For the first time in school history, the UW-Stout hockey team has been invited to participate in the NCAA Division III Ice Hockey Championships.

The Blue Devils (18-8-3) will travel to St. Thomas, Wednesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. The Tommies won the automatic berth by defeating Hamline University, 4-1, in the Minnesota Intercollgiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) tournament.

Stout and St. Thomas met on Nov. 20, 2007, in St. Paul, Minn, and the two teams played to a 3-3 tie. Stout's Joel Gaulrapp (So, Owatonna, Minn) scored with 54 seconds remaining in regulation to forge the tie. Stout won the 2006-07 meeting, 4-3.

The sixth ranked Tommies (19-6-2) are making their 13th trip into the NCAA playoffs, while Stout is making their first foray into the Big Dance.

Nick Pernula is the Tommie's leading scorer with 39 points (12 goals, 17 assists). Nate Ryan has scored 18 goals to lead the Tommies and has 17 assists.

The 11th ranked Blue Devils are led by Derek Hanson (So, Bemidji, Minn) with 41 points (21g, 20a). Gaulrapp has 18 goals and 17 assists.

The winner advances to play top-seeded St. Norbert College, Saturday, March 15 in Green Bay.