NCAA women's ice hockey tournament

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. The 2020 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2][3]

NCAA women's ice hockey tournament
SportCollege ice hockey
Number of teams11
FormatSingle-elimination tournament
Current stadiumAMSOIL Arena
Current locationDuluth, Minnesota
Played2001–present
Last contest2023
Current championWisconsin Badgers
Most championshipsWisconsin Badgers (7)
TV partner(s)ESPNU
Official websitencaa.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.

Origins

The 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.[4]

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.[4] 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.[5] 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

In 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—College Hockey America, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, New England Women's Hockey Alliance, and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Format

Under NCAA rules, Division II schools are allowed to compete as Division I members in sports in which a D-II championship is not contested.[6][7] 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 finals 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

Although 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, and CHA has had one title appearance, by Mercyhurst in 2009. The 2020 championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2][3]

YearChampion CoachScoreRunner-up CoachCityArena
2001Minnesota–Duluth Shannon Miller4–2St. Lawrence Paul FlanaganMinneapolis, MNMariucci Arena
2002Minnesota–Duluth (2) Shannon Miller3–2Brown Digit MurphyDurham, NHWhittemore Center
2003Minnesota–Duluth (3) Shannon Miller4–3 (2OT)Harvard Katey StoneDuluth, MNDECC Arena
2004Minnesota Laura Halldorson6–2Harvard Katey StoneProvidence, RIDunkin' Donuts Center
2005Minnesota (2) Laura Halldorson4–3Harvard Katey StoneDurham, NHWhittemore Center
2006Wisconsin Mark Johnson3–0Minnesota Laura HalldorsonMinneapolis, MNMariucci Arena
2007Wisconsin (2) Mark Johnson4–1Minnesota–Duluth Shannon MillerLake Placid, NYHerb Brooks Arena
2008Minnesota–Duluth (4) Shannon Miller4–0Wisconsin Mark JohnsonDuluth, MNDECC Arena
2009Wisconsin (3) Mark Johnson5–0Mercyhurst Michael SistiBoston, MAAgganis Arena
2010Minnesota–Duluth (5) Shannon Miller3–2 (3OT)Cornell Doug DerraughMinneapolis, MNRidder Arena
2011Wisconsin (4) Mark Johnson4–1Boston University Brian DurocherErie, PAErie Insurance Arena
2012Minnesota (3) Brad Frost4–2Wisconsin Mark JohnsonDuluth, MNAMSOIL Arena
2013Minnesota (4) Brad Frost6–3Boston University Brian DurocherMinneapolis, MNRidder Arena
2014Clarkson Shannon & Matt Desrosiers5–4Minnesota Brad FrostHamden, CTPeople's United Center
2015Minnesota (5) Brad Frost4–1Harvard Katey StoneMinneapolis, MNRidder Arena[8]
2016Minnesota (6) Brad Frost3–1Boston College Katie King-CrowleyDurham, NHWhittemore Center[8]
2017Clarkson (2) Matt Desrosiers3–0Wisconsin Mark JohnsonSt. Charles, MOFamily Arena[8]
2018Clarkson (3) Matt Desrosiers2–1 (OT)Colgate Greg FargoMinneapolis, MNRidder 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 State College, PA Pegula Ice Arena[9]
2023 Wisconsin (7) Mark Johnson 1–0 Ohio State Nadine Muzerall Duluth, MN AMSOIL Arena[10]
2024 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD Durham, NH Whittemore Center[10]
2025 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD Minneapolis, MN Ridder Arena[10]
2026 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD State College, PA Pegula Ice Arena[10]

Team titles

NCAA women's ice hockey tournament is located in USA Midwest and Northeast
Minnesota
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Minnesota Duluth
Minnesota Duluth
Clarkson
Clarkson
Ohio State
Ohio State
Schools that have won the NCAA Championship
7, 6, 5, 3, 1
Team # Years
Wisconsin 7 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2023
Minnesota 6 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
Minnesota Duluth 5 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010
Clarkson 3 2014, 2017, 2018
Ohio State 1 2022

Result by school and year

27 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.

