Quinnipiac to Return to Belfast in 2027 Friendship Four
9/23/2025 2:00:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
BOSTON — In an event at the Massachusetts Statehouse on Tuesday afternoon, the Odyssey Trust announced the next three fields of the Friendship Four, held at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the Quinnipiac men's ice hockey program will participate in the 2027 version of the tournament. It will be the program's second return to Belfast in the last five years, with the Bobcats ringing the bell as champions in the 2022 version.
The field will feature national powers making their way across the Atlantic Ocean, with Wisconsin, North Dakota and Northeastern also slated to participate in the tournament.
The Bobcats defeated fellow ECAC foe Dartmouth in the semifinals in 2022 before tying UMass in the final and winning the shootout to capture the Belpot Bell for the first time in program history. It will be the third overall trip to the tournament for Quinnipiac.
Steve Thornton, Sports Director at The Odyssey Trust, said: "Reaching the 10-year anniversary of the Friendship Four is a remarkable achievement and a celebration of everything the tournament has come to represent. Over the past decade, Belfast has welcomed some of the top NCAA teams and inspired new generations of fans. As we look to the future, we are thrilled to confirm three outstanding lineups for 2026, 2027, and 2028, which promise to deliver more unforgettable hockey memories at The SSE Arena."
Deputy Director of Athletics and Quinnipiac ice hockey administrator Sarah Fraser was on hand for the event, representing the Bobcats in a ceremony that featured all teams represented in the upcoming versions of one of college hockey's most sought after trophies.
Quinnipiac's win in 2022 was just the start of its national championship run, the first of five trophies the Bobcats secured during that season. Games and times will be announced at a later date.
For an inside look at the Quinnipiac men's ice hockey program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_MIH or go to gobobcats.com/mih.
The field will feature national powers making their way across the Atlantic Ocean, with Wisconsin, North Dakota and Northeastern also slated to participate in the tournament.
The Bobcats defeated fellow ECAC foe Dartmouth in the semifinals in 2022 before tying UMass in the final and winning the shootout to capture the Belpot Bell for the first time in program history. It will be the third overall trip to the tournament for Quinnipiac.
Steve Thornton, Sports Director at The Odyssey Trust, said: "Reaching the 10-year anniversary of the Friendship Four is a remarkable achievement and a celebration of everything the tournament has come to represent. Over the past decade, Belfast has welcomed some of the top NCAA teams and inspired new generations of fans. As we look to the future, we are thrilled to confirm three outstanding lineups for 2026, 2027, and 2028, which promise to deliver more unforgettable hockey memories at The SSE Arena."
Deputy Director of Athletics and Quinnipiac ice hockey administrator Sarah Fraser was on hand for the event, representing the Bobcats in a ceremony that featured all teams represented in the upcoming versions of one of college hockey's most sought after trophies.
Quinnipiac's win in 2022 was just the start of its national championship run, the first of five trophies the Bobcats secured during that season. Games and times will be announced at a later date.
For an inside look at the Quinnipiac men's ice hockey program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_MIH or go to gobobcats.com/mih.
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