Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey

The Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey team represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in NCAA Division I competition. The program, founded in 1999, has become the most decorated in women's college hockey history, with nine national championships as of 2026. The Badgers compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), widely considered the strongest conference in the sport. Home games are played at LaBahn Arena, a 2,273-seat facility that opened in 2012; prior to that, the team used the Kohl Center. The team colors are cardinal and white, and the fight song is On, Wisconsin!

Head coach Mark Johnson has led the program since its early years, compiling a record of 702–124–57 through the 2025–26 season. Under his leadership, the Badgers have won NCAA titles in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025, and 2026. The 2006 championship was especially significant, as Wisconsin became the first team from outside Minnesota to win the Women's Frozen Four. The program has produced numerous Olympians, including Hilary Knight, Caroline Harvey, and Kirsten Simms, and has sent six players to the 2026 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Milan. [edit]

The Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey program was approved by the UW–Madison Athletic Board in 1998, and the team played its first season in 1999–2000. The inaugural game took place on October 8, 1999, against Minnesota Duluth at the Kohl Center, drawing 3,892 fans, the largest crowd of the season, though the Badgers lost 8–1. The program quickly rose to prominence, winning its first NCAA championship in 2006 by defeating defending champion Minnesota 3–0 at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. That title made Wisconsin the first women's program outside Minnesota to win the national championship.

The Badgers repeated as champions in 2007 and added titles in 2009 and 2011, establishing themselves as a dynasty. After a relative drought, the program returned to the top in 2019, then won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2023. The 2023 championship began a streak of four consecutive national title game appearances against Ohio State, with Wisconsin winning in 2023, 2025, and 2026, while Ohio State won in 2024. The 2025 title came on a 4–3 overtime victory, with Kirsten Simms scoring the game-winner. The 2026 championship, a 3–2 win over Ohio State, gave the Badgers their ninth NCAA title, the most of any women's hockey program. The 2025–26 team finished 35–4–2. [edit]