Twenty seasons of NCHA women's hockey. It's emotional to think about.
All the moments, the champions, the stand-out players, the dramatic finishes, the leaders ...
During this historic 20th season of women's hockey, the NCHA will celebrate everything that has made our conference special. Players will wear commemorative helmet decals with the start of the conference schedule, November 15th. Postseason game pucks will feature the special 20th season logo. Our weekly release will include a section to wax historicals. And on NCHAhockey.org, we'll tell the stories of the great players and teams, the unforgettable goals, the comebacks, the dynasties, the goalies who dominated, the men and women who made the league happen, and everything in between.
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20 YEARS IN FOCUS: CONCORDIA WISCONSIN
This season marks 13 in the NCHA for Concordia Wisconsin, making the Falcons the third-oldest member of the league. CUW has had its share of great memories - from great players to one of the wildest playoff runs in NCHA history.
Names to Know
Veronika Metanova - career pts leader 35-55-90 (2013-17)
Lexi Holman - career goals leader, 43 (2014-18)
Breanna Thomson - 8 career shutouts (still active)
Bridget Slater - Goalie for the 2015 playoff run; multiple great games during that stretch
Katie Hirsch - Her 79 saves vs Hamline in 2007 stand as the most in a single game in NCHA history.
Nicole Krumwiede - Game-winning goal in the 2015 Slaats Cup Semifinals
The Moments
2009
In its second season, CUW qualifies for the O'Brien Cup Playoffs.
2011
First playoff victory and trip to the semifinals
* After losing game 1 at UW-Eau Claire, Sarah Luberda scored at 19:27 to put CUW ahead 5-4 and send it to mini-game.
* In OT of mini-game, Sarah Muewissen scored at 2:12 to send CUW to its first semifinal.
2015
Slaats Cup Playoffs
* Quarterfinals at St. Scholastica - Sammi Reiter scores the GWG with 14 seconds left in regulation and the Falcons pull off the road thriller 2-1. Bridget Slater makes 31 saves. CUW trailed 1-0 in the second period.
* Semifinal at Adrian - It was the only goal Nicole Krumwiede scored all season, and it would go down as maybe the biggest goal in CUW history. The even-strength tally at 12:16 of 3rd proved the game-winner in a 2-1 final at top-seeded Adrian. Bridget Slater made 41 saves on 42 shots. The Falcons were out-shot 42-17.
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20 YEARS IN FOCUS: ST. SCHOLASTICA
The Saints joined the NCHA for the 2010-11 season and, after missing the playoffs in year one, they've been in the postseason every year since. Here are some of the top memories from a decade of hockey in Duluth:
2013 NCHA Quarterfinal - First postseason and series victory.
Kaitlin Johnston and Monika Waidacher score two of the greatest goals in CSS history, both coming late in the third period in Game #1 (Johnston) and Game #2 (Waidacher) as the Saints sweep Lake Forest on the road. Johnston's goal came with 3:09 left in regulation in Game #1. Nina Waidacher added an empty-netter to seal the win and Teraysa White finished the 34-save shutout. In Game #2 St. Scholastica trailed the host Foresters 1-0 entering the third period. Nikki Logergren tied the game at 5:09 and then Monika Waidacher scored her famous goal with 4:10 left to play. White stopped 32 of 33 shots to earn the win.
2019 NCHA Semifinal - First trip to championship game
Saints defeat Lake Forest 3-0 to advance; Lexi Thomeczek puts up one of the best goalie performances in CSS history with the 37-save shutout. CSS got goals from Amber Tilander, Rachel Anderson and Alexia Klaas.
2016 at Adrian - Hartfiel stops 56, Saints tie #2 Adrian
Lindsey Hartfiel makes 56 saves in another memorable goalie performance as the Saints earn their first win/tie vs a Top-5 team. Sierra Hanowski scored with 1:21 left to tie the game 2-2.
2017 NCHA Quarterfinal - Thomeczek shutout streak
Thomeczek shuts out Lake Forest in Game #2 of NCHA Quarterfinals, then plays another 47 minutes of shutout hockey in the mini-game before finally being solved by the Foresters in 2OT. In all, the streak went 107 minutes.
The Players ...
Nina Waidacher, 4-time All-American
One of three NCHA players to be named All-American four times, she ranks third in NCHA scoring with 153 career points; named NCHA Player of the Year her senior season (2014-15). She won an Olympic Bronze Medal with Team Switzerland at the 2014 Sochi Games.
Alex Blair, 2-time All-American
One of just eight defensemen to be named All-American multiple years, Blair was a 3-time All-NCHA selection and played a huge role on the 2013 team that made program history.
Michelle Fischer, 4th in all-time assists
One of the top play-makers in Saints history, Fischer was part of the first team in 2010-11 and the 2012-13 team that made history. She is tied for 4th in NCHA history with teammate Nina Waidacher at 74 career assists.
Rachel Anderson, 2019 Player of the Year and All-American
Anderson became the second Saint to win Player of the Year; her 31 assists in 2018-19 rank fourth in NCHA history. She's currently in her junior season at CSS
Lexi Thomeczek, 2019 All-American
Still active with the Saints in her senior season, Thomeczek was given the exclusive All-American status last year. She has been involved in several of the top moments in CSS history.
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20 YEARS IN FOCUS: ADRIAN
Adrian joined the NCHA for the 2009-10 season as part of the 3rd wave of expansion in the fast-growing conference. The Bulldogs wasted little time making their mark, finishing second that year and reaching the NCHA semifinals. Since then, the awards and trophies have piled up. Here are some of the top memories from a decade at Adrian.
The Players. The Bulldogs have had many elite players since joining the NCHA in 2009, but these players are noteworthy:
Kelly O'Sullivan - One of only six players to earn All-American three or more times, and one of two players to earn FIRST-TEAM All-American three or more times. She's still active.
Kristin Lewicki - Leading scorer in NCHA history with 179 points; two-time All-American and 2017 NCHA Player of the Year.
Sydney Smith - Two-time All-American, ranks 8th in all-time NCHA career assists.
Alix Vallee - Two-time first team All-American, ranks 9th in all-time NCHA career assists.
Brittany Zeches - The 2013 NCHA Player of the Year, one of just three goalies to earn the league's highest honor.
Kaylyn Schroka - Ranks fifth all-time in career points with 149 and second in career assists with 80.
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Greatest Goals. There are many, but when weighing drama, significance and just plain excitement, these are among the best:
2017 NCAA Semifinals - In front of a full house at Arrington Arena, Kristin Lewicki scores in OT to defeat Gustavus 3-2, vaulting Adrian to the national championship game. The Bulldogs are the first NCHA to reach the title game since 2004 (UW-Stevens Point).
2017 NCAA Quarterfinals - Kaylyn Schroka ends an emotional, back-and-forth game with her OT goal to beat Elmira 5-4, sending the Bulldogs to the Semifinals for the first time.
2019 NCHA Championship - In the third longest game in NCHA history, Brianna Buchanan scores in 2OT to defeat St. Scholastica and send the Bulldogs to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament.
2019 NCAA Quarterfinals - On the road at Elmira, Jessica VonRuden stuns the host team with her OT goal at 17:36. Adrian advances to the Semifinals for the second time in three years.
2011 NCHA Championship - Nina Laurie scores at 12:59 of overtime to defeat top-seed and host UW-River Falls 4-3 and send the Bulldogs to their first NCAA Tournament. Adrian trailed the Falcons 3-0 at the midpoint of the hockey game.
2018 NCHA Championship - Kortney Diaz scores at 15:00 of OT to win 4-3 over Lake Forest and earn, then, their third-straight Slaats Cup.
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20 YEARS IN-FOCUS: LAKE FOREST
The Foresters are the lone charter member of the NCHA still in the conference, meaning they are celebrating 20 years of women's hockey just like the NCHA. See more at nchahockey.org, but here are some top memories from Lake Forest over its history:
Jackie Slaats
The NCHA playoff champion is awarded the Slaats Cup, named for the Lake Forest Vice President and former Athletic Director. Slaats was a critical leader in the process of forming the NCHA back in 2000 and she continues to provide leadership for the conference today.
2009-10 Conference Champs
In season 10, the Foresters won their first regular season title while going 11-1-4 in NCHA play. Kim Herring was named Player of the Year and a first team All-American; Carisa Zaban was voted Coach of the Year.
Michelle Greeneway
One of three NCHA players to earn All-American honors four times and be named Player of the Year twice; only player from the NCHA to be named national Player of the Year.
Greatest Goals
Two goals stand alone in Forester history. Rank them as you wish, but Michelle Greeneway's game-winner with 3 seconds left in regulation to beat Concordia Wisconsin in the 2015 NCHA Championship and Emily Wybo's overtime winner to hold off St. Norbert in the 2014 title game are legendary.
