Wisconsin Women’s Hockey NCAA Tournament Fate Revealed

Wisconsin women’s hockey is enjoying its most exciting weekend of the season. On Friday, the Badgers dramatically knocked off rival Minnesota in the Border Battle to advance to the WCHA Final Faceoff championship game. On Saturday, UW dominated regular-season champion Ohio State and captured the conference tournament crown. Sunday, Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson learned what awaits his team in the NCAA Tournament.

Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Makes NCAA Tournament as #2 Overall Seed

Back in the dance!

The #Badgers earned the @WCHA_WHockey automatic berth into the @NCAAIceHockey tournament!#OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/M4zHUWHipH

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) March 10, 2024

The reigning national champion, Wisconsin, made the NCAA Tournament by clinching the WCHA auto-bid. The Badgers were the second-overall seed when the bracket was revealed, just behind Ohio State. ECAC Tournament champion Colgate, followed by ECAC runner-up Clarkson, rounded out the top four.

Wisconsin will host regional semifinal and final games this weekend. This is the first time the Badgers have hosted a regional since 2019. Last season was the first time the committee had not selected UW to host a regional since 2013. In 2021, the NCAA held the entire tournament in one location rather than with campus sites for the regional round due to COVID-19 concerns. In 2020, Wisconsin would have hosted a regional at LaBahn Arena, but the NCAA canceled the tournament days after revealing the bracket due to the pandemic.

Badgers Women’s Hockey NCAA Tournament Opponent Revealed

Bringing the Big Dance back to LaBahn Arena!#Badgers will host St. Lawrence and Penn State this weekend in Madison!#OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/yc1mrz2Bq2

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) March 10, 2024

After its first-round bye, Wisconsin will face the winner of St. Lawrence and Penn State in the regional final. Coach Johnson is the winningest coach in NCAA Division 1 Women’s Ice Hockey History, but he may face another coaching giant in the regional final. Penn State head coach Jeff Kampersal is sixth all-time in wins with 446 between his years with Princeton and Penn State. Wisconsin is 2-0 against the Nittany Lions in LaBahn Arena and 2-0 against the St. Lawrence Saints in the NCAA Tournament all-time.

Wisconsin awaits its opponent in the regional final on Saturday, March 16th at 2:oo PM Central.

Will Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Make the Frozen Four?

The 2024 Women’s Ice Hockey Bracket 🏒✨#NCAAHockey pic.twitter.com/jNb8IpQbgm

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 10, 2024

UW will likely have its hands full with either opponent this weekend. St. Lawrence boasts a high-octane power play that trails Wisconsin’s, which ranks third in the country on the advantage, by a razor-thin margin. Saints forward Abbey Hustler leads the unit. Her 12 power-play goals are the second-most nationally. Penn State forward Janecke is an elite playmaker. The sophomore’s 36 assists are the fifth-most in the country. Only the Badgers trio of Kirsten Simms, Casey O’Brien, Britta Curl, and Colgate’s Danielle Serdachny have tallied more.

A win this weekend would send Wisconsin to the Frozen Four in Durham, New Hampshire. The national semifinals are on Friday, March 22nd, and the national championship game is Sunday, March 24th.

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