NCAA First Round Friday: Northwestern and Maryland Open Their Title Runs as Wagner Chase Another First
The real tournament starts on Friday. Wednesday’s opening round sorted out the last two places, and now all eight first-round ties are set across four campus sites. Eight games, all on ESPN+, and by Sunday night we’ll be down to four teams heading to Louisville.
The headliner is in Evanston. No. 1 Northwestern, 18-2, host Saint Joseph’s at 1pm ET, and the Wildcats look like the team to beat. They just beat Maryland 3-0 in the Big Ten final on Sunday, their second win over the Terps this season, and senior Ashley Sessa scored twice in that game on her way to NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week. Northwestern are the top seeds for a reason. They’re tied for the best record in the field and they just dismantled the No. 2 seeds.
Saint Joseph’s won’t be overawed, though. The Hawks are 12-9, Atlantic 10 champions, and they got here by beating Vermont in a shootout on Wednesday after a 1-1 draw. They’ve already won a knockout game this week. Northwestern are heavy favourites, but Saint Joseph’s have nothing to lose and they’ve shown they can hang around in a tight game.
Wagner’s fairytale continues in College Park
The other game everyone will be watching is at noon ET in College Park, where No. 2 Maryland host Wagner. The Seahawks are the story of the tournament so far. First-ever NCAA appearance, first NEC title after a 3-2 overtime win over Sacred Heart, and then a 1-0 win over Fairfield on Wednesday for the programme’s first NCAA tournament victory. They’re 12-7 and 8-0 in the NEC, and Floortje Leunisse leads them with 13 goals and 32 points.
Maryland are 18-2, and both of those losses came against Northwestern, the latest a 3-0 defeat in the Big Ten final. The Terps beat Ohio State and Iowa to reach that final, and Francisca Eschoyez leads them with 12 goals. This is Maryland’s first NCAA home game since 2023, and the two programmes have never met. Wagner’s run has been brilliant, but this is a big step up. Maryland at home, with a point to prove after Sunday, are a different animal.
The second game at the Maryland site is No. 7 Iowa against Duke at 2:30pm ET. Iowa are 13-5, Duke are 12-5, and there’s nothing between them on paper.
The other two sites
At Storrs, No. 4 UConn host Lafayette at noon ET. UConn are 15-2 and unbeaten at home, 6-0, but they lost the Big East final 2-1 to Old Dominion on Sunday and had to settle for an at-large bid. Lafayette are 17-2, Patriot League champions, and up to No. 14 in the NFHCA poll. The Leopards won’t be fazed by the trip. The second game at Storrs is No. 5 Princeton against Syracuse at 2:30pm ET. Princeton are 13-5 with wins over Northwestern, Yale and Saint Joseph’s this season. Syracuse are 12-6. The Tigers are favourites, but Princeton have lost five games this season and all five were by shootout. They don’t lose hockey games in normal time. They lose lotteries.
At Cambridge, No. 3 Harvard host Old Dominion at noon ET. Harvard are 15-2 and the No. 3 seeds, and they’re at home. Old Dominion are 15-4 and fresh off beating UConn to win the Big East, so they arrive with real momentum. That’s a dangerous combination: a confident underdog against a host that hasn’t lost much. The second game there is No. 6 Yale against UMass at 2:30pm ET. Yale are 14-3, Ivy League champions. UMass are 18-2, one of the best records in the whole field, and they’ve been waiting for a stage like this.
The last tie of the day is No. 8 North Carolina against Miami (Ohio) at 3:30pm ET in Evanston. North Carolina are 12-7 and in their 43rd NCAA tournament. Miami are 15-4, MAC champions. The Tar Heels are seeded, but Miami have won 15 games for a reason.
Eight ties, four winners’ brackets, and the second round follows on Sunday. For our money, Northwestern and Maryland should both get through, but the Harvard-Old Dominion game is the one that could blow up. Old Dominion just beat UConn. They won’t be scared of anyone.
