The Home for Women’s Hockey

It may not have the historical significance of Camp Randall Stadium or the name recognition of the neighboring Kohl Center, but LaBahn Arena gives Badger fans an equally compelling experience: a loud, intimate atmosphere and a whole lot of wins.

LaBahn Arena opened in 2012 as the second-ever facility built specifically for a college women’s hockey team, following Ridder Arena in Minnesota. It’s hard to argue with the results. As occupants of the arena, the UW women’s hockey team has doubled its number of national championships from four to eight — the most of any program in the country.

Connected to the Kohl Center by a tunnel, LaBahn is the much-smaller hockey venue, with seating for 2,273 fans compared to its neighbor’s 15,000-plus. But what it lacks in capacity, it more than makes up for in viewing experience. There’s no bad seat in the routinely sold-out house, with clear sight lines and the immersive feeling of being right on top of the action. Whether the crowd is roaring for a score or chanting “We want more!” the noise is as loud as you’ll hear in any indoor arena.

In a sports era optimized for TV viewing, LaBahn reminds fans of the electricity of live action. And it’s wise to arrive early, given the general admission seating.

LaBahn Arena, named for lead benefactors Charles ’49 and Mary Ann LaBahn, also hosts practices for the men’s hockey team and locker rooms for swimming and diving. It’s proved a reliable and convenient facility for regular use by both hockey programs, which previously had to shuffle between the Kohl Center, the Shell, and private rinks for practices. (During the 2020–21 season with COVID-19 attendance restrictions, the men’s team also played its games at LaBahn to save on the expenses associated with transitioning the Kohl Center from a basketball court to a hockey rink.)

And how’s this for home-ice advantage? Upon winning the 2025 NCAA title, the women’s hockey team led by legendary coach Mark Johnson ’94 boasted an all-time home record of 193–21–12 at LaBahn Arena.

As former UW goaltender and national champion Kristen Campbell ’20 once said: “I don’t think there’s a better place to play when you have fans like you do here.”