The 2024-25 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began on October 4, 2024 and concluded with the NCAA championship on April 12, 2025. This was the 77th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship is being held and will be the US college hockey's 131st year overall.
Conference realignment Shortly after the 2023–24 season, the men's Atlantic Hockey Association and women's College Hockey America formally merged under the new name of Atlantic Hockey America, retaining the Association's AHA initialism. The merged league included all members of both predecessors.
Arizona State formally joined the NCHC, bringing the number of conference members up to nine. Initially, the league instituted a play-in game for the final quarterfinal spot in the NCHC tournament. However, due to the logistics of a play-in game prior to the quarterfinals being too complicated with travel and additional strain on student-athletes and staff, the play-in game was scrapped and only the top eight teams qualified for the NCHC tournament.
Augustana, which had joined the CCHA in 2023, had been scheduled to become a full-time member beginning with the 2025–26 season. However, despite only playing a partial conference schedule, the league decided to accelerate the Vikings assimilation into the league and made Augustana eligible for the conference tournament. Because Augustana's schedule had already been set prior to the announcement, the CCHA elected to have their conference standings decided by winning percentage of conference games. Despite this bringing the number of full conference members up to nine, the CCHA decided against expanding their conference tournament, meaning only the top eight CCHA teams qualified for the playoffs.
Shortly after the start of the season, American International College announced that its men's hockey team would leave AHA after the 2024–25 season and join the bulk of AIC's other sports in the Northeast-10 Conference, which plays the sport under NCAA Division II regulations and does not participate in the Division I championship.
Polls
Regular season Season tournaments Tournament Dates Teams Champion Ice Breaker Tournament October 11–12 4 Omaha Adirondack Winter Invitational November 29–30 4 Massachusetts Lowell Friendship Four November 29–30 4 Boston University Holiday Face-Off December 28–29 4 Wisconsin Ledyard Bank Classic December 28–29 4 Providence Great Lakes Invitational December 29–30 4 Michigan State Coachella Valley Cactus Cup January 3–4 4 Massachusetts Lowell Desert Hockey Classic January 3–4 4 Arizona State Connecticut Ice January 24–25 4 Connecticut Beanpot February 3, 10 4 Boston University
Standings
PairWise Rankings The PairWise Rankings (PWR) are a statistical tool designed to approximate the process by which the NCAA selection committee decides which teams get at-large bids to the 16-team NCAA tournament. Although the NCAA selection committee does not use the PWR as presented by USCHO, the PWR has been accurate in predicting which teams will make the tournament field.
For Division I men, all teams are included in comparisons starting in the 2013–14 season (formerly, only teams with a Ratings Percentage Index of .500 or above, or teams under consideration, were included). The PWR method compares each team with every other such team, with the winner of each “comparison” earning one PWR point. After all comparisons are made, the points are totaled up and rankings listed accordingly.
With 64 Division I men's teams, the greatest number of PWR points any team could earn is 63, winning the comparison with every other team. Meanwhile, a team that lost all of its comparisons would have no PWR points.
Teams are then ranked by PWR point total, with ties broken by the teams’ RPI ratings, which starting in 2013–14 is weighted for home and road games and includes a quality wins bonus (QWB) for beating teams in the top 20 of the RPI (it also is weighted for home and road).
When it comes to comparing teams, the PWR uses three criteria which are combined to make a comparison: RPI, record against common opponents and head-to-head competition. Starting in 2013–14, the comparison of record against teams under consideration was dropped because all teams are now under comparison.
