Wisconsin women's hockey faces Quinnipiac in NCAA Tournament regional final

The winner will advance to the Frozen Four as Wisconsin seeks its fourth-straight national title game appearance.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 3:06pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team will host the No. 7 Quinnipiac Bobcats in the regional final of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. Wisconsin is undefeated, 8-0, in NCAA Tournament games played on home ice and is seeking its fourth-straight trip to the Frozen Four, where it would seek its fourth-consecutive national title game appearance. Quinnipiac is seeking its first Frozen Four berth in program history.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the top women's hockey programs in the country, with Wisconsin looking to continue its dynasty and Quinnipiac aiming to make history by reaching its first Frozen Four. The winner will advance to face either Penn State or UConn in the national semifinal, with the Frozen Four being hosted at Penn State this year.

The details

Wisconsin boasts an 8-1-1 record over Quinnipiac all-time, but the two programs have never met in the NCAA Tournament. Quinnipiac earned its bid in the tournament by winning the ECAC conference tournament, while Wisconsin enjoyed a bye through the first round of play. The Badgers are led by their graduating senior class, who are seeking their third national title during their time on campus.

  • The game will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Central time.
  • Wisconsin is undefeated, 8-0, in NCAA Tournament games played on home ice.

The players

Wisconsin Badgers

The No. 2 ranked women's hockey team in the country, seeking its fourth-straight trip to the Frozen Four and fourth-consecutive national title game appearance.

Quinnipiac Bobcats

The No. 7 ranked women's hockey team, seeking its first-ever Frozen Four berth after winning the ECAC conference tournament to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.

Caroline Harvey

The Wisconsin Badgers team captain, seeking her third national title during her time on campus.

Mia Lopata

The Quinnipiac Bobcats team captain, who said reaching the Frozen Four would "mean the world" to the team.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Taking this team to the first Frozen Four would be unreal, and mean the world to us. So I think that that's definitely something in the back of our mind and we're going to work our hardest tomorrow to get to make that happen.”

— Mia Lopata, Quinnipiac team captain (Press conference)

“We got a really special group again this year, and to get it done would mean the world. I mean, we're working toward that right now, taking it one game at a time, period by period. But, yeah, we're excited and we got the group to do it, and that's what we're setting up to do.”

— Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin team captain (Press conference)

What’s next

The winner of Saturday's matchup will advance to the Frozen Four against the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions or No. 6 UConn Huskies. Penn State is hosting the Frozen Four national semifinal and championship game this year at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.

The takeaway

This highly anticipated regional final features two of the top women's hockey programs in the country, with Wisconsin looking to continue its dynasty and Quinnipiac aiming to make history by reaching its first Frozen Four. The winner will have the chance to compete for a national championship at the Frozen Four hosted by Penn State.