The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team is no stranger to success in the world of Division I Women’s Collegiate Ice Hockey. This year’s national title is yet another addition to the long list of accolades the team has garnered under the stewardship of head coach and UW legend Mark Johnson.
Yet the Badgers were remarkably unsuccessful in closing out their promising regular seasons in recent years.
In the seven seasons following their 2011 National Championship, the Badgers won the WCHA three times, reached the NCAA tournament six times and the NCAA Frozen Four Final twice. The Badgers were defeated in these title games by Clarkson and Minnesota in years past — the two teams they defeated in the semifinals and finals, respectively — on their way to capture the National Championship this season.