Top-seed Utica University will host No. 4 seed Nazareth University, while No. 2 seed SUNY Geneseo welcomes No. 3 Chatham University in semifinal action of the 2026 UCHC Men’s Hockey Championship Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 28, with both games starting at 7 p.m. The two semifinal winners will meet in the 2026 UCHC Championship game on Saturday, March 7.
Utica University is the top overall seed in the upcoming tournament and will look to win its fifth league title in the last seven seasons and sixth overall. No. 2 SUNY Geneseo is the defending UCHC Champion. The UCHC Champion earns an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, which begins on Saturday, March 14.
2025-26 UCHC Men’s Semifinal Preview Capsules
No. 4 Nazareth at No. 1 Utica, Saturday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m.
Utica is the No. 8 ranked team in the Division III Men’s Ice Hockey National Power Index and enters the UCHC Championship Tournament with a 17-7-1 mark, having finished 13-2-1 in UCHC play, earning 42 points. The Pioneers are the No. 1 seed in the UCHC Tournament for the ninth straight season. Utica is out-scoring opponents, 115-60 this season and have five players with at least 20 points, 14 with at least 10 points and five players with at least 10 goals this season. Drake Morse leads the Pioneers in scoring with 32 points on 16 goals and 16 assists. Nick Ahern has 27 points has 11 goals and 16 assists. Eric Vitale, who scored the overtime winner in the 2025 NCAA Frozen Four win over Curry College, leads Utica with 14 goals, including five power-play markers, while John Gutt has 25 points on 11 goals and 14 assists and Andrew Della-Rovere has 24 points. Goaltenders Kyle Curtin and Frank Murphy have shared duties in net. Curtin is 11-5-1 with a 2.35 goals against average and two shutouts, while Murphy is 6-2-0 with a 2.23 goals against average.
Nazareth enters the UCHC Semifinal with a 16-7-3 record on the season, including an 9-6-1 mark in league play. The Golden Flyers rallied from a 3-1 third period deficit to defeat No. 5 seed Albertus Magnus College, 4-3 in double overtime in the UCHC Tournament opening round game on Feb. 25. Lucas Stanojevic scored the game-winner 4:45 into the second overtime to lift the Golden Flyers to the semifinal. Seven different Golden Flyers have at least 10 points in 2025-26. Blake Frost leads the Golden Flyers in scoring with 23 points on 11 goals and 12 assists, while Logan Tobias, Nate Mann, Charles Ross and Will Halecki each have seven goals. First-year goaltender Paul Dalessio is 11-3-0 in net with a 2.41 goals against average and .928 save percentage to lead the Golden Flyers.
Utica won both regular season meetings between the two schools, 5-1 at the Adirondack Bank Center on Jan. 10 and 9-1 at Tim Horton’s IcePlex in Rochester on Jan. 17.
No. 3 Chatham at No. 2 SUNY Geneseo, Saturday, Feb. 28 - 7 p.m.
SUNY Geneseo is ranked No. 10 in the USCHO Division III Men’s Hockey poll and 13th nationally in the NPI. The Knights enters the UCHC tournament with an 17-7-1 overall record, having finished 12-4-0 in league play. Geneseo is out-scoring their opponents, 96-60 this season and has tremendous depth, with five players scoring at least 20 points and 13 with at least 10 points. Alex Dameski leads the Knights and is among the league leaders in scoring with 35 points on 19 goals and 16 assists and is plus-22. Filip Wiberg has 26 points on 10 goals and 16 assists, while defenseman Sean Melso, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, has 25 points on seven goals and 18 assists. Carter Diceman has 12 goals. Goaltender Jacob Torgner is 13-5-1 between the pipes with a 2.17 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.
Chatham enters the UCHC Semifinal with a 20-5-1 overall record, including a 10-5-1 mark in league play. The Cougars won the longest game in league history, 4-3 in triple overtime over No. 6 seed SUNY Brockport in the UCHC opening round on Feb. 25. Chatham rallied from a 3-1 third period deficit to force overtime and win after 102:32 of game time, as Breyden Zupsanasky scored the game-winner. Chatham, the highest scoring team in the UCHC, is out-scoring opponents, 131-59, has seven players with at least 20 points this season and 14 with at least 10 points. Reigning UCHC Player of the Year Nick Cyprian leads the league in scoring with 42 points on 18 goals and a league-high 24 assists. Michael Roby leads the league with 22 goals and has 15 assists for 37 points. Caden Pendo is plus-32 on the season with 28 points from the blueline. In net, Cameron Kuntar is 13-4-1 with a 1.89 goals against average and a .948 save percentage.
SUNY Geneseo won both regular season meetings between the two schools earlier this season on the road at Chatham, 3-2 on Jan. 30 and 4-2 the following day.
2026 UCHC Men's Hockey Championship Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, February 25 (First Round)
No. 4 Nazareth defeated No. 5 Albertus Magnus, 4-3 (2 OT) – BOX SCORE
No. 3 Chatham defeated No. 6 SUNY Brockport, 4-3 (3 OT) – BOX SCORE
Saturday, February 28 (Semifinals)
No. 4 Nazareth at No. 1 Utica – 7 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
No. 3 Chatham at No. 2 SUNY Geneseo – 7 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Saturday, March 7 (Championship)
Lowest Seeded Semifinal Winner at Highest Seeded Semifinal Winner - TBA – VIDEO/LIVE STATS