ALBANY, N.Y. — Due to positive COVID-19 test results within its Tier I testing group and in accordance with University of Notre Dame policies, the NCAA and the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee, the Notre Dame hockey team will no longer participate in the 2021 NCAA Championship. This decision was made in consultation with the Albany County Public Health Department and the NCAA Medical Advisory Group.
As the No. 4 seed in the Albany Regional, Notre Dame was slated to take on No. 1 seed Boston College at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York. The game will now be ruled a no contest.
“It’s an unfortunate situation and I feel for our guys, especially our seniors,” Head coach Jeff Jackson said. “The team was excited about returning to the NCAA tournament and ready to continue competing after earning the opportunity. But with the multiple positives and subsequent contact tracing it became clear that for the safety of our team and the others in the tournament we could not proceed.”
After losing in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament (March 14), the Irish remained in Big Ten testing protocols through Saturday, March 20. The team then began additional PCR testing on campus. All told, the team went through seven rounds of testing in the seven days leading up to its departure for Albany on Wednesday, March 24.
It marked Notre Dame’s fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship field, which is the second longest active streak in the country. It was the 12th time overall the Irish made the NCAA tournament and the 11th under Jackson.
Notre Dame, which went 14-13-2 on the season against a difficult schedule, was one of four Big Ten teams to make the field, joining No. 1 seeds Minnesota and Wisconsin as well as No. 2 seed Michigan. The Irish tied for the regular-season NCAA lead with 28 games played.
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