University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
Border Battle Set for Frozen Four Semifinal
3/20/2025 11:19:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - The fourth-seeded University of Minnesota women's hockey team (29-11-1, 19-8-1 WCHA) will face the top-seeded Wisconsin Badgers (36-1-2, 25-1-2 WCHA) in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals at Ridder Arena on Friday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT.
The winner will advance to the national championship against either Ohio State or Cornell on Sunday, March 23 at 3:00 p.m. CT.
Both semifinal games will be streamed on ESPN+, with the championship game being televised on ESPNU.
Last Time Out
The Maroon and Gold are coming off a 3-2 NCAA Regional Finals victory against Colgate. Abbey Murphy scored back-to-back power play goals to start the game, moving to a career total of 103, the sixth-most in program history. Defender Sydney Morrow secured the game-winning goal, her 11th score and 30th point of the season. While Colgate added two goals during the third period, they ultimately were unable to bring the game back even, and the Gophers secured their 16th Frozen Four appearance in program history.
Border Battle No. 6
Head coach Mark Johnson and the Wisconsin Badgers have enjoyed a historic season, notching 36 wins and only one regulation loss. Wisconsin took home both the regular season and postseason WCHA conference titles, and all three Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalists skate for the Badgers (Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey, