 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Tournament | |
| Sport | College ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Country(ies) |  United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | UW-River Falls (2) |
| Most championships | Plattsburgh (7) |
| Official website | NCAA.com |
Women's collegiate ice hockey started to set it roots in the late 1990's. Prior to this point the only varsity league was the Division I ECAC women's conference, which had 12 teams as of the 1997-98 season. For the 1997-98 season there were 41 schools offering ice hockey at the varsity level (Division I & III combined). By the 2000-01 hockey season that number was up to 59. That number has grown to over 100 teams planned to play for the 2017-18 season.
The first national championship was held in 2000. The "tournament" was simply a best-of-three series between the playoff champions of the two Division III women's conferences (the ECAC and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).
The NCAA did not begin to sanction a tournament until the 2001-02 season.
Formats[]
- 2000 to 2000 - 2 teams qualify for best-of three series
- 2001 to 2001 - 4 teams qualify
- 2002 to 2002 - 6 teams qualify
- 2003 to 2011 - 7 teams qualify
- 2012 to 2017 - 8 teams qualify
- 2018 to 2018 - 9 teams qualify
- 2019 to 2022 - 10 teams qualify
- 2023 to 2024 - 11 teams qualify
- 2025 to present - 12 teams qualify
Tournaments[]
Championships by Team[]
| School | Championships | Last Title |
|---|---|---|
| Plattsburgh | 7 | 2019 |
| Middlebury* | 4 | 2022 |
| Elmira | 3 | 2013 |
| UW-River Falls | 2 | 2025 |
| Norwich | 2 | 2018 |
| Amherst | 2 | 2010 |
| Gustavus Adolphus | 1 | 2023 |
| RIT | 1 | 2012 |
*not including Middlebury's 2 ACHA championships
Tournament Appearances[]
| School | Appearances | Last Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Middlebury | 20 (plus 2 ACHA app.) | 2025 |
| Plattsburgh | 20 | 2025 |
| Elmira | 19 | 2025 |
| Gustavus Adolphus | 18 (plus 1 ACHA app.) | 2025 |
| UW-River Falls | 16 | 2025 |
| Norwich | 12 | 2023 |
| Amherst | 10 | 2025 |
| Adrian | 8 | 2024 |
| Manhattanville | 8 | 2011 |
| St. Thomas* | 6 | 2019 |
| UW-Stevens Point | 5 | 2014 |
| Bowdoin | 5 | 2013 |
| Endicott | 4 | 2025 |
| Nazareth | 4 | 2025 |
| UW-Eau Claire | 4 | 2022 |
| Williams | 3 (plus 1 ACHA app.) | 2019 |
| Colby | 3 | 2025 |
| RIT** | 3 | 2012 |
| St. Norbert | 2 | 2025 |
| Hamilton | 2 | 2024 |
| Hamline | 2 | 2019 |
| Lake Forest | 2 | 2015 |
| Trinity | 2 | 2015 |
| UW-Superior | 2 | 2008 |
| Augsburg | 1 (plus 1 ACHA app.) | 2025 |
| Saint Mary's | 1 (plus 1 ACHA app.) | 2002 |
| Wilkes | 1 | 2025 |
| Cortland | 1 | 2024 |
| Western New England | 1 | 2024 |
| Suffolk | 1 | 2023 |
| Aurora | 1 | 2022 |
| Morrisville | 1 | 2018 |
| UMass Boston | 1 | 2016 |
| Concordia (MN) | 1 | 2012 |
*St. Thomas moved to Division I starting with 2021-22 season **RIT moved to Division I starting with 2012-13 season
Championship Host Schools[]
| Institution | Times Hosted | Arena | Last Time Hosted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plattsburgh | 6 | Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena | 2016 |
| Middlebury | 3 | Chip Kenyon '85 Arena | 2022 |
| Elmira | 3 | Murray Athletic Center Arena | 2005 |
| UW-River Falls** | 2 | W.H. Hunt Arena | 2025 |
| RIT | 2 | Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena | 2012 |
| Amherst | 1 | Orr Rink | 2023 |
| St. Thomas | 1 | St. Thomas Ice Arena | 2019 |
| Norwich | 1 | Kreitzberg Arena | 2018 |
| Adrian | 1 | Arrington Ice Arena | 2017 |
| UW-Superior* | 1 | Wessman Arena | 2013 |
| Gustavus | 1 | Don Roberts Ice Rink | 2010 |
* = was named a predetermined site prior to the 2012-13 season
** = was named a predetermined site prior to the 2024-25 season