KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan makes its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, with play beginning on Friday, March 29 against Michigan State. The winner will get either North Dakota or Michigan in the regional final on Sunday. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos dropped their NCHC Quarterfinal series to St. Cloud State, falling in the final game of the best-of-three series. The Broncos' lone win of the series was a 6-1 triumph on March 16. 

HISTORY IS MADE
The 2023-24 Broncos made history when they heard their name called on Sunday, March 24 during ESPN's Division I Men's Hockey Selection Show. 

For the first time in program history, Western Michigan has made three consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Prior to the last three seasons, the only other back-to-back season with tournament berths was 2011 and 2012. 

In 2022, the Brown and Gold earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament and picked up the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. The Broncos upended Northeastern, 2-1, in overtime. 

FANTASTIC 40
Under head coach Pat Ferschweiler, Western Michigan has routinely been able to feature elite point producers. 

Last season, Ryan McAllister, Jason Polin and Max Sasson all reached the 40-point mark. This season, Luke Grainger, Dylan Wendt and Sam Colangelo are above that number as well. 

The program hasn't seen back-to-back seasons having three or more 40-point scorers since 1994-95/1995-96. During that 1994-95 season, Jamal Mayers, Chris Brooks, Jeremy Brown and Brian Gallentine all hit the mark. The following season, Brown, Brooks and Justin Cardwell all surpassed 40 points.  

VETERANS LEAD THE WAY
When Western Michigan hits the ice for its NCAA Tournament game against Michigan State on Friday night, it will do so with a wealth of experience. 

The Broncos have 16 seniors, including 15 that have been to an NCAA Tournament game. Tim Washe had an assist in last year's NCAA Tournament against Boston University, while Luke Grainger scored the game-winning goal against Northeastern in 2021-22.

On the season, WMU's senior class has combined for 235 points on 81 goals and 154 assists. 

RECRUIT, DEVELOP, WIN
Western Michigan has been known for developing talent, and this year is nothing different for the Broncos. 

Heading into NCAA Tournament play, 10 players have at least one new career high between goals, assists and points. Those players include: Joe Cassetti, Sam Colangelo, Matteo Costantini, Luke Grainger, Chad Hillebrand, Daniel Hilsendager, Cam Knuble, Ethan Phillips, Wyatt Schingoethe and Dylan Wendt. 

Wendt has made the biggest leap, scoring 21 more points than he did last season. He leads the team with 23 goals and has 43 total points. He had 25 career points heading into the 2023-24 season. 

Colangelo (18), Grainger (15) and Hillebrand (12) have at least 10 more points than they did last season. Hillebrand's 26 points this season match the total he produced in his first three years in Kalamazoo. 

JOINING THE 100-POINT CLUB
Senior captain Luke Grainger surpassed 100 career points in WMU's NCHC Quarterfinal series at St. Cloud State a couple weeks ago. He became the 61st player in program history to hit the century mark. 

The last player to accomplish that feat in the Brown and Gold was Ethen Frank in 2021-22. Grainger has had a career senior season, posting 47 points on 14 goals and 33 assists in 37 games. 

RELYING ON ROWE
Senior goaltender Cameron Rowe has played every minute of every game for the Broncos this season, registering a 21-15-1 record, 2.41 goals against average, .905 save percentage, 845 saves and two shutouts. He is second in the NCHC in GAA. 

Rowe is one of five active NCAA goaltenders to have 50 or more career wins. Rowe sits at 54 victories joining Michigan Tech's Blake Pietila, Michigan's Jake Barczewski, Minnesota's Justen Close and RIT's Tommy Scarfone. 

Rowe picked up 11 wins while at Wisconsin and has 43 victories with the Broncos. He has 20 or more wins each of the last two seasons in the Brown and Gold and boasts a 2.42 goals against average, .907 save percentage and five shutouts in two years at WMU. 

BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE
The NCHC announced All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams earlier this month, with Western Michigan being well represented. 

Freshman Alex Bump was a near unanimous choice for the All-Rookie Team after dominating throughout the conference regular season. In 24 NCHC games, the young winger produced 20 points on eight goals and 12 assists. 

On the season, the Minnesota native has 34 points on 13 goals and 21 assists. 

Outside of Bump, Luke Grainger and Sam Colangelo were named All-Conference performers. 

