Haven't we met somewhere before?
 
Ever since the Grand Canyon University Women's Hockey team closed out its regular season schedule with an impressive road sweep over archrival Arizona State University, the Lopes (20-11 overall, 9-5 WWCHL) have experienced nothing but deja vu from a year ago. 4^th seed at the Western Women's Collegiate Hockey League Playoffs. Losing to top-seeded University of Colorado in the first round – and in overtime again. Rebounding with a win in the 2^nd round to barely advance to the final round. Facing – you guessed it – CU again in the finals. Upsetting the Buffaloes the second time around and becoming the Cinderella team again in the 12-team field of the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1 National Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.
 
The flashbacks continued again this week as organizers unveiled the field and matchups for the five-day national tournament that begins March 18. The Lopes are again seeded 12^th, and once more, will not just face top-seeded Liberty University (Virginia) in their first game, but wind up pool play two days later against the team that helped them create program history in 2025: Niagara University (New York), the No. 8 seed.

For the Lopes, this is where they hope the repeats end – at least in terms of the inability to escape pool play to reach the ACHA Final Four. To accomplish that feat, they'll have to pull off an accomplishment only one team has done since the Lopes faced off against them at this time last year: defeat Liberty. The Flames moved on last March after a 7-0 defeat of GCU to roll their way to hoisting their 6^th national championship trophy in seven years. Since then, only Jamestown University (the 10^th seed in this year's tournament) has vanquished the Flames in their 34 games this season.

Meanwhile, Niagara comes to the second-round matchup seeking revenge after becoming the answer to one of GCU Women's Hockey's favorite trivia questions: who did the Lopes beat to win their only national tournament game? The 3-2 Lopes' upset last March sent the Purple Eagles home from Missouri without a win, and NU – who competes as an independent – still impressed the pollsters enough with their tough non-conference schedule to make an 11-11 record enough for tournament inclusion. They played 16 games this year against teams in the national tournament field (including four losses to Liberty), winning four – the last two finishing off the regular season against 11^th-seeded University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

"Our perspective on the tournament this year is one of increased confidence compared to last season," said Lopes" Head Coach Reid Miller. "We are no longer the newcomers to the event, and we believe we represented ourselves well last year. Our group has achieved a great deal throughout this season, and we are eager for the opportunity to add to those accomplishments."

The Lopes, meanwhile, split a total of four games this season against tournament teams – all of those against the 9^th-seeded Sun Devils. GCU may be one of the most dangerous #12 seeds in recent memory, though, since they enter the tournament having won 13 of their last 15 games, and have already reached the 20-win plateau, thereby obliterating the previous team record for most wins in a season (15 in 2024-25). The Lopes play the late game of the day in each of their pool play games, facing off against the Flames on Wednesday, March 18 and Niagara on Friday, March 20 at 6PM Arizona time both nights. The ACHA will crown its champion on Sunday, March 22.