2025 bracket
2025 tournament
Locations, dates:
- Selection show: Sunday, March 9, 11:30 a.m. ET, ESPNU
- Regional semifinals: Campus sites of top three seeds, March 13/14
- Regional finals: Campus sites of top four seeds, March 15/16
- Frozen Four: Ridder Arena, Minneapolis, March 21 and 23
Qualifying teams: 11
Format: Five automatic qualifiers and the top six other teams from the PairWise Rankings are selected. The top four overall seeds are No. 1 seeds and will host regional finals. The next four overall seeds are No. 2 seeds. The remaining three teams are No. 3 seeds. The No. 4 overall seed will play the No. 5 overall seed. The bottom three No. 2 seeds will play the three No. 3 seeds in the regional semifinals. All rounds are single elimination. More: NCAA Division I women’s tournament selection process
Automatic qualifiers: Postseason tournament champions from Atlantic Hockey America, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, NEWHA and WCHA.
NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey committee
- Janine Oman, Ohio State senior deputy director (chair)
- Cara Morey, Princeton coach
- Dean O’Keefe, Stonehill athletic director
- Britni Smith, Syracuse coach
- TBA, Hockey East representative
Future sites
2026
- Frozen Four: Pegula Ice Arena, State College, Pa.
2027
- Frozen Four: Amsoil Arena, Duluth, Minn.
2028
- Frozen Four: Martire Family Arena, Fairfield, Conn.
NCAA champions
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Site |
| 2025 | Wisconsin | Ohio State | Minneapolis |
| 2024 | Ohio State | Wisconsin | Durham, N.H. |
| 2023 | Wisconsin | Ohio State | Duluth, Minn. |
| 2022 | Ohio State | Minnesota Duluth | State College, Pa. |
| 2021 | Wisconsin | Northeastern | Erie, Pa. |
| 2020 | No tournament due to COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic | ||
| 2019 | Wisconsin | Minnesota | Hamden, Conn. |
| 2018 | Clarkson | Colgate | Minneapolis |
| 2017 | Clarkson | Wisconsin | St. Charles, Mo. |
| 2016 | Minnesota | Boston College | Durham, N.H. |
| 2015 | Minnesota | Harvard | Minneapolis |
| 2014 | Clarkson | Minnesota | Hamden, Conn. |
| 2013 | Minnesota | Boston University | Minneapolis |
| 2012 | Minnesota | Wisconsin | Duluth, Minn. |
| 2011 | Wisconsin | Boston University | Erie, Pa. |
| 2010 | Minnesota Duluth | Cornell | Minneapolis |
| 2009 | Wisconsin | Mercyhurst | Boston |
| 2008 | Minnesota Duluth | Wisconsin | Duluth, Minn. |
| 2007 | Wisconsin | Minnesota Duluth | Lake Placid, N.Y. |
| 2006 | Wisconsin | Minnesota | Minneapolis |
| 2005 | Minnesota | Harvard | Durham, N.H. |
| 2004 | Minnesota | Harvard | Providence, R.I. |
| 2003 | Minnesota Duluth | Harvard | Duluth, Minn. |
| 2002 | Minnesota Duluth | Brown | Durham, N.H. |
| 2001 | Minnesota Duluth | St. Lawrence | Minneapolis |
| 2000* | Minnesota | Brown | Boston |
| 1999* | Harvard | New Hampshire | Minneapolis |
| 1998* | New Hampshire | Brown | Boston |
NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Players
| Year | Winner, Position, School |
| 2025 | Kirsten Simms, F, Wisconsin |
| 2024 | Raygan Kirk, G, Ohio State |
| 2023 | Cami Kronish, G, Wisconsin |
| 2022 | Paetyn Levis, F, Ohio State |
| 2021 | Makenna Webster, F, Wisconsin |
| 2020 | No tournament due to COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic |
| 2019 | Kristen Campbell, G, Wisconsin |
| 2018 | Shea Tiley, G, Clarkson |
| 2017 | Cayley Mercer, F, Clarkson |
| 2016 | Sarah Potomak, F, Minnesota |
| 2015 | Hannah Brandt, F, Minnesota |
| 2014 | Jamie Lee Rattray, F, Clarkson |
| 2013 | Noora Raty, G, Minnesota |
| 2012 | Noora Raty, G, Minnesota |
| 2011 | Meghan Duggan, F, Wisconsin Hilary Knight, F, Wisconsin |
| 2010 | Emmanuelle Blais, F, Minnesota Duluth |
| 2009 | Jessie Vetter, G, Wisconsin |
| 2008 | Kim Martin, G, Minnesota Duluth |
| 2007 | Sara Bauer, F, Wisconsin |
| 2006 | Jessie Vetter, G, Wisconsin |
| 2005 | Natalie Darwitz, F, Minnesota |
| 2004 | Krissy Wendell, F, Minnesota |
| 2003 | Caroline Ouellette, F, Minnesota Duluth |
| 2002 | Kristy Zamora, F, Brown |
| 2001 | Maria Rooth, F, Minnesota Duluth |
| 2000 | Erica Killewald, G, Minnesota |
| 1999 | Jennifer Botterill, F, Harvard |
| 1998 | Winny Brodt, D, Minnesota |