+ NCAA Division I Men's Hockey PairWise Rankings Rank Team PWR RPI Conference 1 63 .6080* Hockey East 2 62 .6033* Big Ten 3 61 .5896* Hockey East 4 60 .5878* NCHC 5 59 .5803* Big Ten 6 58 .5759* Hockey East 7 57 .5712 Hockey East 8 56 .5694 Hockey East 9 55 .5618* NCHC 10 53 .5594 Big Ten 10 53 .5564 Hockey East 12 52 .5515 ECAC Hockey 13 51 .5514 Big Ten 14 50 .4475* CCHA 15 49 .5466 Big Ten 16 48 .5425 NCHC 17 47 .5374 ECAC Hockey 18 46 .5325 NCHC 19 45 .5324 Hockey East 20 43 .5252 ECAC Hockey 21 42 .5238 Hockey East 22 41 .5228 AHA 22 41 .5208 ECAC Hockey 24 40 .5187 Hockey East 25 38 .5138 Independent 25 38 .5124 AHA 27 37 .5113 AHA 28 36 .5091 Big Ten 29 35 .5085 ECAC Hockey 30 34 .5046 NCHC 31 32 .5006 CCHA 31 32 .4996 Hockey East 33 31 .5006 NCHC 34 30 .4978 Hockey East 34 30 .4966 CCHA 36 28 .4955 NCHC 37 27 .4962 ECAC Hockey 38 25 .4923 ECAC Hockey 38 25 .4889 CCHA 38 25 .4877 Independent 38 25 .4875 Big Ten 42 22 .4846 NCHC 42 22 .4830 ECAC Hockey 42 22 .4822 ECAC Hockey 45 19 .4806 CCHA 46 18 .4784 CCHA 47 16 .4671 AHA 47 16 .4651 CCHA 49 15 .4651 AHA 50 14 .4641 ECAC Hockey 51 12 .4637 AHA 51 12 .4634 AHA 53 11 .4516 CCHA 54 9 .4447 Independent 54 9 .4320 ECAC Hockey 56 8 .4434 AHA 56 8 .4411 ECAC Hockey 56 8 .4318 AHA 59 4 .4280 Independent 59 4 .4240 AHA 59 4 .4202 Independent 62 2 .4095 CCHA 62 2 .4075 NCHC 64 0 .3806 AHA *A team's RPI has been adjusted to remove negative effect from defeating a weak opponent Note: A team's record is based only on games against other Division I hockey schools which are eligible for the NCAA TournamentFinal
Player stats Scoring leaders Player Class Team GP G A Pts PIM Senior Denver 44 13 44 57 32 Junior Denver 44 21 34 55 26 Senior Holy Cross 40 24 30 54 18 Sophomore Penn State 40 23 30 53 12 Junior Michigan State 37 26 26 52 10 Senior Clarkson 39 25 26 51 8 Junior Massachusetts 40 22 29 51 14 Junior Minnesota 39 22 27 49 29 Sophomore Boston University 38 23 27 50 33 Sophomore Boston College 35 29 18 47 44 As of April 12, 2025.
Leading goaltenders The following goaltenders lead the NCAA in goals against average, minimum 1/3 of team's minutes played. GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player Class Team GP Min W L T GA SO SV% GAA Junior Minnesota State 38 2317:27 26 9 3 55 5 .946 1.42 Sophomore Boston College 35 2065:45 25 7 2 56 7 .940 1.63 Sophomore Quinnipiac 17 889:19 12 3 0 26 3 .928 1.75 Senior Bowling Green 18 1092:22 12 3 3 32 3 .942 1.76 Sophomore Maine 37 2270:12 23 8 6 69 4 .928 1.82 Freshman Western Michigan 25 1578:30 19 5 1 50 1 .922 1.90 Freshman Sacred Heart 26 1578:13 16 7 3 50 3 .936 1.90 Sophomore Augustana 31 1808:58 17 10 3 58 3 .936 1.92 Junior Long Island 14 809:35 7 5 1 26 2 .920 1.93 Junior Bentley 34 2027:35 20 12 2 65 11 .925 1.95 As of April 12, 2025.
