The UW women’s hockey team has iced out many of its competitors over the years. With eight NCAA championships and 12 straight NCAA tournament appearances, the Badgers are not only the top-ranked team in the league, but also the most successful program in women’s collegiate hockey history. The women’s ice hockey team was officially created in 1998, when the UW Athletic Board unanimously approved the program. One year later, the Badgers dropped the puck for their inaugural season, opening a long history against the Minnesota State University (MSU), Mankato Mavericks. The two teams have faced off 117 times in the program’s history, and the Badgers took the W in 111 of those matchups. The Badgers have scored 535 total goals against the Mavericks and hold a 22-game winning streak, making MSU the team the Badgers have defeated more than any other. The distinction of being the team that has beaten the Badgers more than any other belongs to another star of the North: the University of Minnesota. With a narrow 59-58 series record and a modest one-game win streak, Minnesota earns the spot as Wisconsin’s biggest rival. This February, however, rivalries will be set aside as Badger fans and Gopher fans alike cheer for Team USA. Five current and former Minnesota athletes and six current and former Wisconsin players will take to the ice for the U.S at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Don’t miss their first game on Thursday, Feb. 5.

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