Trinity #1, Williams #6 in first NCAA Regional Rankings for 2014

	EAST REGION	IN-REGION RECORD	OVERALL RECORD
1.	Trinity (Conn.)	18-3-0	18-4-0
2.	Plattsburgh State	18-3-2	18-3-2
3.	Norwich	15-4-2	17-5-3
4.	Babson	15-4-1	19-4-2
5.	Geneseo State	17-5-0	18-5-0
6.	Williams	13-6-3	13-6-3
7.	Utica	14-5-4	14-5-4
8.	Massachusetts-Boston	12-5-3	16-5-4

As we approach the final weekend of the NESCAC regular season, the question will start to mount: can the NESCAC get two teams into the NCAA tournament?

With the first installment of the NCAA's official Regional Rankings out today (used to determine at large bids and seeding in NCAA tournament), the dream of two 'Cac teams in the 11 team tournament remains a distinct possibility. Trinity, ranked 9th and 10th in the voting polls (USCHO, D3hockey.com), clocks in at number 1 in the East region, ahead of Plattsburgh, Norwich and Babson, all of whom are ahead of the Bantams in the voting polls.

Williams, 0-3-1 in their last four games, comes in at number six of the eight teams ranked in the east region. With only three at-large bids available for the NCAA tournament, the only realistic scenario for the NESCAC getting two teams in is Trinity sweeping Wesleyan this weekend and then getting to and losing in the NESCAC playoff finals. Whoever beats Trinity would get the NESCAC's automatic bid and Trinity would get an exclusive "Pool-C" bid. It's not guaranteed, but it's realistic.

Whoever gets in to the 11 team tournament, they will be fighting to make it to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine, site of the 2014 D-III men's hockey Final Four hosted by Bowdoin. The Polar Bears entered the season handicapped by many observers as the most likely 'Cac team to make it to Lewiston. Inconsistent play and injuries have Bowdoin currently in fourth place in the NESCAC, fighting for a home NESCAC playoff game instead of an at-large bid.

Bowdoin entered NESCAC championship weekend at Sidney J Watson Arena last season with an outside shot at getting a Pool- C bid, but it was a relatively long shot. The point was moot, as the Polar Bears won, but they came in seventh in the East region in the third and final public regional rankings heading into selection Sunday.

Despite Bowdoin's impressive record last season, 20-3-2 at the time of the final public rankings, their relatively weak out-of-conference schedule limited their upward mobility in the regional rankings. Trinity did not exactly have a stellar OOC slate this year, which contributed to posters on the USCHO fan forum's shock at the Bantams number one ranking. One potential advantage for the Bantams is that the primary criteria used for the rankings is record against Division-III teams, which means their loss to D-II Stonehill does not count in the primary criteria.

The top two teams in the West region rankings, St. Norbert and Adrian, are also the top two teams in the voting polls. There will be two more public releases of the regional rankings on February 25th and March 4th. The final regional ranking on March 9th will not be released to the public.

For an explanation of the NCAA selection process, see Benet Pols' "Can I Swim Too" piece from last year and D3Hockey.com's Bracketology, which includes the list of regional ranking selection committee members, including Williams coach Bill Kangas and Middlebury coach Bill Beaney.