MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Men's ACHA Hockey team enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in program history during the 2025-26 campaign, capturing the Northern Collegiate Hockey League (NCHL) Black Division regular season championship, advancing to the ACHA Division II Central Regional Tournament, and earning numerous individual accolades along the way.
The Falcons finished the season with an impressive 22-15 overall record and an 8-2 mark in NCHL play. Concordia's conference success led to a first-place finish in the NCHL Black Division, establishing the Falcons as one of the top programs in the league throughout the season.
The year began in dramatic fashion on September 19 when Concordia opened the season with a thrilling 5-4 victory over Wisconsin. The Falcons carried that momentum into conference play, earning their first NCHL victory in their conference opener with a 5-4 overtime win against DePaul.
Throughout the season, Concordia consistently proved itself as one of the conference's elite teams. The Falcons closed out NCHL Black Division play with a series victory over Marquette, securing the regular season championship and earning favorable positioning entering the postseason.
A major reason for the Falcons' success was their dominance in conference statistical categories. Chuck Emme emerged as one of the premier players in ACHA Division II hockey, leading the NCHL in both goals (45) and points (73). Garrett Wilderman paced the conference with 38 assists, while Austin Bartell anchored the Falcons between the pipes, leading the league with 1,057 saves and 17 victories.
Concordia carried its regular season success into the NCHL Hap Cup Playoffs. The Falcons opened postseason play with an emphatic 8-2 quarterfinal victory over Aurora, advancing to the semifinals. Their championship run came to an end against Marian, falling by a 4-2 score in a hard-fought contest.
Despite the semifinal setback, the Falcons earned a berth into the ACHA Division II Central Regional Tournament as they continued their pursuit of a national tournament appearance. Entering the regional tournament as the ninth seed, Concordia delivered one of the tournament's early surprises with a 3-1 victory over eighth-seeded Purdue Northwest on February 20. The upset victory moved the Falcons one step closer to the ACHA National Tournament before their season concluded the following day in a tightly contested 2-1 overtime loss to Schoolcraft.
The Falcons' success was recognized throughout the conference and region with multiple postseason honors.
Emme capped off a remarkable season by being named NCHL Player of the Year while also earning First Team All-NCHL honors. Wilderman and Nolan Judge joined Emme on the First Team All-NCHL squad, while Bartell earned Second Team All-NCHL recognition.
Jackson Lord was selected to the NCHL All-Freshman Team after an impressive debut season.
The accolades continued at the regional and national levels. Emme earned ACHA Division II National All-Athletic honors, was selected to the All-Central Region First Team, and was named Central Region Player of the Year. Bartell also received All-Central Region First Team honors following his outstanding season on the net, while Wilderman joined his teammates on the All-Central Region First Team after leading the conference in assists.
Finishing in first for the black division, postseason victories, regional tournament appearance, and multiple conference and national award winners, the Falcons established themselves as one of the top teams in ACHA Division II and set a strong foundation for continued success rolling into the 2026-27 season.
