The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks hockey team is currently experiencing one of their most successful seasons in recent memory as they recently defeated the Quinnipiac Bobcats enroute to Las Vegas for their first Frozen Four appearance in more than 10 years. The Frozen Four is like the Final Four of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament but for hockey and is the semifinals and finals of the DI men’s ice hockey tournament. The final rounds of the tournament always take place in April and are comprised of the remaining four teams left standing after the initial rounds of the NCAA tournament.
This year’s Frozen Four is comprised of the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, Denver Pioneers, Michigan Wolverines, and Wisconsin Badgers. Each program holds multiple national championships and a deep history of success in the tournament. With the Denver Pioneers having won the most all-time NCAA National Hockey Championships with ten.
The Frozen Four started in 1948, with Michigan taking the inaugural title over Dartmouth. However up until the re-brand in 1999, it was simply referred to as the national men’s ice hockey championship. The first ten Frozen Fours were held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, prior to moving to a new location each season with numerous locations having hosted the premier college hockey sporting events multiple times. Minneapolis, Providence, Syracuse and Deluth being among the locations that have hosted the Frozen Four.
As the University of North Dakota eyes their ninth national title this year, it should be noted that they are among one of the most successful college hockey programs in the history of the sport having reached the Frozen Four a total of twenty-three times.
Part of what makes the Frozen Four so special is the single-elimination style of the tournament adding a heightened level of stakes for each game, and the activities centered around the fans and their experience by the host city including Frozen Fest where fans from their respective schools are able to gather together and celebrate their teams success. The Hobey Baker Award, the top-rated college hockey player, and other individual awards, are also presented at a neutral site during the Frozen Four, adding to the excitement associated with the weekend.
Whether it is the countless students showing up to class in their favorite UND hockey gear, or the waves of green that is expected to be seen in Las Vegas, this year’s Frozen Four is slated to be a classic as some of the NHL’s top prospects are expected to take the ice and compete for a chance to cement both themselves and their schools legacy in the history books going down as College Hockey’s National Champions for the 2026 calendar year.
Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at daniel.a.[email protected].
