Great Expectations for UW Hockey

Wisconsin is a hockey school. In case that was ever in doubt, UW–Madison now boasts 15 total NCAA hockey championship titles across its women’s and men’s teams — more than any other university.

It’s an impressive statistic considering how much college athletics has evolved since the Badger men’s team won the UW’s first hockey title in 1973. And clearly, hockey at UW–Madison isn’t slowing down. Both teams have featured powerhouse players over the past several decades, and last year was no exception.

Take the Badger women’s team. They followed their 2025 come-from-behind championship win with a season that saw only four losses and two ties, even while some of their key players were out for several weeks in February to compete (and win gold) in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Goalie Ava McNaughton x’27, who made the Team USA roster, calls the experience a whirlwind. “You’re trying to make the Olympic team, and you’re also trying to make sure you’re keeping Wisconsin on track and doing everything you can while you’re here. It was chaotic, but in the best way.”

The Badgers went on to beat rival Ohio State in an NCAA championship game rematch, bringing their total title count to a record-extending nine. The season was a storybook ending for players Caroline Harvey ’26, Laila Edwards ’26, Lacey Eden x’25, MS’26, Kirsten Simms ’26, and Vivian Jungels ’26, who were all drafted into the Professional Women’s Hockey League within the top 11 picks.

While the women’s team had a deep bench of veterans last year, a relatively young lineup excelled on the Badger men’s team. Their drive was evident throughout the season, whether sweeping Big Ten matchups against Penn State and Michigan State or bouncing back from a blowout loss in the conference quarterfinal that could have left them down and out leading into the NCAA tournament. Emphasis on could.

“There were some peaks and valleys in our season, but if there’s one thing that sticks out, it’s the belief that the guys had in each other, and the resiliency they showed throughout the year,” Coach Mike Hastings says.

It was this drive that led them to a Cinderella run during the tournament, where they took down top-seeded teams to make it to their first appearance in the NCAA final in a decade. The title game may have ended with a loss, but there’s one thing the scoresheet doesn’t show: the young Badger team is determined to go all the way, and this year, they just might do it.

“We’ve got depth in a lot of different positions. Down the middle, up front, back at our blue line,” says Hastings.

Additions include goaltender Alexis Cournoyer x’29, a Cornell transfer who, along with standout Daniel Hauser x’29, will make scoring against the Badgers a much more difficult task for opponents.

But most important, Hastings adds, the fire is still there. “We’ve got a motivated group that’s coming back understanding that they didn’t quite get done what they wanted to get done a year ago.”

Gavin Morrissey x’28, a junior forward and leading scorer, acknowledges that expectations are high after last year’s strong finish. “There’s a big belief that we can achieve something great this year, with a lot of exciting young talent.”

The women’s team will also look to their younger players to fill some of the holes left by eight seniors who graduated in May. Under Coach Mark Johnson ’94, they’ll shoot for a three-peat, which hasn’t been done in women’s hockey in more than 20 years.

McNaughton, who is in her final year on the team, is ready to take on some of the responsibilities that come with being a senior.

“We have a brand-new leadership group coming in this year and a pretty big incoming freshman class. It’ll be important to make sure I’m on my game, and that I’m setting the right example from the start,” she says. “I think it’s one of the more fulfilling parts of the college experience, being able to grow into that leadership role.”

So how do these teams handle all the expectations that come with being part of a legacy program? For McNaughton and Morrissey, it comes down to teamwork, consistency, and viewing any sort of pressure as an opportunity.

After last year’s successes, Hastings thinks both UW teams are in an enviable position. “It’s a privilege to have expectations put on your program,” he says.