The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) was a men's only hockey league from 1951 to 1999, but added women's hockey for the first season it was officially sanctioned as an NCAA sport. The men's side of the league disbanded after the 2020–21 season, but the WCHA continues as a women's only hockey league.
WCHA Tournament Champions
2000 Minnesota Duluth
2001 Minnesota Duluth
2002 Minnesota
2003 Minnesota Duluth
2004 Minnesota
2005 Minnesota
2006 Wisconsin
2007 Wisconsin
2008 Minnesota Duluth
2009 Wisconsin
2010 Minnesota Duluth
2011 Wisconsin
2012 Minnesota
2013 Minnesota
2014 Minnesota
2015 Wisconsin
2016 Wisconsin
2017 Wisconsin
2018 Minnesota
2019 Wisconsin
2020 Ohio State
2021 Wisconsin
2022 Ohio State
2023 Minnesota
2024 Wisconsin
WCHA women's hockey website
WCHA women's hockey Instagram
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota
Mascot: Beavers
Rink: Sanford Center, capacity 4,700
Coach: Amber Fryklund (1st season)
Bemidji State women's hockey homepage
Bemidji State women's hockey Instagram
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mascot: Gophers
Rink: Ridder Arena, capacity 3,400
Coach: Brad Frost (18th season)
NCAA National Championships: 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
Frozen Four Appearances: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Minnesota women's hockey homepage
Minnesota women's hockey Instagram
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Mascot: Bulldogs
Rink: AMSOIL Arena, capacity 6,800
Coach: Laura Schuler (1st season)
NCAA National Championships: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010
Frozen Four Appearances: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2021, 2022
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
UMD women's hockey homepage
UMD women's hockey Instagram
Minnesota State - Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
Mascot: Mavericks
Rink: Verizon Center, capacity 5,280
Coach: Shari Dickerman (1st season)
Mankato women's hockey homepage
Mankato women's hockey Instagram
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Mascot: Buckeyes
Rink: OSU Ice Rink, capacity 1,415
Coach: Nadine Muzerall (9th season)
NCAA National Championships: 2022, 2024
NCAA Frozen Four Appearances: 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Ohio State women's hockey homepage
Ohio State women's hockey Instagram
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud, Minnesota
Mascot: Huskies
Rink: Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, capacity 5,763
Coach: Brian Idalski (3rd season)
St. Cloud State women's hockey homepage
St. Cloud State women's hockey Instagram
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Mascot: Badgers
Rink: LaBahn Arena, capacity 2,273
Coach: Mark Johnson (23rd season)
NCAA National Championships: 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2023
NCAA Frozen Four Appearances: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Wisconsin women's hockey homepage
Wisconsin women's hockey Instagram
Postseason tournament structure
Byes: None
Quarterfinals: Best-of-three series
#8 seed at #1 seed
#7 seed at #2 seed
#6 seed at #3 seed
#5 seed at #4 seed
Semifinals: Single game, hosted at UMD in 2025
lowest remaining seed vs. highest remaining seed
second-lowest remaining seed vs. second-highest remaining seed
Championship: Single game, hosted at UMD in 2025
