What Happened to Wisconsin Badgers Hockey?
Wisconsin Badgers Hockey, encompassing both its men's and women's programs, boasts a rich history of collegiate success, with the women's team establishing itself as a dominant force with nine NCAA National Championships, including back-to-back titles in 2025 and 2026. The men's program, after a period of rebuilding, has shown significant resurgence under coach Mike Hastings, reaching the NCAA National Championship game in 2026. Both teams continue to be prominent figures in collegiate ice hockey.
Quick Answer
Wisconsin Badgers Hockey has seen a significant resurgence in recent years, particularly with its women's program securing back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 2025 and 2026, bringing their total to a record nine titles. The men's team, under head coach Mike Hastings since 2023, made a remarkable run to the NCAA National Championship game on April 11, 2026, marking a strong return to national prominence after a period of rebuilding. Both programs are currently led by highly successful coaches, Mark Johnson for the women and Mike Hastings for the men, and continue to compete at the highest levels of collegiate hockey.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
Men's First NCAA National Championship
The Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey team wins its first NCAA National Championship, defeating Denver 4-2.
Mark Johnson Becomes Women's Head Coach
Mark Johnson, a 'Miracle on Ice' Olympian and former Badger player, takes over as the head coach of the Wisconsin women's hockey team, beginning a dynasty.
Men's Last NCAA National Championship
The men's team wins its sixth NCAA National Championship, defeating Boston College 2-1. This is their most recent national title prior to 2026.
Women's First NCAA National Championship
The women's team wins its first NCAA National Championship under Mark Johnson, defeating Minnesota 3-0. This marks the first time both men's and women's programs from the same school won NCAA titles in the same year.
Tony Granato Fired as Men's Head Coach
After seven seasons and a second consecutive losing season, Tony Granato is fired as the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey team.
Mike Hastings Hired as Men's Head Coach
Mike Hastings, a highly successful coach from Minnesota State, is announced as the new head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey team, replacing Tony Granato.
Mark Johnson Earns 600th Win
Women's head coach Mark Johnson achieves his 600th career win with the Badgers in a 9-0 victory over MSU Mavericks, becoming the first coach to reach this milestone in NCAA women's ice hockey.
Women's NCAA Runner-Up Finish
The Wisconsin women's hockey team finishes as the NCAA runner-up, losing to Ohio State in the national championship game.
Mark Johnson Named AHCA Coach of the Year
Mark Johnson is chosen as the CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) 2024-25 Women's Division I Coach of the Year, his fifth time receiving the award.
Women's Eighth NCAA National Championship
The women's team wins its eighth NCAA National Championship, defeating archrival Ohio State in overtime. Casey O'Brien also wins the Patty Kazmaier Award.
Women's WCHA Regular Season Championship
The Wisconsin women's hockey team clinches the WCHA regular-season conference championship with a 4-2 victory over St. Cloud State, marking back-to-back titles.
Mark Johnson Achieves 700th Win
Women's head coach Mark Johnson earns his 700th win as the Badgers defeat Quinnipiac 6-0 to advance to the Frozen Four.
Caroline Harvey Wins Patty Kazmaier Award
Caroline Harvey, a key defender for the women's team, captures the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.
Women's Ninth NCAA National Championship
The Wisconsin women's hockey team wins its ninth NCAA National Championship, and second in a row, defeating Ohio State 3-2. Ava McNaughton is named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Men's NCAA National Championship Game
The Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey team is scheduled to face Denver in the NCAA National Championship game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. They advanced by defeating North Dakota 2-1 in the semifinals on April 9.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The Wisconsin Badgers Hockey program, representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison, has a storied history in collegiate ice hockey, with both its men's and women's teams achieving significant milestones. The men's team has historically won six NCAA National Championships, with their most recent title coming in 2006. However, the program experienced a period of inconsistent performance, leading to a coaching change in March 2023 when Tony Granato was relieved of his duties after seven seasons.
This marked a key turning point for the men's program. On March 30, 2023, Mike Hastings, a highly successful coach from Minnesota State, was hired as the new head coach. Hastings quickly made an impact, leading the Badgers to a 13-win improvement and an NCAA tournament berth in his inaugural 2023-2024 season, where they were in contention for the Big Ten regular-season title and saw goaltender Kyle McClellan win the Mike Richter Award. The 2024-2025 season presented challenges, with the team finishing 6th in the Big Ten, struggling with offensive consistency and uncertain goaltending. However, the 2025-2026 season has seen a remarkable turnaround, with the men's team advancing to the NCAA National Championship game on April 11, 2026, after winning the Worcester Regional and defeating North Dakota in the national semifinals. This signifies a strong return to national contention under Hastings, who was also named a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award.
In contrast, the Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey program has maintained a consistent level of elite performance under head coach Mark Johnson, who is the winningest coach in NCAA collegiate women's hockey history. The women's team has amassed an NCAA-best nine National Championships. After finishing as the NCAA runner-up in the 2023-2024 season, losing to Ohio State, the Badgers bounced back to win the NCAA Championship in 2025, defeating Ohio State in an overtime thriller. This championship season also saw Casey O'Brien win the Patty Kazmaier Award and Mark Johnson earn the CCM/AHCA Coach of the Year honor.
The success continued into the 2025-2026 season, culminating in another NCAA National Championship victory on March 22, 2026, where they once again defeated Ohio State 3-2, securing back-to-back titles. During this dominant season, Mark Johnson achieved his 700th career win as head coach on March 17, 2026, and Caroline Harvey was awarded the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Goaltender Ava McNaughton was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. The women's team also clinched the WCHA regular-season and tournament titles in 2026. Both men's and women's teams play their home games at the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena, respectively, and continue to be cornerstones of the University of Wisconsin's athletic success.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Wisconsin Badgers Hockey made different choices?