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LONGEST GAMES
Among the greatest games in NCHA history are the postseason, overtime thrillers. Narrowing further, we find the longest games in NCHA history - each with their own amazing story. Surprisingly, the longest game in NCHA history was played in our first postseason, back in 2001. Top-seeded UW-Superior out-lasted Lake Forest with a goal early in the third overtime. After over 100 minutes of hockey, the Yellowjackets would fall the next day to UW-River Falls in the title game.
2001 ... NCHA Semifinals ... UW-Superior 4, Lake Forest 3 (3OT / 102:37)
2007 ... NCHA Championship ... UW-Stevens Point 3, UW-Superior 2 (2OT / 86:07)
2004 ... NCAA Quarterfinals ... UW-Stevens Point 3, Gustavus 2 (2OT / 85:58)
2019 ... NCHA Championship ... Adrian 3, St. Scholastica 2 (2OT / 85:13)
2004 ... NCHA Championship ... UW-Stevens Point 2, UW-Superior 1 (2OT / 82:22)
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2001 ... NCHA Semfinals ... UW-Superior 4, Lake Forest 3 (3OT / 102:37)
UW-Superior was the top seed in the inaugural NCHA tournament, played at UW-River Falls. The Yellowjackets had beaten Lake Forest three times during the regular season that year, but fell to the Foresters in their fourth and final meeting back on February 10th. It was one of just four conference wins for Lake Forest, with all three of the others coming against UW-Eau Claire. That win may have provided the spark for the Forestes to put together a great effort against the Yellowjackets in the semifinals.
The first game in NCHA postseasn history would prove to be memorable and historic. And long. Lake Forest got on the board first on a goal by Robyn Slater mid-way through the first period. UW-Superior answered with just over a minute to go in the opening frame, and star forward Mika Sharpe gave the 'Jackets a 2-1 lead earely in the second with a power play goal. Slater answered with a goal a couple minutes later and they were tied again. UW-Superior grabbed the lead again at 5:58 of the third period and it looked like that goal would hold up as the game-winner. Lake Forest's Lara Scheibner scored the equalizer with just 1:53 left to play, sending the Forester bench jumping for joy. A few shifts later, the game was heading to overtime.
The game would go to a third OT and the star for most of the extra time was Forester goalie Theresa Taylor. After making 29 saves in regulation, she stopped 34 more shots in the overtimes to finish with 63 saves. At the other end of the rink, Kelly Timm was not as busy but did make big saves when she had to. Most notably was a save during the second overtime when LFC's Slater was sprung on a breakaway with a chance to complete her hat trick. It was Lake Forest's best chance to win the game.
With a still-fresh ice sheet after yet another zamboni resurface, Yellowjacket captain Jenny Ginkel ended the longest game in NCHA history 2:27 into the third overtime. Angela Harvieux and Rachel Helleloid assisted on the famous goal that sent UW-Superior players poiuring onto the ice to pile on Ginkel. It was the Yellowjackets' and head coach Jane Norman's 18th win of the season. And it would be their last.
The next day UW-Superior played UW-River Falls in the title game, tired for-sure from the 102:37 marathon the day prior. The Falcons prevailed 2-1 to win the first playoff championship. The two teams played four times during the regular season; all four meetings were decided by one goal and three of the games went to overtime.
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ON THE NATIONAL SCENE
2003-04 was a special one for UW-Stevens Point, the NCHA and Division III hockey in the West, as the Pointers became the first team from their school, conference and region to advance deep into the NCAA Tournament. The West had arrived, and the Pointers went to the Frozen Four out of the ultra-competitive NCHA. UW-Stevens Point defeated Gustavus in the quarterfinals and Manhattanville in the semifinals, before falling in a heartbreaker to Middlebury 2-1 in the title game.
The Pointers' run down the stretch was filled with dramatic finishes. In the NCHA championship game, they came from behind in the third period to defeat regular-season champion and host UW-Superior. Kim Lunneborg tied the game 1-1 at 5:56 of the third; her goal would end up sending the game to overtime. Two of them, actually. Pam Stohr's goal in double-OT sent UW-Stevens Point players leaping off the bench to celebrate.
Thirteen days later UW-Stevens Point met Gustavus in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. Double-overtime was on the menu once again. This time it was Gustavus getting the third-period goal to tie the game. But it was Jackie Schmitt who would score the game-winner for the Pointers, 5:58 into the second extra period, locking up a plane ride to Middlebury, Vermont for the Frozen Four.
