Alexandria, MN (Mar. 25, 2026)
For more information, contact: [email protected]
The NorthStar Knights are excited to share that a record six alumni have made the NCAA Tournament, competing for a national championship. Dylan Cook (Bentley University), Ben Strinden (University of North Dakota), Reese Laubach (Penn State University), Cody Croal (University of North Dakota), Jakob Stender (Minnesota State University, Mankato), and Anthony Menghini (University of North Dakota) will represent NorthStar on college hockey’s biggest stage.
The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship begins with regional semifinals on March 26-27, as 16 teams across four regions compete for a spot in the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. For these six alumni, it marks another step in their progression at the Division I level and an opportunity to compete for a national title.
During their time with the Knights, this group established itself as one of the most productive stretches in program history. Four of the six alumni rank inside the top 10 all-time in points per game, led by Cody Croal (1.69), Reese Laubach (1.65), Dylan Cook (1.58), and Anthony Menghini (1.30), with Ben Strinden also among the program’s most productive players at 1.18. From the blue line, Jakob Stender ranks third all-time among NorthStar defensemen in points per game at 0.81.
The group’s success was built across multiple seasons, with key overlap throughout the program. Stender, Menghini, and Strinden were teammates on the 2019-20 team, while the 2020-21 roster featured Laubach, Cook, Croal, and Menghini, forming a core that helped establish the foundation of NorthStar’s culture.
At the NCAA level this season, the group has continued to make an impact across multiple programs. Jakob Stender, a junior, has averaged 17 minutes per game at Minnesota State, helping lead the Mavericks to a CCHA Championship, while sophomore Dylan Cook contributed to Bentley’s Atlantic Hockey Championship run as the Falcons return to the NCAA Tournament after a strong showing against Boston College in last year’s opening round.
Junior Reese Laubach, a draft pick of the San Jose Sharks, returns to the tournament after helping Penn State reach the Frozen Four last season, while Stender also brings prior NCAA Tournament experience. At North Dakota, senior Ben Strinden, a Nashville Predators draft pick, along with junior Anthony Menghini and sophomore Cody Croal, have been part of a team that has reestablished itself among the nation’s elite, finishing the regular season ranked No. 2 overall. Strinden leads the group offensively with 33 points (15G, 18A), while Laubach has added 28 points (12G, 16A) at Penn State. Menghini and Croal have each contributed double-digit point totals, continuing to play key roles for a program competing at the top of the national rankings.
From their time at NorthStar to junior hockey and now the NCAA Tournament, these six alumni have followed a consistent path of development and progression. Now, they take the next step, competing on college hockey’s biggest stage with a national championship on the line. We wish them the best of luck.
Opening round matchups begin this week: North Dakota faces Merrimack on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 PM CT on ESPN2; Bentley takes on Michigan on Friday, March 27 at 4:30 PM CT on ESPNU; and Minnesota State meets Western Michigan on Friday, March 27 at 1:30 PM CT on ESPNU.