The code in each cell represents the furthest the team made it in the respective tournament:

  •    First round (did not exist until 2022)
  •  QF  Quarterfinals (did not exist until 2005)
    •  x  8 teams selected in 2020 before the tournament was canceled.
  •  F4  Frozen Four
  •  RU  National Runner-up
  •  CH  National Champion
School Conference
as of 2023
# F4 CG CH 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
WisconsinWCHA1714107QFCHCHRUCHCHRUF4F4F4RUF4CHxCHQFCH
MinnesotaWCHA201596F4F4CHCHRUQFF4F4QFCHCHRUCHCHF4QFRUxQFF4
Minnesota DuluthWCHA14975CHCHCHQFQFRUCHF4CHQFQFF4RUQF
ClarksonECAC11533QFQFCHQFF4CHCHF4x
Ohio StateWCHA5421F4xF4CHRU
HarvardECAC1264-F4RURURUQFQFF4QFQFQFRU
Boston UniversityHockey East622-QFRUQFRUQFQF
Boston CollegeHockey East1271-F4QFF4F4F4QFF4RUF4QFQFQF
St. LawrenceECAC951-RUF4F4F4F4QFQFQFQF
MercyhurstCHA1341-QFQFQFQFRUF4QFQFF4F4QFQFx
CornellECAC841-RUF4F4QFQFQFF4x
NortheasternHockey East731-QFQFQFxRUF4F4
ColgateECAC411-RUQFQFQF
BrownECAC111-RU
DartmouthECAC84--F4F4F4F4QFQFQFQF
New HampshireHockey East52--F4QFF4QFQF
YaleECAC21--F4QF
Niagaradefunct11--F4
PrincetonECAC4---QFQFQFx
QuinnipiacECAC4---QFQFQFQF
ProvidenceHockey East2---QFQF
North Dakotadefunct2---QFQF
Robert Morrison hiatus[11]2---QFQF
SyracuseCHA2---QF
RITCHA1---QF
LIUNEWHA1---
Penn StateCHA1---
School Conference # F4 CG CH 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Broadcasting

In 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
2023 ESPN+ Clay Matvick A. J. Mleczko Hilary Knight
2022 ESPN+ Clay Matvick A. J. Mleczko Hilary Knight
2021 ESPNU Clay Matvick A. J. Mleczko
2019 BTN Chris Vosters Sonny Watrous Margaux Farrell
2018 BTN Dan Kelly Sonny Watrous Allison Hayes
2017 BTN (Championship)
NCAA.com (Frozen Four)
Dan Kelly
Scott Sudikoff
Sonny Watrous Sara Dayley
2016 NCAA.com Scott Sudikoff
2015 NCAA.com Leah Secondo
2014 NCAA.com Leah Secondo A. J. Mleczko
2013 NCAA.com Will Flemming A. J. Mleczko
2012 NCAA.com Matt Menzl A. J. Mleczko
2011 NCAA.com Jamie Smock A. J. Mleczko

Records and statistics

See also

References

  1. "NCAA tournament canceled". March 12, 2020.
  2. "After season ends in NCAA cancellation, Badgers women's hockey team takes the ice anyway".
  3. "NCAA Cancels Hockey Tournaments, Ending Top-Ranked Cornell Hockey Teams' Seasons". March 12, 2020.
  4. Michael McKinley, Hockey A People's History, McClelland & Stewart ltd 2006, pp 237–238. ISBN 978-0-7710-5769-4
  5. About Girls/Womens' (sic) Hockey
  6. "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.
  7. "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.
  8. "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.
  9. "2019 - 2022 Future NC NCAA Championship Sites". NCAA.com. April 18, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  10. "NCAA announces host site selections from 2022-23 to 2025-26". NCAA.com. October 19, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  11. "RMU Reinstates Hockey Programs for 2023-24 | Robert Morris University". www.rmucolonials.com. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  12. "College hockey: Women's Frozen Four to air on Big Ten Network". NCAA.com. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  13. "ESPN picks up Women's Frozen Four rights starting this year". Awful Announcing. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
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