Norwich wins the inaugural Little East Conference Championship over UMass-Boston (Photo by Nico Leonard – @nmlcreativemedia)
Just like on the men’s side, the top teams are beginning to separate themselves from the pack. After the conclusion of the first round, this weekend’s NCAA quarterfinals feature several marquee matchups, headlined by the Hamline University Pipers flying to the Northeast to face the Norwich University Cadets. With a trip to the Frozen Four on the line, both teams will have everything at stake when they meet Saturday at Kreitzberg Arena.
Norwich enters the weekend after earning a first-round bye as the number two seed in the field via the NPI. The Cadets received an at-large bid due to the lack of an auto-bid via the Little East Conference in its first season, and they now hold home-ice advantage as they look to continue their return to national prominence under first-year head coach Justin Simpson. Hamline, meanwhile, comes in as the seventh seed after a dominant 3-0 road win over Endicott in the opening round, a game that was far more one-sided than the final score suggested. The Pipers are looking to reach their first Frozen Four since 2019, when they finished as the national runner-up.
Hamline earned its NCAA spot via an at-large bid after falling to Saint Benedict in the MIAC semifinals. The Pipers beat Endicott twice this season, first in the regular season in Massachusetts and again in the tournament, but this time in Minnesota. That gives the Pipers the look of a dangerous lower seed heading into the quarterfinals. In the win over the Gulls, Hamline controlled possession throughout and outshot Endicott 43-19. Ashlyn Abrahamson led the way offensively, scoring the power-play goal that effectively put the game away before adding an empty-netter late. After finishing as the team’s second-leading goal scorer during the regular season, Abrahamson has carried that scoring touch into the postseason.
In net, Kendra Nordick turned aside all 19 shots she faced for the shutout. After splitting time throughout the season with Harper Powell, Nordick appears to have earned the early postseason edge after her first-round performance. Hamline’s combination of speed, offensive pressure, and a dangerous power play makes it one of the more intriguing lower seeds still alive in the bracket. The Pipers also already proved they can make the east-west trip and win, something they will try to do again this weekend in Vermont. The only concern for Hamline going into the weekend is that they’ve been banged up as of late, losing a few key starters down the stretch, including a few vital defensemen.
On the other side, Norwich presents a far different challenge. The Cadets are also in the field via an at-large bid, but unlike Hamline, they enter this weekend rested after the bye and with no travel involved. In Simpson’s first season behind the bench, Norwich has gone undefeated in the brand-new Little East Conference and put together a 25-2-0 record. The Cadets have also been battle-tested, picking up wins during the regular season over four NCAA tournament teams in Plattsburgh, Williams, Amherst, and Elmira.
Home ice has been a major factor as well. Norwich is a perfect 15-0-0 at the tough Kreitzberg Arena this season, making this one of the tougher road tests remaining in the field. The Cadets have long carried one of the strongest postseason identities in Division III women’s hockey, and they now look to add another deep run to that history. They are led offensively by junior Livia Brooks, who posted 35 points this season, just three shy of her career high from 2023-24. Norwich also brings strong special teams into the weekend, ranking fourth nationally on the power play and seventh on the penalty kill.
That combination of home-ice dominance, special teams strength, and postseason pedigree makes Norwich a difficult draw. Still, Hamline is not a typical lower seed. The Pipers are young, fast, and offensively gifted, and they have already shown they can handle an east-west trip against a quality opponent. Both teams also own wins over UMass Boston, giving at least one shared reference point between two teams from very different regions.
Hamline ended the season poorly and has a few injuries, but the Pipers have the style and firepower to challenge anyone. Norwich, meanwhile, has looked every bit like a legitimate national contender regardless of opponent and will try to defend home ice one more time. Hamline and Norwich meet Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET at Kreitzberg Arena, with the winner advancing to the Frozen Four. If #1 Wisconsin-River Falls loses to Williams College, then the Frozen Four is in Kreitzberg with a win over the Pipers. If the Falcons defeat the Ephs, either Norwich or Hamline will book their ticket to Hunt Arena in River Falls, WI where the Frozen Four has been held the previous two seasons.
