The 2023 NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament was a tournament to determine the Division III national champion in women’s ice hockey. This was the twenty-third (twenty-second completed) time a national championship tournament at the Division III level had been held and was the twenty-first (twentieth completed) one sanctioned by the NCAA.

 

Format

Eleven teams qualify for the single elimination tournament. This year’s tournament field expanded by one team from the previous tournament held in 2022. The conference tournament champions of the CCC, MIAC, NCHA, NEHC, NESCAC, NEWHL, and UCHC received automatic bids to the tournament. Four at-large bids were also selected, one guaranteed to a school from a non-automatic-qualifier conference. The first round games were held at campus sites on March 8. The quarterfinal games were held at campus sites on March 11. The semifinal and final rounds were held March 17 and 19 at Orr Rink of Amherst College, the highest remaining seed in the tournament.

Bids

Automatic Bids

At-Large Bids

Pool B (Teams from non-AQ conferences)

Pool C (Teams from all conferences)

^^ = Middlebury appeared in the 2 AWCHA tournaments that predated the NCAA tournament

^ = Gustavus appeared in 1 of 2 AWCHA tournaments that predated the NCAA tournament

* = WIAC did not receive an automatic bid with only five teams, making them a pool B conference

Misc.

  • Six of the eleven schools who earned bids appeared in the previous NCAA tournament.
  • This is the 11th of an active 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance streak for Plattsburgh.
  • This is the 4th of an active 7 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance streak for UW-River Falls.
  • This is the 3rd of 5 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for Gustavus.
  • This is the 3rd of 5 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for Middlebury.
  • This is the 2nd of an active 5 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance streak for Nazareth.
  • The NESCAC gets a record four bids, including all three Pool C bids.
  • The NESCAC earns multiple bids for the third straight tournament.
  • Elmira misses its first NCAA Tournament since 2012.
  • UW-Eau Claire misses its first NCAA Tournament since 2017.
  • The NCAA’s bracket included a potential quarterfinal flight (which did come to fruition) for the first time by choice in order to try to protect bracket integrity.
  • Amherst hosts its first-ever Frozen Four.
  • This is the first tournament since the 3rd-place game was eliminated by the NCAA, giving the finalists a day off in between the semifinals and title game.

Seeding (Determined by Pairwise Rankings)

  1. Amherst (24-3-0)
  2. Plattsburgh (25-2-0)
  3. Gustavus (24-3-0)
  4. Adrian (26-3-0)
  5. Hamilton (20-5-2)
  6. UW-River Falls (24-3-1)
  7. Middlebury (16-7-3)
  8. Colby (17-7-0)
  9. Norwich (19-7-2)
  10. Nazareth (22-5-1)
  11. Suffolk (18-7-2)

Results

First Round

Held at campus sites

-Jack Kelley Rink- Waterville, ME

-Chip Kenyon ’85 Arena- Middlebury, VT

-Sage Rink- Clinton, NY

Quarterfinals

Held at campus sites

-Orr Rink- Amherst, MA

-Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena- Plattsburgh, NY

-Arrington Ice Arena- Adrian, MI

-Don Roberts Ice Rink- St. Peter, MN

Semifinals

Hosted by Amherst College: Orr Rink- Amherst, MA

 

Championship

Hosted by Amherst College: Orr Rink- Amherst, MA

2023 NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey National Champion Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties

Bracket

Tournament Notes

  • In its 16th NCAA tournament appearance, Gustavus wins its first ever national championship as a program.
  • In the 22nd time a national championship is awarded, Gustavus becomes the first west region team to ever win the title.
  • Amherst finishes as national runner-up for the first time in program history, falling to 2-1 in national title games.
  • Amherst won a national title in 2010 at Gustavus’ home rink, while Gustavus wins their first national title at Amherst’s home rink.
  • Plattsburgh reaches its 15th Frozen Four in program history, falling to the Gusties in the semifinal in back-to-back seasons.
  • Hamilton reaches the semifinal round in its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.
  • The Amherst-Gustavus national championship lasts 101:33, marking the longest game in D-III women’s hockey history. (Ironically, it passes the 2018 Gustavus-UW-Eau Claire first round game by just 31 seconds.)
  • Gustavus plays in parts of five overtimes over their two Frozen Four games.
  • Gustavus becomes the first team to win a national championship after losing the previous title game since RIT in 2012.

Statistics

Skaters

Top Scorers
PlayerTeamPos.Yr.GPGAP+/-PIMSOG
Jenna LetterieMiddleburyFSr.2145326
Britt NawrockiMiddleburyFFr.2224209
Carley DalyAmherstFSr.3224428
Avery McInernyMiddleburyFFr.22132011
Sara KrauseneckPlattsburghF5th21234213
Julia MasottaPlattsburghFSr.2123405
Maeve ReynoldsAmherstFFr.3303409
Hailey HollandGustavusFSr.32131423
Lily MortensonGustavusFFr.32132411
Emily OlsonGustavusFSr.3123109
Tina PressGustavusF5th31231019

Goaltending

Top Goaltenders (minimum 110 minutes played)
PlayerTeamYr.GPWLSAGAGAASV%SOTOI
Natalie StottAmherstFr.32110720.540.9812220:49
Evie SheridanHamiltonFr.3217520.670.9731178:32
Katie McCoyGustavusSr.33010340.970.9610248:01
Sophia MerageasMiddleburyJr.2115831.520.9481118:42
Ashley DavisPlattsburgh5th2117752.050.9350146:41
Paige BolyardColbySo.21154630.8890120:00

All-Tournament Team

  • F: Carley Daly- Amherst
  • F: Lily Mortenson- Gustavus
  • D: Gabby Slykas- Gustavus
  • D: Kayla Vrieze- Gustavus
  • G: Katie McCoy- Gustavus (MVP)
  • G: Natalie Stott- Amherst