UW-River Falls defeated Elmira, 4-1, for the 2024 NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey championship title at Hunt Arena in River Falls. The Falcons capped off a perfect 30-0 season under Joe Cranston, who has coached the team for 25 years.
River Falls made DIII women’s ice hockey history, reaching 30 wins in a season after its 3-2 win over Adrian in the semifinals. The previous record was 29 wins, set by Plattsburgh in both 2016 and 2019. The Falcons’ undefeated season is the second undefeated season in DIII women’s ice hockey history. The first was Middlebury (27-0) in 2022.
2024 NCAA DIII women’s ice hockey championship bracket
➡️ For a closer look, click or tap for the DIII women’s ice hockey interactive bracket.
2024 NCAA DIII women’s ice hockey championship schedule
All times in ET. Click or tap each game for results.
Championship |Sunday, March 17 at 4 p.m.
First round | Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
Quarterfinals | Saturday, March 9
Semifinals | Friday, March 15
2024 NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey championship selections
The conferences and teams that received automatic qualification:
| Conference | Automatic Bid |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Coast Conference | Western New England |
| Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Gustavus Adolphus |
| New England Hockey Conference | Elmira |
| New England Small College Athletic Conference | Middlebury |
| State University of New York Athletic Conference | SUNY Cortland |
| United Collegiate Hockey Conference | Nazareth |
| Women’s Northern Collegiate Hockey Association | Adrian |
The Pool B team selected was University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the three institutions selected from Pool C were Amherst, Hamilton, and Plattsburgh State.
DIII women’s ice hockey championship history
Gustavus Adolphus is the defending national champion after defeating Amherst 2-1 in overtime to cap off an excellent 27-3-0 season and win its first-ever national championship in program history.
Beginning in 2002, the DIII women’s ice hockey tournament has been held every year except for 2020 and 2021, seasons that were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plattsburgh State has won a record seven championships, followed by Middlebury with four.
Here’s a complete history of each DIII women’s ice hockey championship game:
| YEAR | CHAMPION (RECORD) | SCORE | RUNNER-UP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Gustavus Adolphus (27-3-0) | 2-1 (3OT) | Amherst |
| 2022 | Middlebury (27-0-0) | 3-2 (OT) | Gust. Adolphus |
| 2019 | Plattsburgh State (28-2-0) | 4-0 | Hamline |
| 2018 | Norwich | 2-1 | Elmira |
| 2017 | Plattsburgh State (28-1-1) | 4-3 (ot) | Adrian |
| 2016 | Plattsburgh State (29-1) | 5-1 | Wisconsin River-Falls |
| 2015 | Plattsburgh State (26-2-2 ) | 3-2 | Elmira |
| 2014 | Plattsburgh State (28-1-1) | 9-2 | Norwich |
| 2013 | Elmira (24-5-1) | 1-0 | Middlebury |
| 2012 | RIT (28-1-1) | 4-1 | Norwich |
| 2011 | Norwich (25-4-1) | 5-2 | RIT |
| 2010 | Amherst (23-2-4) | 7-2 | Norwich |
| 2009 | Amherst (24-5) | 4-3 (ot) | Elmira |
| 2008 | Plattsburgh State (25-3-1) | 3-2 | Manhattanville |
| 2007 | Plattsburgh State (27-0-2) | 2-1 | Middlebury |
| 2006 | Middlebury (27-2) | 3-1 | Plattsburgh State |
| 2005 | Middlebury (26-3-1) | 4-3 | Elmira |
| 2004 | Middlebury (23-4) | 2-1 | Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
| 2003 | Elmira (23-4-2) | 5-1 | Manhattanville |
| 2002 | Elmira (26-1-1) | 2-1 | Manhattanville |
