About

This is the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) With a noteworthy past that spans six decades and marks its 57th season overall in 2008-09, three characteristics that continue to define the Western Collegiate Hockey Association are history, tradition and success. From it's founding days as the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League (MCHL) from 1951-53, to the Western Intercollegiate Hockey League (WIHL) from 1953-58, then on to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in 1959, this prestigious athletic conference has developed and maintained a tradition of excellence that truly is second to none. In fact, no collegiate conference - in any sport - can top the impressive list of national scale accomplishments of the WCHA and its member teams. Since 1951, teams representing the men's WCHA have earned a record 36 NCAA (national) championships, finished as the national runner-up another 27 times, and qualified for a berth in collegiate hockey's national championship round - the NCAA Men's Frozen Four - in 53 of 56 seasons overall. And since it's founding in 1999-2000, teams representing the women's WCHA have captured nine consecutive national championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008! In addition to its successes in national championship tournament play over the years, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association owns an enviable reputation for producing outstanding coaches and student-athletes, with hundreds upon hundreds of its alumni moving on to successful professional and Olympic playing careers. On top of the more than 200 men's and women's league alumni who have Olympic experience playing for the likes of the U.S., Canada, Italy, Norway, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Finland, and France, conference-member teams and players have also received additional international exposure on a regular basis since 1951. The WCHA has hosted touring teams from the USSR, Canada, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Latvia, Germany, Italy, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, England and France. The league has also sent men's WCHA All-Star Teams to Europe in both 1998 (Switzerland) and 2000 (Norway) and hopes to make another overseas trip in the future, while the women's WCHA has also regularly put together all-star teams, with the 2005-06 season bringing WCHA All-Star Team games against the U.S. National Team at both Xcel Energy Center and the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center. In 2006-07, the women's WCHA had nine current and seven former players compete at the 2007 IIHF Women's World Championship in Manitoba, with the likes of Carla MacLeod, Caroline Ouellette, and Tessa Bonhomme winning Gold as members of Team Canada. And in 2008, the women's WCHA had another strong presence in the IIHF Women's World Championship, held April 4-12 in Harbin, China. Ohio State coach Jackie Barto and six current players from the WCHA led Team USA to the gold medal while 12 current and former UMD players represented five different national teams. Barto's Team USA included two current Minnesota players - forward Gigi Marvin and defenseman Rachael Drazan - along with former Gopher Natalie Darwitz; four current Wisconsin players Jessie Vetter, a goaltender, plus forwards Hilary Knight, Erika Lawler and Meghan Duggan and ex-Badgers Molly Engstrom, a forward and Kerry Weiland, a defenseman, and two former Minnesota Duluth players, forwards Jenny Potter and Jessica Koizumi. UMD assistant coach Julie Chu was Team USA's captain. Five current Bulldogs also competed. Kim Martin, the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four's Most Outstanding Player, played in goal for Team Sweden, where she was joined by forward Elin Holmlov and former UMD stars Maria Rooth and Erika Holst. Two UMD players (forward Saara Tuominen and defenseman Heidi Pelttari) suited up for Team Finland with ex-Bulldog Nora Tallus while UMD forward Iya Gavrilova played for Team Russia. Assistant coach and former UMD standout Caroline Ouellette skated for Team Canada, along with former Wisconsin defensemen Carla MacLeod and Meaghan Mikkelson.