Grainger earned Second Team honors after finishing the NCHC season with 24 points on nine goals and 15 assists. Among forwards, he ranked fourth in the NCHC in assists and fifth in points. In 34 games this season, the captain leads the team with 47 points. He has 14 goals and 33 assists. 

During the NCHC Awards Banquet, Grainger was also honored as the league's Senior Scholar Athlete. The senior captain has a 3.71 GPA in Finance and is a four-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar Athlete. 

Colangelo was named to the Honorable Mention All-NCHC Team, concluding the conference season with 24 points on 11 goals and 13 assists. Among forwards, he was fifth in the league in points and seventh in goals. On the season, the senior forward has 42 points on 23 goals and 19 assists.  

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Michigan State enters the tournament as a No. 1 seed and won both the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships. 

The Broncos are 6-3-1 in their last 10 against the Spartans, including a 3-1 victory in the last meeting back in 2021. 

MSU is led by freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov, who has 34 points on nine goals and 25 assists this season. Aiding the attack have been Karsen Dorwart, Isaac Howard and Joey Larson. That trio has combined to score 97 points on 37 goals and 60 assists. 

In net, Trey Augustine has started 33 games this season, boasting a 22-8-2 record, .918 save percentage and 2.88 goals against average. Luca Di Pasquo has played in five games for the Green and White, posting a 2-1-1 record, .910 save percentage and 2.41 goals against average. 

50 YEARS OF BRONCO HOCKEY
Throughout the season, WMU has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of varsity hockey, which has included a 50th anniversary logo at center ice and tributes to former players and coaches. 

On Jan. 26-27, the program welcomed back a bunch of former players and coaches for alumni weekend at Lawson Arena. The weekend series began with a special recognition of former WMU captain Danny DeKeyser, who was recently inducted into the Bronco Athletic Hall of Fame. 

The Broncos also had a ceremonial puck drop with Rob Hodge and Bernie Saunders to go along with a special in-game tribute to welcome back all of the former players and coaches that came back to Kalamazoo for the weekend.

Throughout the season, Western Michigan has honored former coach Bill Wilkinson, former captains Ryan Mahrle, Brian Tulik and Brent Brekke, former NHLer Joe Corvo, former teammates Derek Roehl and Brett Beebe and former off-ice official Bill Saunders. 

CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Since early in the 2021-22 season Western Michigan has been consistently among the top teams in the nation, and the polls reflect that. WMU has made three NCAA Tournaments and cracked the top-five of the USCHO poll each of the last two seasons. 

The Broncos have been ranked in the top-20 since Oct. 11, 2021 and currently sit at No. 13 in the nation. 

ALL-TIME NCAA TOURNAMENT RESULTS
• 1986 vs. Harvard (Cambridge, Mass.) L, 2-4, 2-7
• 1993 vs. Wisconsin (Albany, N.Y.) L, 3-6
• 1996 vs. Clarkson (Albany, N.Y.) L, 1-6
• 2011 vs. Denver (Green Bay, Wis.) L, 2-3 2OT
• 2012 vs. North Dakota (St. Paul, Minn.) L, 1-3
• 2017 vs. Air Force (Providence, R.I.) L, 4-5
• 2022 vs. Northeastern (Worcester, Mass.) W, 2-1, OT
• 2022 vs. Minnesota (Worcester, Mass.) L, 0-3
• 2023 vs. Boston University (Manchester, NH) L, 1-5
• 2024 vs. Michigan State (Maryland Heights, Mo.) TBD

ALL-TIME NCAA POINTS LEADER
• 3 - Troy Thrun 2 gp, 1-2-3 (1986)
• Several tied at 2 points

ALL-TIME NCAA GOALS LEADER
• 2 - Dan Dorion (1986), Frederick Tiffels (2017)

SINGLE GAME NCAA GOALS LEADER
• Dan Dorion - 2 vs. Harvard, 3/22/1986
• Frederick Tiffels - 2 vs. Air Force, 3/24/2017

SINGLE GAME NCAA ASSISTS LEADER
• Matheson Iacopelli - 2 vs. Air Force, 3/24/2017

MOST SAVES IN A NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME
• Jerry Kuhn - 35 vs. Denver, 3/18/2011