The Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey team is the hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.
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History
On October 8, 1999, the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs played the Wisconsin Badgers in the first ever Women's WCHA conference game at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. It was the highest attended game of the season (3,892) and resulted in an 8–1 defeat of the Badgers.
In 2006, the Wisconsin Badgers became the first team outside the state of Minnesota to win the Women's Frozen Four championship. The Badgers defeated the defending champions, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, by 3–0 at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
On January 28, 2012, the Wisconsin Badgers broke the NCAA women's hockey attendance record for the third consecutive year with 12,402 fans in attendance. The game was part of a two-game sweep of the Bemidji State Beavers. The previous record for most fans to watch a women's college hockey game at the Kohl Center was 10,668. That record was set on January 29, 2011.
On November 6, 2016, Ann-Renee Desbiens achieved career shutout number 44, breaking Noora Raty’s record for most NCAA career shutouts.
An 8–2 win on December 4, 2016, against their rivals, the Minnesota Golden Gophers resulted in a career milestone. Playing in front of a sellout crowd at Labahn Arena, Sarah Nurse scored a hat trick, becoming the first player in program history to score a hat trick against Minnesota. It marked the first time that Wisconsin scored eight goals in a game since October 11, 2015, against Ohio State, as five different Badgers scored at least one goal.
On January 14, 2017, Wisconsin once again broke its own NCAA women's hockey single-game attendance record of 13,573 which was set in 2014. The Badgers defeated St. Cloud State 2–0 at their Fill the Bowl event in front of a crowd of 15,359.
Appearing in the 2021 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament versus the Northeastern Huskies, Daryl Watts scored the game-winning goal in a 2–1 overtime win. With the win, the program captured its sixth national championship, all with Mark Johnson as head coach.
On March 19, 2023, the Badgers became the lowest seed to win an NCAA women's hockey tournament as Wisconsin knocked off top-seeded Ohio State, 1–0, to claim the program's record-breaking seventh NCAA title at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn. Kirsten Simms scored the lone goal of the game assisted by Claire Enright and Cami Kronish stopped all 31 shots she faced en route to being named the Most Outstanding Performer of the Tournament. UW also defeated the No. 2 seed, Minnesota, and the No. 3 seed, Colgate, on the way to its third NCAA title in five years.
On October 13, 2023, head coach Mark Johnson earned his 600th win with the Badgers. In a 9–0 win versus the MSU Mavericks, seven different Badgers, Kirsten Simms and Marianne Picard (two goals each), Caroline Harvey, Lacey Eden, Britta Curl, Casey O'Brien and Katie Kotlowski, scored goals. Ava McNaughton recorded 12 saves for her first career shutout as Johnson became the first coach to achieve 600 wins in NCAA women's ice hockey.
On March 23, 2025, the Badgers defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in the NCAA championship game at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Trailing 1–0 in the first period and 3–1 in the second, the badgers tied the game with 18.9 seconds in the third period thanks to a Kirstin Simms penalty shot. The penalty shot was awarded due to an Ohio State player closing her hand around the puck in the goal crease, and infraction uncovered after a video review that Laila Edwards advocated for to the Badger coaching staff. In overtime, a rebound from a shot by Lacey Eden found Simms, who scored to give the Badgers the win and an NCAA record eighth title.
On November 30, 2025, the Badgers won the Smashville Women's Collegiate Hockey Showcase in Nashville, Tennessee, claiming the Guitar Trophy. Defeating the Stonehill Skyhawks by a 17–2 score. Of note, the 17 goals, scored by 11 different skaters, represents a Badgers single game record. Four goals were scored in the first period, followed by nine goals in the second period. During the second, McKayla Zilisch recorded a hat trick. The third period included another four goals, resulting in 87 shots on net. At least 15 Badgers logged one point, while Kristen Simms also contributed a hat trick. The previous program record was 16 goals scored against Lindenwood on September 29, 2023, resulting in four goals by Cassie Hall and hat tricks by Lacey Eden and Sophie Helgeson.
Season-by-season results
* Johnson took a one-year leave to coach the 2010 US Women's Olympic team.
Frozen Four
Wisconsin appeared in the Frozen Four championship in the following years:
Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player
Sara Bauer (2007)
Kristen Campbell (2019)
Meghan Duggan (2011) (Co-MOP)
Hilary Knight (2011) (Co-MOP)
Cami Kronish (2023)
Ava McNaughton (2026)
Kirsten Simms (2025)
Jessie Vetter (2006, 2009)
Makenna Webster (2021)
Frozen Four All-Tournament Team
Brooke Ammerman (2011, 2012)
Sara Bauer (2007)
Kristen Campbell (2019)
Jesse Compher (2023)
Meghan Duggan (2011)
Laila Edwards (2023, 2025, 2026)
Caroline Harvey (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
Alev Kelter (2011)
Hilary Knight (2009, 2011)
Cami Kronish (2023)
Erika Lawler (2008, 2009)
Alycia Matthews (2009)
Current roster
As of September 28, 2025.
Awards and honors
Patty Kazmaier Award
Sara Bauer (2006)
Jessie Vetter (2009)
Meghan Duggan (2011)
Brianna Decker (2012)
Ann-Renée Desbiens (2017)
Casey O'Brien (2025)
Caroline Harvey (2026)
Women's Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Year
Annie Pankowski (2015)
Women's Hockey Commissioners Association National Goalie of the Year
Ava McNaughton (2025)
Bob Allen Women's Hockey Player of the Year
Jessie Vetter (2009)
Meghan Duggan (2011)
Hilary Knight (2014,2022,2025)
Brianna Decker (2015)
Abby Roque (2020)
Caroline Harvey (2023)
Laila Edwards (2024)
USCHO D-1 Women's Player of the Year
2006: Sara Bauer
2007: Sara Bauer
2012: Brianna Decker
WCHA honors
WCHA Player of the Year
Sara Bauer (2006, 2007)
Brianna Decker (2012)
Ann-Renée Desbiens (2016)
Meghan Duggan (2011)
Caroline Harvey (2026)
Hilary Knight (2009)
Casey O'Brien (2025)
Annie Pankowski (2019)
Abby Roque (2020)
Kirsten Simms (2024)
Daryl Watts (2021)
WCHA Offensive Player of the Year
Casey O'Brien (2025)
Annie Pankowski (2019)
Abby Roque (2018, 2020)
Kirsten Simms (2024)
Daryl Watts (2021)
WCHA Defensive Player of the Year
Molly Engstrom (2004, 2005)
Caroline Harvey (2024, 2025, 2026)
Stefanie McKeough (2012)
Meaghan Mikkelson (2007)
Bobbi-Jo Slusar (2006)
WCHA Goaltender of the Year