The Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey team is the hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.

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 Won championshipLost championshipConference championsLeague leader

Year Coach W L T Conference Conf. W Conf. L Conf. T Finish Conference Tournament NCAA Tournament1999-00 Julie Sasner 19 14 2 WCHA 15 8 1 3rd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota Did not qualify2000–01 Trina Bourget 21 9 5 WCHA 13 6 5 3rd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Did not qualify2001–02 Trina Bourget 22 11 2 WCHA 17 6 1 3rd WCHA Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Lost Championship vs. Minnesota Did not qualify2002–03 Mark Johnson 22 8 5 WCHA 14 6 4 3rd WCHA Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota Did not qualify2003–04 Mark Johnson 25 6 3 WCHA 18 5 1 2nd WCHA Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Did not qualify2004–05 Mark Johnson 28 9 1 WCHA 20 7 1 3rd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Lost Championship vs. Minnesota Lost First Round vs. Dartmouth 2005–06 Mark Johnson 36 4 1 WCHA 24 3 1 1st WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. North Dakota Won Semifinals vs. St. Cloud State Won Championship vs. Minnesota Won First Round vs. Mercyhurst Won Frozen Four vs. St. Lawrence Won Championship vs. Minnesota 2006–07 Mark Johnson 36 1 4 WCHA 23 1 4 1st WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. North Dakota Won Semifinals vs. Ohio State Won Championship vs. Minnesota Won First Round vs. Harvard Won Frozen Four vs. St. Lawrence Won Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth 2007–08 Mark Johnson 29 9 3 WCHA 20 5 3 3rd WCHA Won Quarterfinalsvs. Minnesota State Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota Lost Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth Won First Round vs. Minnesota Won Frozen Four vs. Harvard Lost Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth 2008–09 Mark Johnson 34 2 5 WCHA 21 2 5 2nd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Won Championship vs. Minnesota Won First Round vs. Dartmouth Won Frozen Four vs. Minnesota-Duluth Won Championship vs. Mercyhurst 2009–10 Tracey DeKeyser* 18 15 3 WCHA 15 12 1 4th WCHA Lost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State Did not qualify 2010–11 Mark Johnson 37 2 2 WCHA 24 2 2 1st WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State Won Semifinals vs. North Dakota Won Championship vs. Minnesota Won First Round vs. Minnesota-Duluth Won Frozen Four vs. Boston College Won Championship vs. Boston University 2011–12 Mark Johnson 33 5 2 WCHA 23 3 2 1st WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Won First Round vs. Mercyhurst Won Frozen Four vs. Boston College Lost Championship vs. Minnesota 2012–13 Mark Johnson 23 10 2 WCHA 17 9 2 3rd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State Lost Semifinals vs. North Dakota Did not qualify2013–14 Mark Johnson 28 8 2 WCHA 21 5 2 2nd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State Lost Semifinals vs. North Dakota Won First Round vs. Harvard Lost Frozen Four vs. Minnesota 2014–15 Mark Johnson 29 7 4 WCHA 19 6 3 2nd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State Won Semifinals vs. North Dakota Won Championship vs. Bemidji State Won First Round vs. Boston University Lost Frozen Four vs. Minnesota 2015–16 Mark Johnson 35 4 1 WCHA 24 3 1 1st WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Won Championship vs. Minnesota Won First Round vs. Mercyhurst Lost Frozen Four vs. Minnesota 2016–17 Mark Johnson 33 3 4 WCHA 22 2 4 1st WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State Won Semifinals vs. North Dakota Won Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth Won First Round vs. Robert Morris Won Frozen Four vs. Boston College Lost Championship vs. Clarkson 2017–18 Mark Johnson 315 2 WCHA 20 2 2 1st WCHA First Round Bye Won Semifinals vs. Bemidji State (4–1) Lost Championship vs. Minnesota (1–3) Won First Round vs. Minnesota Lost Frozen Four vs. Colgate 2018–19 Mark Johnson 354 2 WCHA 18 4 2 2nd WCHA Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State Won Semifinals vs. Ohio State Won Championship vs. Minnesota (3–1) Won First Round vs. Syracuse Won Frozen Four vs. Clarkson Won Championship vs. Minnesota 2019–20 Mark Johnson 285 3 WCHA 17 4 3 1st WCHA First Round Bye Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth Lost Championship to Ohio State (1–0 OT) DUE TO COVID-19 pandemic2020–21 Mark Johnson 1731 WCHA 12 3 1 1st WCHA First Round Bye Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota (5–3) Won Championship vs. Ohio State (3–2 OT) Won First Round vs. Providence Won Frozen Four vs. Ohio State Won Championship vs. Northeastern 2021–22 Mark Johnson 2684 WCHA 18 6 3 3rd WCHAWon Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State Lost Semifinals vs. Ohio State Won First Round vs. Clarkson Lost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern 2022–23Mark Johnson29102WCHA19723rd WCHAWon Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota Won First Round vs. LIU (9–1) Won Quarterfinals vs. Colgate Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota Won Championship vs. Ohio State 2023–24Mark Johnson3560WCHA23502nd WCHAWon Quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota Won Championship vs. Ohio State Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Lawrence Won Semifinals vs. Colgate Lost Championship vs. Ohio State 2024–25Mark Johnson3812WCHA25121st WCHAWon Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State Won Semifinals vs. UMD Won Championship vs. Minnesota Won Quarterfinals vs. Clarkson Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota Won Championship vs. Ohio State 2025–26Mark Johnson3542WCHA23321st WCHAWon Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota State Lost Championship vs. Ohio State Won Quarterfinals vs. Quinnipiac Won Semifinals vs. Penn State Won Championship vs. Ohio State * 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: Year Champion Score Runner-up City Arena2006Wisconsin3–0MinnesotaMinneapolis, MNMariucci Arena2007Wisconsin 4–1 Minnesota-DuluthLake Placid, NYHerb Brooks Arena2008Minnesota-Duluth 4–0 WisconsinDuluth, MNDECC2009Wisconsin 5–0 MercyhurstBoston, MAAgganis Arena2011Wisconsin 4–1 Boston UniversityErie, PATullio Arena2012Minnesota 4–2 WisconsinDuluth, MNDECC2017Clarkson 3–0 WisconsinSt. Charles, MOFamily Arena2019 Wisconsin 2–0 Minnesota Hamden, CT People's United Center2021 Wisconsin 2–1 (OT) Northeastern Erie, PA Erie Insurance Arena2023 Wisconsin 1–0 Ohio State Duluth, MN AMSOIL Arena2024 Ohio State 1–0 Wisconsin Durham, NH Whittemore Center Arena2025 Wisconsin 4–3 (OT) Ohio State Minneapolis, MN Ridder Arena2026 Wisconsin 3–2 Ohio State State College, PA Pegula Ice Arena

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) Ava McNaughton (2025,2026) Meaghan Mikkelson (2007) Annie Pankowski (2019) Caroline Prevost (2011, 2012) Maddie Rolfes (2019) Abby Roque (2019) Caitlyn Schneider (2021) Kirsten Simms (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) Bobbi-Jo Slusar (2006, 2007) Mekenzie Steffen (2019) Jessie Vetter (2006, 2007, 2009) Makenna Webster (2021) Malee Windmeier (2009) Jinelle Zaugg (2006, 2007)

Current roster

Awards and honors