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 assigned to one of four NCAA single-elimination regionals.