Rivier goalie Sawyer Gagnon (1) and defenseman Adam Hailey celebrate after the Raiders won the GNAC men's lacrosse title Saturday at Merrill Field. The Raiders will host Maine Maritime in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament on Wednesday at 4 p.m.(Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – They’re still the host of the postseason party.

The difference for the Rivier University men’s lacrosse team is that party is now the NCAA Division III Tournament, and the Raiders will host Maine Maritime on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the first round at Joanne Merrill Field.

It’s Rivier’s first-ever men’s lacrosse NCAA tourney appearance, and it may be the first time the Raiders have ever hosted an NCAA tourney game in any sport.

Rivier was home for three Great Northeast Athletic Conference playoff games last week, including this past Saturday’s 9-7 championship win over Lasell.

Now the Raiders, thanks to their 16-1 record and request with the NCAA to host, get their wish as they will welcome the North Atlantic Conference champions. The NCAA tourney committee announced the 40-team field Sunday night on its selection show at NCAA.com.

“Hosting is a great opportunity for our guys,” Rivier coach Jay Delanoy said, “vs. a very talented and well-coached MMA team.”

Maine Maritime is 10-5, and this is its third trip to the NCAAs, as the Mariners were in the tourney in 2022 and 2023. They have faced the Raiders twice in their history, and Rivier won both times: 14-5 in 2015 and more recently, 11-9 in 2022.

MMA is currently riding a six game win streak, and beat SUNY-Delhi Sunday in a 14-12 comeback in the NAC title game. But, that’s nothing compared to the 14-game streak the Raiders, led by forwards Connor Eck, Chris Heitmiller and Michael Ference and a nationally ranked defense in front of goalie Sawyer Gagnon, are on.

The winner of Wednesday’s game will travel to face Bowdoin this Saturday, May 10 at 12 p.m. in the second round.

Rivier and Maine Maritime are two of 27 automatic qualifiers for the NCAAs, which also has 13 at-large berths making a 40-team tourney that will wrap up on May 25 with the national championship at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.