The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543845
APRIL 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 45 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE M ichigan missed the NCAA Tour- nament last season, and head coach Brandon Naurato vowed to "never again" be in that spot. The coaching staff went to work right away to make sure it wouldn't happen, building a ros- ter and fostering a culture that would be able to compete for championships. Months later, it's hard not to look back and admire the jump the Wolverines made, but the job's not finished. "We're proud that, since my senior year in '08-09, this is the most regula- tion wins Michigan has had in the regu- lar season, and that's great and we clap for about two seconds and then go back to work, because we really haven't ac- complished anything," Naurato, a for- mer U-M player, said on WCSX radio. Michigan stumbled down the stretch, splitting its last two series (at No. 13 Wisconsin, versus unranked Minne- sota), but it created such a high standard for itself. After their final regular-sea- son games, the Wolverines were ranked No. 1 in the nation in the USCHO poll and the NCAA Percentage Index, which is the official system for selecting and seeding teams for the tournament. The Wolverines concluded the regular season with a 26-7-1 overall record and 17-6-1 conference mark. The No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, they'll host No. 7 seed Notre Dame in the quarter- finals March 11 at Yost Ice Arena, in a one-and-done playoff format. Regular-season champs MSU earned the No. 1 seed and a bye into the semis. Michigan is looking for its first Big Ten Tournament title since 2022-23, and then its eyes will be on the ultimate prize — taking home the program's first national championship since 1997-98. The NCAA Frozen Four will be held in Las Vegas for the first time ever, at T- Mobile Arena April 9-11. "We're always dialed in. Especially af- ter the way last season went, it feels like nine months of being dialed in," Naurato said. "But, what I've learned as a coach, there are a lot of things that are outside of your control, so I'm not worried about myself and my staff being dialed in, I'm worried about 27 players and just making sure that they're in the right head space and understanding where they are and what's going on in their lives so that they can be the best version of themselves when the puck drops. "It's the best time of the year. The guys are jacked up. Senior night was so much fun, a lot of emotions. Just looking back on the story of these guys and how they've grown up as young men is pretty cool. It's the best time of the year, and this is why you work so hard in the off- season and all the prep from the coaching staff and the players to hopefully per- form and execute at the most important time of the year." You don't just prepare, though, you visualize. Naurato does that daily, en- visioning Michigan on top of the sport. "Yeah, every morning, and then every pregame before every game," Naurato noted. "A lot of manifestation, a lot of meditation. It's helped a lot this year for me, in the mornings." On the night of April 11, it might just become a reality. ❏ ❱ MICHIGAN HOCKEY Michigan Enters 'Best Time Of The Year' Head coach Brandon Naurato leads his No. 1-ranked Wolverines into the postseason with champi- onship goals, after compiling a regular-season record of 26-7-1, including 17-6-1 in the Big Ten. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY REMAINING 2026 SCHEDULE (26-7-1 OVERALL; 17-6-1 B1G) Date Opponent Result/Time (TV) Jan. 3 U.S. NTDP U-18 Team* W, 7-5 Jan. 9 NOTRE DAME W, 5-2 Jan. 10 NOTRE DAME W, 7-4 Jan. 16 at Minnesota W, 5-1 Jan. 17 at Minnesota W, 3-2 (OT) Jan. 30 at Ohio State W, 6-4 Jan. 31 at Ohio State W, 3-2 (OT) Feb. 6 Michigan State W, 4-3 (OT) Feb. 7 vs. Michigan State# L, 5-2 Feb. 13 PENN STATE T, 4-4 (SO, W 1-0) Feb. 14 PENN STATE W, 6-3 Feb. 20 at Wisconsin L, 4-1 Feb. 21 at Wisconsin W, 3-1 Feb. 26 MINNESOTA L, 4-2 Feb. 27 MINNESOTA W, 4-2 Mar. 5 SIMON FRASER* (exhib.) W, 8-1 Mar. 11 NOTRE DAME (Big Ten QF) 7 p.m. Mar. 14 Big Ten Semifinal TBD Mar. 21 Big Ten Championship TBD Mar. 27-29 NCAA Regional TBD Apr. 9-11 NCAA Frozen Four Las Vegas All times Eastern; * Exhibition games; # Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena