The annual NCAA women's ice hockey tournament—officially known as the National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Championship—is a college ice hockey tournament held in the United States by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the top women's team in the NCAA.
| NCAA women's ice hockey tournament | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sport | College ice hockey |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Format | Single-elimination tournament |
| Current stadium | Pegula Ice Arena |
| Current location | University Park, Pennsylvania |
| Played | 2001–present |
| Last contest | 2026 |
| Current champion | Wisconsin Badgers (9th title) |
| Most championships | Wisconsin Badgers (9) |
| TV partner | ESPNU |
| Official website | ncaa.com/sports/icehockey-women/nc |
Unlike most NCAA sports, women's ice hockey uses a modified version of the National Collegiate championship format, which means Division I and Division II teams compete against each other in the same tournament.
The semifinals and championship game of the tournament are branded as the women's "Frozen Four", a reference to the NCAA's long-time branding of its basketball semi-finals as the "Final Four".
Origins
editThe NCAA championship of women's ice hockey began in 2001, although several universities had had women's teams established since the early 1970s.
In 1965, the first collegiate women's ice hockey team in the United States was created at Brown University. In February 1966, the team, named the "Pembroke Pandas", played its first match. Their opponents were the Walpole Brooms, a non-collegiate team. The women's ice hockey program of Cornell University began in 1971. The Big Red team competed in its first match in 1972, which it won 4–3, against Scarborough. In 1972, they played eight matches and lost half, including two defeats against the Pembroke Pandas. Yale University made its debut in women's hockey on December 9, 1975. The University of Minnesota Duluth, the University of New Hampshire, and the rest of the Ivy League schools have similar histories.[1]
In 1976, Brown University would host the first ever Ivy League women's ice hockey tournament. Competitors in the tournament included Princeton, Yale, and Cornell, which won the tournament. Women's ice hockey continued growth and acceptance continued through the early 1980s.[1] In 1984, the Providence Friars won the inaugural ECAC women's ice hockey championship.
In the 1997–98 season, the American Women's College Hockey Alliance (AWCHA) made its debut. It was financed by the United States Olympic Committee.[2] This allowed for the first national women's ice hockey championship to occur, which was won by New Hampshire. The 1997–98 season also saw the creation of the Patty Kazmaier Award, designed to recognize the most remarkable women's collegiate ice hockey player every season. The AWCHA also conducted championships in 1999 and 2000, which were won by Harvard and Minnesota respectively.
During the 1999–2000 season, WCHA joined the ECAC in an attempt to make women's ice hockey an NCAA sanctioned sport. In August 2000, the NCAA announced that it would set up a national division of women's ice hockey with a national championship at the end of every season, starting with the 2000–01 season. The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs won the inaugural tournament defeating the St. Lawrence Skating Saints 4–2 in the championship game.
NCAA Division I women's ice hockey
editIn all, 44 schools in the United States, ranging from the Midwest to the East Coast, sponsor varsity women's hockey at the National Collegiate (Divisions I and II) level. Five National Collegiate conferences are currently recognized by the NCAA—Atlantic Hockey America, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, New England Women's Hockey Alliance, and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
Format
editUnder NCAA rules, Division II schools are allowed to compete as Division I members in sports in which a D-II championship is not contested.[3][4] As there is no Division II championship for women's ice hockey, this rule applies to the tournament. The official name of the "Division I" tournament is the National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Championship, which reflects the NCAA's formal terminology for championship events that are open to schools from multiple divisions.
This tournament is a single elimination competition of eleven teams. The semi-finals and final are called the "Women's Frozen Four." This moniker is similar to the name used by the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship. The term is derived from the term "Final four."
The Patty Kazmaier Award ceremony takes place annually during Women's Frozen Four weekend.
History
editAlthough many schools from many conferences have been competitive, the first 13 championships were won by only three different schools all originating from the WCHA: Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In 2014, the WCHA's hold on the championship was finally broken when Clarkson defeated Minnesota. In 2022, Ohio State won the national championship, making them the 4th WCHA team to win. The ECAC, from which Clarkson originated, has easily been the second most competitive conference, with eleven appearances in ten national title games, including the first five games. Hockey East has had four title game appearances, twice by Boston University and once each by Boston College and Northeastern. Atlantic Hockey America played its first season in 2024–25; its women's predecessor, CHA, had one title game appearance, by Mercyhurst in 2009. The 2020 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6][7]
| Year | Champion | Coach | Score | Runner-up | Coach | City | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Minnesota Duluth | Shannon Miller | 4–2 | St. Lawrence | Paul Flanagan | Minneapolis, MN | Mariucci Arena |
| 2002 | Minnesota Duluth (2) | Shannon Miller | 3–2 | Brown | Digit Murphy | Durham, NH | Whittemore Center |
| 2003 | Minnesota Duluth (3) | Shannon Miller | 4–3 (2OT) | Harvard | Katey Stone | Duluth, MN | DECC Arena |
| 2004 | Minnesota | Laura Halldorson | 6–2 | Harvard | Katey Stone | Providence, RI | Dunkin' Donuts Center |
| 2005 | Minnesota (2) | Laura Halldorson | 4–3 | Harvard | Katey Stone | Durham, NH | Whittemore Center |
| 2006 | Wisconsin | Mark Johnson | 3–0 | Minnesota | Laura Halldorson | Minneapolis, MN | Mariucci Arena |
| 2007 | Wisconsin (2) | Mark Johnson | 4–1 | Minnesota Duluth | Shannon Miller | Lake Placid, NY | Herb Brooks Arena |
| 2008 | Minnesota Duluth (4) | Shannon Miller | 4–0 | Wisconsin | Mark Johnson | Duluth, MN | DECC Arena |
| 2009 | Wisconsin (3) | Mark Johnson | 5–0 | Mercyhurst | Michael Sisti | Boston, MA | Agganis Arena |
| 2010 | Minnesota Duluth (5) | Shannon Miller | 3–2 (3OT) | Cornell | Doug Derraugh | Minneapolis, MN | Ridder Arena |
| 2011 | Wisconsin (4) | Mark Johnson | 4–1 | Boston University | Brian Durocher | Erie, PA | Tullio Arena |
| 2012 | Minnesota (3) | Brad Frost | 4–2 | Wisconsin | Mark Johnson | Duluth, MN | AMSOIL Arena |
| 2013 | Minnesota (4) | Brad Frost | 6–3 | Boston University | Brian Durocher | Minneapolis, MN | Ridder Arena |
| 2014 | Clarkson | Shannon & Matt Desrosiers | 5–4 | Minnesota | Brad Frost | Hamden, CT | People's United Center |
| 2015 | Minnesota (5) | Brad Frost | 4–1 | Harvard | Katey Stone | Minneapolis, MN | Ridder Arena[8] |
| 2016 | Minnesota (6) | Brad Frost | 3–1 | Boston College | Katie King-Crowley | Durham, NH | Whittemore Center[8] |
| 2017 | Clarkson (2) | Matt Desrosiers | 3–0 | Wisconsin | Mark Johnson | St. Charles, MO | Family Arena[8] |
| 2018 | Clarkson (3) | Matt Desrosiers | 2–1 (OT) | Colgate | Greg Fargo | Minneapolis, MN | Ridder Arena[8] |
| 2019 | Wisconsin (5) | Mark Johnson | 2–0 | Minnesota | Brad Frost | Hamden, CT | People's United Center[9] |
| 2020 | Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Boston, MA | Agganis Arena[9] | ||||
| 2021 | Wisconsin (6) | Mark Johnson | 2–1 (OT) | Northeastern | Dave Flint | Erie, PA | Erie Insurance Arena[9] |
| 2022 | Ohio State | Nadine Muzerall | 3–2 | Minnesota Duluth | Maura Crowell | University Park, PA[a] | Pegula Ice Arena[9] |
| 2023 | Wisconsin (7) | Mark Johnson | 1–0 | Ohio State | Nadine Muzerall | Duluth, MN | AMSOIL Arena[10] |
| 2024 | Ohio State (2) | Nadine Muzerall | 1–0 | Wisconsin | Mark Johnson | Durham, NH | Whittemore Center[10] |
| 2025 | Wisconsin (8) | Mark Johnson | 4–3 (OT) | Ohio State | Nadine Muzerall | Minneapolis, MN | Ridder Arena[10] |
| 2026 | Wisconsin (9) | Mark Johnson | 3–2 | Ohio State | Nadine Muzerall | University Park, PA[a] | Pegula Ice Arena[10] |
| 2027 | Duluth, MN | AMSOIL Arena[11] | |||||
| 2028 | Fairfield, CT | Martire Family Arena[11] | |||||
Team titles
edit
Result by school and year
edit31 teams have appeared in the NCAA Tournament in at least one year starting with 2001 (the initial year that the post-season tournament was under the auspices of the NCAA). The results for all years are shown in this table below.
- CH National Champion
- RU National Runner-up
- F4 Frozen Four
- E8 Quarterfinals (did not exist until 2005)
- C 8 teams selected in 2020 before the tournament was canceled.
- • First round (did not exist until 2022)
To the left of each result, the team's seed is shown in superscript.
- The top 4 teams seeded, 2001 through 2021, except for 2002 (two 1s and two 2s) and 2005 and 2006 (only the top 2 seeded).
- The top 5 teams seeded, 2022 through present
| School | Conference (as of 2026–27) |
# | F4 | CG | CH | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WCHA | 20 | 17 | 13 | 9 | QF | ²CH | ¹CH | RU | ¹CH | ¹CH | ¹RU | ⁴F4 | ⁴F4 | ²F4 | ¹RU | ²F4 | ¹CH | ²C | ²CH | QF | CH | ²RU | ¹CH | ²CH | |||||||
| WCHA | 23 | 16 | 9 | 6 | ¹F4 | ³F4 | ¹CH | ¹CH | RU | ⁴QF | ²F4 | ³F4 | QF | ²CH | ¹CH | ¹RU | ¹CH | ³CH | F4 | QF | ²RU | ⁴C | ²QF | ²F4 | ⁵QF | ⁴F4 | ⁴QF | ||||
| WCHA | 17 | 9 | 7 | 5 | ²CH | ¹CH | ¹CH | ²QF | QF | RU | ²CH | F4 | ²CH | QF | ³QF | F4 | RU | QF | QF | QF | ✖ | ||||||||||
| ECAC | 13 | 6 | 3 | 3 | QF | QF | ³CH | QF | F4 | ²CH | ¹CH | ⁴F4 | C | ✖ | ✖ | ⁴F4 | QF | ||||||||||||||
| WCHA | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 | F4 | C | ³F4 | ¹CH | ¹RU | ¹CH | ²RU | ¹RU | |||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 12 | 6 | 4 | - | ³F4 | ²RU | ²RU | RU | QF | QF | ¹F4 | ⁴QF | QF | QF | ³RU | ✖ | |||||||||||||||
| Hockey East | 7 | 2 | 2 | - | QF | ³RU | QF | ³RU | QF | QF | ✖ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hockey East | 12 | 7 | 1 | - | F4 | QF | ⁴F4 | ⁴F4 | ⁴F4 | QF | ²F4 | ¹RU | ⁴F4 | ⁴QF | QF | QF | |||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 11 | 5 | 1 | - | ⁴RU | ³F4 | F4 | F4 | F4 | QF | QF | QF | QF | QF | QF | ||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 10 | 5 | 1 | - | RU | ²F4 | ³F4 | ²QF | ²QF | QF | F4 | ¹C | QF | ³F4 | |||||||||||||||||
| AHA | 13 | 4 | 1 | - | QF | QF | ²QF | QF | ³RU | ¹F4 | QF | QF | F4 | F4 | QF | QF | C | ||||||||||||||
| Hockey East | 8 | 4 | 1 | - | QF | QF | ³QF | ³C | ¹RU | ³F4 | ⁵F4 | ⁵F4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 6 | 2 | 1 | - | ³RU | ⁴QF | ⁴QF | ³QF | ³F4 | ⁵QF | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | ²RU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 8 | 4 | - | - | ¹F4 | ⁴F4 | ⁴F4 | F4 | ³QF | QF | QF | QF | |||||||||||||||||||
| Hockey East | 5 | 2 | - | - | ¹F4 | ⁴QF | ³F4 | ⁴QF | QF | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| AHA | 4 | 1 | - | - | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ³F4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 3 | 1 | - | - | ⁵F4 | ⁴QF | QF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| defunct | 1 | 1 | - | - | ²F4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 5 | - | - | - | QF | QF | QF | C | ✖ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC | 5 | - | - | - | QF | ⁴QF | QF | QF | QF | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hockey East | 2 | - | - | - | QF | QF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| defunct | 2 | - | - | - | QF | QF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AHA | 2 | - | - | - | QF | QF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AHA | 2 | - | - | - | QF | ✖ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hockey East | 2 | - | - | - | ✖ | QF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AHA | 1 | - | - | - | QF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NEWHA | 1 | - | - | - | ✖ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NEWHA | 1 | - | - | - | ✖ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NEWHA | 1 | - | - | - | ✖ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NEWHA | 1 | - | - | - | ✖ |
Broadcasting
editIn February 2017, the NCAA announced that it had reached a four-year deal with Big Ten Network to televise the Women's national championship game beginning in 2017, and the Frozen Four semi-finals beginning in 2018.[12]
In 2021, ESPN announced that it had acquired the rights under a multi-year deal, with ESPNU to air one semi-final and the national championship annually. The other semi-final will be carried via streaming.[13]
| Year | Network | Play-by-play | Analyst | Sideline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | CBS College Sports | Dave Ryan | Angela Ruggiero | |
| 2011 | NCAA.com | Jamie Smock | A. J. Mleczko | |
| 2012 | NCAA.com | Matt Menzl | A. J. Mleczko | |
| 2013 | NCAA.com | Will Flemming | A. J. Mleczko | |
| 2014 | NCAA.com | Leah Secondo | A. J. Mleczko | |
| 2015 | NCAA.com | Leah Secondo | ||
| 2016 | NCAA.com | Scott Sudikoff | ||
| 2017 | BTN | Dan Kelly | Sonny Watrous | Sara Dayley |
| Scott Sudikoff | ||||
| 2018 | BTN | Dan Kelly | Sonny Watrous | Allison Hayes |
| 2019 | BTN | Chris Vosters | Sonny Watrous | Margaux Farrell |
| 2021 | ESPNU | Clay Matvick | A. J. Mleczko | |
| 2022 | ESPN+ | Clay Matvick | A. J. Mleczko | Hilary Knight |
| 2023 | ESPN+ | Clay Matvick | A. J. Mleczko | Hilary Knight |
| 2024 | ESPNU | Leah Hextall | A. J. Mleczko | Dana Boyle |
| 2025 | ESPNU | Jason Ross Jr. | A. J. Mleczko | Blake Bolden |
| 2026 | ESPNU | Jason Ross Jr. (Frozen Four) | A. J. Mleczko | Madison Packer |
| John Buccigross (National Championship) |
Records and statistics
editSee also
edit
Footnotes
edit- 1 2 The arena, which has a University Park mailing address, is physically in College Township.
References
edit- 1 2 Michael McKinley, Hockey A People's History, McClelland & Stewart ltd 2006, pp 237–238. ISBN 978-0-7710-5769-4
- ↑ Jay, Michelle (September 12, 2017). "Women's NCAA College Hockey 101". TheIceGarden.com. The Ice Garden. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ↑ "Bylaw 20.4.1.2 Divisions II and III Members—Classification of a Sport in Division I" (PDF). 2010–11 NCAA Division I Manual. NCAA. p. 333. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ↑ "Bylaw 20.8.2 Division II Options When No Division II Championship Is Conducted" (PDF). 2010–11 NCAA Division I Manual. NCAA. p. 338. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ↑ "NCAA tournament canceled". March 12, 2020.
- ↑ "After season ends in NCAA cancellation, Badgers women's hockey team takes the ice anyway". March 13, 2020.
- ↑ "NCAA Cancels Hockey Tournaments, Ending Top-Ranked Cornell Hockey Teams' Seasons". March 12, 2020.
- 1 2 3 4
"Boston, Tampa, Chicago, St. Paul get upcoming men's Frozen Fours". www.uscho.com. December 11, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
Women's Frozen Fours were awarded to Minneapolis' Ridder Arena in 2015 and 2018; the Whittemore Center Arena in Durham, N.H., in 2016; and the Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo., in 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 "2019 – 2022 Future NC NCAA Championship Sites". NCAA.com. April 18, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 "NCAA announces host site selections from 2022–23 to 2025–26". NCAA.com. October 19, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- 1 2 "NCAA announces more than 240 host site selections". NCAA.com. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ↑ "College hockey: Women's Frozen Four to air on Big Ten Network". NCAA.com. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
- ↑ "ESPN picks up Women's Frozen Four rights starting this year". Awful Announcing. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.