AMESBURY, Mass. - The Hockey East Association announced today the tournament seeding and pairings for the 2026 Hockey East Women’s Tournament. The postseason will once again feature all 10 programs competing in a single-elimination format. All games will be hosted on campus and tickets are available via the host institution for each game. A tentative schedule can be found in the attached release.

The Opening Round of the league’s 24th postseason begins Wednesday, February 25. #10 Merrimack (7-23-4/4-18-2 HE) travels to #7 Maine (12-18-4/8-12-4 HE) at 5:00 p.m. as the Warriors put their unblemished 4-0 record in the Opening Round on the line once again. The Black Bears took a 2-1-0 record over Merrimack in three regular-season meetings, including a 2-0 victory in Maine’s final game of the regular season. The two teams have met just once in the playoffs, a 2-1 Merrimack overtime win in the 2024 Opening Round in Orono.

#9 Providence (11-21-2/8-14-2 HE) will travel to #8 Boston University (10-20-3/8-14-2 HE) for the programs’ fifth meeting in the Hockey East Women’s Tournament, their first since 2021, and their first in the Opening Round. The Terriers hold a 3-1 edge all-time. Boston University went 2-0-1 over the Friars with a shootout win during the regular season.

Two quarterfinal pairings are already known. #3 Boston College (16-17-1/14-9-1 HE) has earned a top-four seed in the tournament each year since 2010, the longest such streak in league history and will play host to #6 Vermont (15-16-5/9-11-4 HE). The Eagles have won each of the previous four meetings in the Hockey East playoffs, including a quarterfinal series sweep in their most recent clash in 2018. Vermont was unbeaten in two home games against Boston College, going 1-0-1 with the tie coming in a 0-0 stalemate on Nov. 1 that saw both goaltenders make at least 30 saves.

#5 New Hampshire (16-15-3/10-12-2 HE) will hit the road to #4 Holy Cross (18-12-3/10-11-3 HE) as the Crusaders secured their best finish ever in Hockey East play as their previous highest seed was nine. These two teams have twice met in the Opening Round, most recently in 2023, and the Wildcats have a 2-0 mark in those outings. Holy Cross and New Hampshire played three regular season games, each going 1-1-1.

#1 Northeastern (26-7-1/21-2-1 HE) claimed the top seed and regular season crown for the sixth time in program history. The Huskies have advanced to the title game in each of the last nine seasons, including six straight titles from 2018-23, while the other three championship games have all needed overtime to decide a winner. Northeastern will challenge the lowest remaining seed from the Opening Round. The other Wednesday winner will travel to Toscano Family Ice Forum to face off with #2 UConn (24-8-2/17-6-1 HE) on Saturday. The 2026 Hockey East Women’s Tournament Championship will be played Saturday, March 7 at 3:30pm on the campus of the highest remaining seed. The game will be broadcast live nationally on ESPNEWS and tickets are on sale now.