Arizona State hockey waited to three weeks to hear the words "you're in" officially uttered.

That time finally arrived Sunday – 22 days after ASU's final regular season game – with the announcement of the 16-team NCAA Tournament field that for the first time includes the Sun Devils.

No. 14-ranked ASU (21-12-1) believed since before losses at Minnesota on March 1-2 that it had done enough to make the postseason in its fourth Division I season and third playing a full NCAA schedule as an independent.

But the Sun Devils had to wait out six conference tournaments, which concluded Saturday, before even the slightest lingering doubt could be erased and ASU was assigned to one of four NCAA single-elimination regionals.

Not surprisingly, ASU (No. 3 seed) will play in one of three east-coast regionals, opening at 4:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN3) against No. 7-ranked Quinnipiac (25-9-2) in Allentown, Pa.

The ASU-Quinnipiac (No. 2 seed) winner faces the winner between No. 4-ranked Minnesota-Duluth (No. 1 seed) and Bowling Green (No. 4 seed) in the regional final on March 31.

"I'm really excited for our players and everybody that's played before them," ASU coach Greg Powers said. "Now we have to be focused on not just being content on making it and going and doing some damage."

After a team selection show gathering at Papago Golf Course, ASU junior goalie Joey Daccord said what ASU has accomplished "really hit me watching the show. I honestly got a little emotional. It's an extremely special moment for myself, the program, the school.

"There was one time before the show even started where I looked around and there were so many people here. It really helps you understand how many people it takes to have a program and make it so successful."

Other regionals are in Fargo, N.D. (starting Friday), Manchester, N.H. (Friday), and Providence, R.I. (Saturday). Winners advance to the Frozen Four, April 11-13 in Buffalo.

ASU has not faced Quinnipiac this season and is 3-6-1 against teams that are in the NCAA field. The Sun Devils went 5-4-1 in games vs. teams that wound up as conference champions or runner-ups including Penn State and Boston College, who did not make the postseason.

Conference champions are Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC), Minnesota State (WCHA), Clarkson (ECAC), Northeastern (Hockey East), Notre Dame (Big Ten) and American International (Atlantic).

Minnesota-Duluth is the defending national champion, beating Notre Dame in the 2018 final.

ASU is the first independent to make the NCAA Tournament since Alaska Anchorage in 1992.

The Sun Devils are led by sophomore Johnny Walker, tied for second nationally with 23 goals, and Daccord, a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award for the nation's top goalie. Walker missed the Minnesota games due to injury but will be back for the postseason.

"I'll be good to go," Walker said. "You don't get to play in a tournament like this, it might be once in a lifetime. Hockey players are either hurt or injured, and I'm definitely not injured.

"I had to really work for everything just like everyone here has. Everyone kind of their whole life has been told no, and we've worked hard enough where people can't tell us no any more. Now we're going to go to Allentown and make some noise."

ASU will be without defenseman Jacob Wilson for the next two games due to suspension for his ejection in the second game vs. Minnesota.

The Sun Devils played Quinnipiac last season, tying 2-2 at Oceanside Ice Arena and losing 5-3 at Gila River Arena.

"There's no layups in the tournament," Powers said. "Everybody that gets in is really good. There's been years where the last seed has won. Quinnipiac is an unbelievable program. They have one of the very best coaches (Rand Pecknold) in college hockey, who I have a tremendous amount of respect for. Our work is going to be cut out for us in more ways than one, but it's going to a great honor to play in our very first tournament game against such a prominent program."

NCAA Tournament regionals

Fargo, N.D. (Friday-Saturday): No. 1 seed St. Cloud State vs. No. 4 American International; No. 2 Denver University vs No. 3 Ohio State.

Manchester, N.H. (Friday-Saturday): No. 1 Massachusetts vs. No. 4 Harvard; No. 2 Clarkson vs. No. 3 Notre Dame.

Providence, R.I. (Saturday-Sunday): No. 1 Minnesota State vs. No. 4 Providence; No. 2 Northeastern vs. No. 3 Cornell.

Allentown, Pa. (Saturday-Sunday): No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth vs. No. 4 Bowling Green; No. 2 Quinnipiac vs. No. 3 Arizona State.

Reach the reporter at jeff.metcalfe@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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