Interactive Bracket | Championship Central

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Committee announced the field of 11 teams for the 2016 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship. Salem State will play NESCAC regular season champion Williams in a first round game at Lansing Chapman Rink on Saturday, March 12 at a time to be determined.

Salem State (22-5) won the MASCAC regular season and post-season championship with a 4-0 win over Plymouth State. The Vikings, who are currently ranked 15^th in the latest D3hockey.com poll are riding a 13-game winning streak, and are back in the tournament after appearing in 2014.

The Ephs (18-5-2) , who were ranked No. 9 last week are making their first appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament and received an at-large bid after being upset by Tufts in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament.

Seven conferences have been awarded an automatic qualification. The remaining four teams were selected at-large by the committee.

The championship playoff format involves three first-round games and four quarterfinal games that are played on the campuses of the participating institutions. All games in the championship are single elimination. The four quarterfinal winners will advance to Lake Placid, New York, at Herb Brooks Arena for the semifinal and championship games, which will be conducted March 25-26. Plattsburgh State University of New York and the Olympic Regional Development Authority will host the championship.

Conferences receiving automatic qualification are:

ECAC DIII Northeast Hockey League: Salve Regina University (17-10-1)

Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference: Salem State University (22-5-0)

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Augsburg College (17-8-2)

New England Hockey Conference: University of Massachusetts Boston (21-4-3)

New England Small College Athletic Conference: Trinity College (Connecticut) (21-5-1)

Northern Collegiate Hockey Association: Adrian College (24-3-1)

State University of New York Athletic Conference: State University of New York at Geneseo (18- 4-6)

Hobart College (21-4-2), St. Norbert College (23-3-2), Williams College (18-5-2) and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (21-5-1) enter the field as the four at-large selections.

The semifinal and championship games will be web streamed live on NCAA.com.

Hobart College (21-4-2), St. Norbert College (23-3-2), Williams College (18-5-2) and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (21-5-1) enter the field as the four at-large selections. 

Courtesy of Salem State Sports Information