The Manhattanville semifinal did not have nearly the drama of the previous two thrillers. UW-Stevens Point scored twice in both the second and third periods en route to a 4-1 victory. Lunneborg scored twice and Ann Ninnemann - the current head coach for the Pointers - posted a goal and an assist. The win set up a title game matchup against host Middlebury, which UW-Stevens Point had played earlier that season and lost 3-2.
The rematch would go the way of Middlebury. Ashley Howe put the Pointers up 1-0 in the first, but the Panthers answered with two goals of their own in the opening period. The scoring section of the official score sheet would remain inkless for the rest of the game. UW-Stevens Point pushed in the second and third periods but couldn't come up with the equalizer. The Runner-Up finish, although disappointing for the Pointers, remains important and historic for their school, league and region to this day.
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OUR ALL-AMERICANS
Earning All-American honors is rare and special in college hockey, reserved for truly exceptional student-athletes. 53 individuals from NCHA member schools have earned this great award over 19 seasons, with 17 earning the award multiple times. Adrian leads the way with 18 All-American seasons, followed by Lake Forest with 16. Three individuals have been named All-American four consecutive years - locking themselves as the best to ever play in the NCHA: Erin Kegley of UW-Superior, Michelle Greenway of Lake Forest and Nina Waidacher of St. Scholastica. For a year-by-year look at the NCHA's All-Americans, click below:
https://nchahockey.org/conference_information/AA_women_yearly
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BIRTH OF A CONFERENCE
Without a "How To" guide, the existing NCHA Men's Conference leadership held a special meeting on April 8, 2000 at the Arrowhead Lodge in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. After three hours of hammering out details, it was decided that Lake Forest, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Superior would be the five charter members of the league. The following day at the official spring meeting, which was led by then-NCHA President and Athletics Director at UW-Stevens Point Frank O'Brien, the plan was ratified and the league was born.
For more on how the NCHA Women's Conference was formed, click here: https://nchahockey.org/conference_information/history_women2013
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OUR FIRST NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAM
UW-River Falls made history for its program and the NCHA Women's Conference when it became the first team from the newly-formed league to be selected to the NCAA Tournament in 2003. The Falcons took an 11-game unbeaten streak into the NCAAs and promptly made it 12 with a convincing 5-1 win over St. Thomas in the quarterfinals. UW-River Falls would lose in the semifinals to host and eventual national champion Elmira in a tight 2-1 decision. Emotionally drained from that game, the Falcons lost to Bowdoin the next day in the third place game. Nevertheless, the 2002-03 UWRF Falcons will forever be a part of history, representing the first NCAA Tournament appearance and victory for the NCHA.
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WINNING IT ALL
Most Playoff Championships
5 Adrian
5 UW-River Falls
5 UW-Stevens Point
2 Lake Forest
1 St. Norbert
1 UW-Superior
The list of playoff championships shows the flow of dominance during the history of the NCHA. The earliest power was UW-Stevens Point, winning its titles in the opening years of the conference. The Pointers won five championships in six years from 2002 through 2007. UW-River Falls won two of the first thtree title but really dominated the middle years prior to the departure of the Wisconsin state schools. The Falcons won three titles in four years from 2009 through 2012. And now it's Adrian - with a current streak of four straight Slaats Cup titles. The Bulldogs can move into first all by themselves with one more playoff championship. Their first title came in just their second year as an NCHA member, knocking off regular season champ UW-River Falls in the final. The Bulldogs dominance over the past four years is historic, matching UW-Stevens Point as the only programs to win four championships in a row.
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THE FIRST CHAMPION - March 4, 2001
UW-River Falls defeats UW-Superior 2-1 to win the first NCHA Tournament Championship. The Falcons finished 19-7-1 on the year. The tournament was held in Superior, as the Yellowjackets won the regular season title. UW-River Falls was led by All-NCHA forward Mandy Stokes and defensemen Lindsy Carlson and Beth Betker. Carlson would be named to two more All-NCHA teams in a stand-out career, cementing herself as one of the early, great players in the NCHA. UW-Superior had another one of the greats on its roster in Mika Sharpe. The coaching matchup in this historic game pitted Jane Norman for UW-Superior and Joe Cranston for UW-River Falls. Cranston is still behind the bench for the Falcons today in 2019-20. UW-Superior reached the title game after winning one of the greatest games in league history. The 'Jackets defeated Lake Forest in three overtimes, 4-3.
2000-2001 NCHA Playoffs at UW-Superior
Semifinals
March 3, 2001
UW-Stevens Point 1 vs UW-River Falls 4
Lake Forest 3 vs UW-Superior 4 (3OT)
Championship
March 4, 2001
UW-River Falls 2 vs UW-Superior 1