43 NAHL Alumni Head to Final Weekend of the NCAA Division III Championship

March 24, 2026

The field of teams has been narrowed down to four as the final weekend of the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Hockey Championship kicks off. 43 players with NAHL ties will hit the ice on their hunt to take home the championship trophy.

The four remaining teams are Aurora University, Hamilton College, Hobart College, and the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The three-time defending national champions, Hobart College, features the most NAHL alumni with 15 former players lacing up this weekend.

As the four teams prepare to hit the ice, 24 NAHL teams will be represented in this annual event. The Lone Star Brahmas and Shreveport Mudbugs feature the most alumni, with each team featuring four former players.

Before the semifinals round kicks off on Friday, March 27, here are a few names to watch out for this weekend.

The Hobart College Statesmen have been perfect this season and have not lost a single game leading into the Semifinals this weekend. Their domination in college hockey is not something new this season. The fourth-year Statesmen end their senior season winning all 68 games on home ice. Serving as one of the top scorers for Hobart College this season is Tanner Daniels, former Lone Star Brahma. Daniels played a key role in securing the 2-1 victory over St. Norbert College this past weekend. The former Brahma first found the back of the net to give his team the advantage and then provided an assist later on in the second period. Another key factor in the Statesmen domination is goaltender Damon Beaver, former Corpus Christi IceRay. Beaver has earned the Herb Hammond Player of the Year and Goaltender of the Year honors in the SUNYAC. The former Corpus Christi IceRay is in his senior season for the Statesmen. Beaver has dominated in the crease, spotlighting a 0.90 goals-against average and a .956 save percentage for the season. He has been one of the best goaltenders in Hobart College history, securing a 71-4-1 career record. His ability between the pipes ranks him first in every category amongst goaltenders. The two former South Division rivals will look to help the Statesmen claim their fourth consecutive National Championship title.

Making program history, the Aurora University Spartans head to their first Frozen Four, and NAHL alumni played a significant role in achieving this milestone. Heading into the third frame of the contest against the Endicott College Gulls, the Spartans were down 2-1. However, former New Hampshire Mountain King Jaden Davis found twine to even the scoreboard for the Spartans. The game would eventually be forced into extra minutes and finished in double overtime fashion. The golden goal was scored by Andrew Schultz, a former Springfield Jr. Blue. With a ticket punched, the Spartans are making history for their program. Jaden Davis has been a crucial factor for Aurora all season. His impact was recognized, and he was named the NCHA Co-Freshman of the Year and to the All-Freshman team. The NAHL connections do not stop there, as their head coach, Jason Bloomingburg, is an alumnus of the League of Opportunity. He played three seasons with the Texas Tornado before coming back to serve as an assistant coach of the team.

In their third NCAA tournament appearance in program history, the Hamilton College Continentals have made it to the quarterfinals for the first time. Last weekend, Hamilton College took the victory in overtime 2-1 fashion against Norwich University. The golden goal came from Jackson Krock, a former Anchorage Wolverine. Krock was the captain for Anchorage in their debut season in the NAHL, helping his team make it all the way to the Robertson Cup championship game in 2022. He is now in his senior season, looking to continue to make history for the Continentals. Alongside him, making an impact is Aksel Reid, a former Springfield Jr. Blue. This season, Reid features a 1.84 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in his second year with Hamilton.

Rounding out as the final team to make it to the semifinals is the University of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils. The Blue Devils punched their ticket to the Frozen Four in dominant 5-1 fashion over the Utica University Pioneers, last year’s runner-up. This appearance in the semifinals marks the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Blue Devils feature seven former NAHL players lacing up for the program.

You can catch all the action starting on Friday. Learn more about the tournament and how you can watch the NAHL alumni compete for the championship.

Number of Athletes From Each NAHL Team*

Aberdeen Wings: 2

Amarillo Wranglers: 1

Anchorage Wolverines: 2

Bismarck Bobcats: 1

Colorado Grit: 1

Corpus Christi IceRays: 1

El Paso Rhinos: 1

Elmira Aviators: 2

Fairbanks Ice Dogs: 2

Johnstown Tomahawks: 1