March 23, 2008

OXFORD, OHIO - Miami University will face Air Force at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. next Saturday, Mar. 29, at 4 p.m. ET in the opening round of the 61st Annual NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Championship.

Second-seeded Boston College and No. 3 Minnesota face off in the other game at Worcester in the Northeast Regional.

The Northeast Regional Championship game will be played at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Mar. 30.

"We're excited to be in the tournament," said Miami head coach Rico Blasi. "We know that Air Force is a very well coached team. They're going to work hard and we know they'll come after us. They're experienced in the NCAA Tournament, having played last season. Quite frankly, Air Force should have beaten Minnesota last year. We're going to have to play our best and really focus on bringing our best game this weekend."

Miami (32-7-1) will face an Air Force team (21-11-6) that won the Atlantic Hockey Association with a double overtime victory over Mercyhurst, 5-4, in Rochester, N.Y., Mar. 16. The Falcons earned the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Miami will play in Worcester for the second time in the last three years.

The RedHawk coaches, players and traveling staff will depart for Worcester on Thursday evening following practice in Oxford.

The balance of the tournament field includes the following:

EAST REGIONAL, March 28-29 Times Union Center, Albany, New York

March 28, 4 p.m. ET ... No. 2 St. Cloud State (19-15-5) vs. No. 3 Clarkson (21-12-4)

March 28, 7:30 p.m. ET ... No. 1 Michigan (31-5-4) vs. No. 4 Niagara (22-10-4)

March 29, 7 p.m. ET ... East Regional Championship

WEST REGIONAL, March 28-29 World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colorado

March 28, 6:30 p.m. ET ... No. 1 New Hampshire (25-9-3) vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (24-15-4)

March 28, 10 p.m. ET ... No. 2 Colorado College (28-11-1) vs. No. 3 Michigan State (24-11-5)

March 29, 10 p.m. ET ... West Regional Championship

MIDWEST REGIONAL, March 29-30 Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin

March 29, 3 p.m. ET ... No. 1 North Dakota (26-10-4) vs. No. 4 Princeton (21-13)

March 29, 6:30 p.m. ET ... No. 2 Denver (26-13-1) vs. No. 3 Wisconsin (15-16-7)

March 30, 7 p.m. ET ... Midwest Regional Championship

Those interested in attending the regional in Worcester should call the Miami Athletic ticket office at 1-866-MUHAWKS or 513-529-HAWK. The Miami Athletic Ticket office is open today (Sunday, Mar. 23) from 1 to 3 p.m. to take phone orders for the NCAA Regional in Worcester, MA. Regional tickets will be made available based on a tiered system, with active Red and White Club members and season ticket holders receiving priority. Red and White Club members who have given at least $2,500 are eligible to purchase up to six regional tickets, while those who have given between $1,000 - $2,499 can purchase a maximum of four tickets, and those who have given between $50 - $999 are able to purchase up to two tickets. Current Miami ice hockey season ticket holders also are eligible to purchase up to two tickets.

All-session tickets to the NCAA Regional are priced at $80 each, and are limited. Those interested in attending should call the Miami Athletic Ticket Office as soon as possible.

--MURedHawks.com--