AMHERST, MA. -- Head Coach Jeff Matthews' Amherst College women's hockey team earned their place in the 2026 NCAA Div. III Tournament field on Sunday night and will host the College of Saint Benedict in a first-round match-up.
 
Amherst (19-2-6) will take on the Bennies (16-7-4) at Orr Rink on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. EDT. The winner will advance to the quarterfinal round, to be played on the campus of the higher seeded team on Saturday, March 21, also at 3 p.m. EDT.

The Mammoths are making their 11^th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. They are entering NCAA play after locking up the conference's automatic bid with the program's seventh NESCAC Championship. They prevailed 1-0 over Colby in the NESCAC Tournament final, played on March 8 at Middlebury. The team has advanced to the National Championship game two of the last three seasons, including in 2025, where they fell 3-1 to University of Wisconsin-River Falls. 

Saint Benedict earned an NCAA automatic berth after defeating Gustavus Adolphus, 2-1, in the MIAC championship game on Saturday at Hamline University. The MIAC title was the Bennies' first in program history, and they are heading to the NCAA playoffs for first time this year.

Tickets will go on sale at a later date, and will be $6 for adults, $4 for students, and $3 for senior citizens. Amherst students get in free with student ID.