were expecting it," said Bulldog captain Mannon McMahon, the lone member on UMD's squad to play a season without an NCAA postseason berth. "We are super excited going forward to have another opportunity to go to an NCAA Frozen Four. I think after last year, a lot of people counted us out, saying we lost so many good players. Every person that had a chance to step up has and it's been so cool to see. I've been so proud of this group for what we've accomplished."
The Bulldogs and Huskies – who make their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance – will collide at 6:00 p.m. CT Thursday.
Players Mentioned
Players Mentioned
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