Tournament bracket
Awards
NCAA Award RecipientHobey Baker Award Isaac Howard, Michigan StateSpencer Penrose Award Pat Ferschweiler, Western MichiganTim Taylor Award Cole Hutson, Boston UniversityMike Richter Award Jacob Fowler, Boston CollegeDerek Hines Unsung Hero Award Jacob Truscott, MichiganTournament Most Outstanding Player Owen Michaels, Western Michigan East First Team Position West First Team Jacob Fowler, Boston College G Trey Augustine, Michigan State Mac Gadowsky, Army D Zeev Buium, Denver Cole Hutson, Boston University D Sam Rinzel, Minnesota Ryan Leonard, Boston College F Alex Bump, Western Michigan Ayrton Martino, Clarkson F Jack Devine, Denver Cole O'Hara, Massachusetts F Isaac Howard, Michigan State East Second Team Position West Second Team Albin Boija, Maine G Alex Tracy, Minnesota State Eamon Powell, Boston College D Matt Basgall, Michigan State Trey Taylor, Clarkson D Jake Livanavage, North Dakota Liam McLinskey, Holy Cross F Aiden Fink, Penn State Joey Muldowney, Connecticut F Artem Shlaine, Arizona State Gabe Perreault, Boston College F Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota
Atlantic Hockey America Award RecipientPlayer of the Year Liam McLinskey, Holy CrossForward of the Year Liam McLinskey, Holy CrossBest Defenseman Mac Gadowsky, ArmyGoaltender of the Year Thomas Gale, Holy CrossBest Defensive Forward Austin Schwartz, Air Force Ethan Leyh, BentleyRookie of the Year Trevor Hoskin, NiagaraIndividual Sportsmanship Award Mac Gadowsky, ArmyCoach of the Year Bill Riga, Holy CrossTournament Most Outstanding Player Connor Hasley, Bentley First Team Position Second Team Thomas Gale, Holy Cross G Connor Hasley, Bentley Nick Bochen, Bentley D Mikey Adamson, Sacred Heart Mac Gadowsky, Army D Mack Oliphant, Holy Cross Ethan Leyh, Bentley F Matteo Giampa, Canisius Liam McLinskey, Holy Cross F Trevor Hoskin, Niagra Matthew Wilde, RIT F Félix Trudeau, Sacred Heart Third Team Position Rookie Team Ajeet Gundarah, Sacred Heart G Ajeet Gundarah, Sacred Heart Hunter Sansbury, Sacred Heart D Dominic Elliott, Robert Morris Evan Stella, American International D Dominic Payne, Canisius Jay Ahearn, Niagra F Trevor Hoskin, Niagra Tyler Fukakusa, RIT F Jack Ivey, Army Devin Phillips, Holy Cross F Matt Kursonis, Holy Cross
Big Ten Award Recipient Player of the Year Isaac Howard, Michigan StateDefensive Player of the Year Sam Rinzel, MinnesotaGoaltender of the Year Trey Augustine, Michigan StateFreshman of the Year Michael Hage, MichiganScoring Champion Isaac Howard, Michigan StateCoach of the Year Steve Rohlik, Ohio StateTournament Most Outstanding Player Isaac Howard, Michigan State First Team Position Second Team Trey Augustine, Michigan State G Arsenii Sergeev, Penn State Matt Basgall, Michigan State D Ethan Edwards, Michigan Sam Rinzel, Minnesota D Simon Mack, Penn State Aiden Fink, Penn State F Quinn Finley, Wisconsin Isaac Howard, Michigan State F T. J. Hughes, Michigan Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota F Cole Knuble, Notre Dame Freshman Team Position Cameron Korpi, Michigan G Cade Christenson, Penn State D Logan Hensler, Wisconsin D Charlie Cerrato, Penn State F Michael Hage, Michigan F Gavin Morrissey, Wisconsin F
CCHA Award RecipientPlayer of the Year Alex Tracy, Minnesota StateForward of the Year Rhett Pitlick, Minnesota StateDefenseman of the Year Evan Murr, Minnesota StateGoaltender of the Year Alex Tracy, Minnesota StateRookie of the Year Elias Jansson, Michigan TechBest Defensive Defenseman Chase Pietila, Michigan TechBest Defensive Forward Jackson Jutting, Bemidji StateCoach of the Year Luke Strand, Minnesota StateTournament Most Valuable Player Evan Murr, Minnesota State First Team Position Second Team Alex Tracy, Minnesota State G Josh Kotai, Augustana Evan Murr, Minnesota State D Travis Shoudy, Ferris State Chase Pietila, Michigan Tech D Chase Foley, St. Thomas Liam Malmquist, St. Thomas F Luke Mobley, Augustana Rhett Pitlick, Minnesota State F Ryan O'Hara, Bowling Green Lucas Wahlin, St. Thomas F Brody Waters, Bowling Green Rookie Team Position Rorke Applebee, Lake Superior State G Rylan Brown, Michigan Tech D Isa Parekh, Bemidji State D Jakub Altrichter, Northern Michigan F Elias Jansson, Michigan Tech F Logan Morrell, Michigan Tech F
ECAC Hockey