MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – The Long Island University hockey team will compete in postseason competition for the first time in 2026 as participants in the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Cup. The tournament will be held March 5-7, 2026, at the Centene Community Ice Center just outside of St. Louis.

Other participating teams include the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Stonehill College, and the host institution, Lindenwood University. The five-team field will include a play-in game, with all teams guaranteed at least two games over the three-day competition.

"This is such a great opportunity for our players to be able to work towards and play for something at the end of the season," said head coach Brendan Riley. "I can't overstate how important something like this is for our student-athletes and their college hockey experience. We are all very grateful for the hard work that everyone has put in to be able to pull something like this off and to Lindenwood for hosting this great event."

Tickets for the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Cup will go on sale August 1 and can be purchased at lindenwoodlions.com.

The Sharks enter next season on the heels of the most successful season in program history. In 2024-2025, LIU set a new program record with 20 wins and went 14-1 at home, compiling the best home record in college hockey. The Sharks finished the season as the highest-ranked independent team in the country.