INDIANAPOLIS, IN. —- The pairings have been announced for the NCAA Division Three men’s and women’s hockey tournaments which will begin with first round action this Saturday.

There was a major surprise on the men’s side, where despite their seat attop the Eastern Rankings NEHC regular season and tournament champion Norwich was not awarded a first round bye. All four of the byes in the twelve team tournament went to western teams. Instead Norwich will host a first round game on Saturday night at Kreitzberg Arena, hosting MASCAC tournament champion Salem State. The winner of that game will play the winner of the first round matchup between SUNYAC conference tournament runnerup Oswego and NESCAC tournament runnerup Hamilton in a quarterfinal game on Saturday, March 18th.

Plattsburgh State, SUNYAC tournament champions, will travel to NESCAC  tournament winner Trinity on Saturday, with the winner of that game advancing to meet the winner of this weekend’s first rounder between Endicott and Hobart.

The two survivors out of those March 18th games will advance to join two western teams in the Division Three Frozen Four on March 24th and 25th in Utica, New York.

On the women’s side top seeded and three time defending champion Plattsburgh will open up at home this weekend in the eight team tournament, hosting St. Thomas of Minnesota at the Stafford Ice Arena. Meanwhile NESCAC Champion Middlebury will host NEHC champ Norwich in a quarterfinal this weekend at Kenyon Arena in Middlebury.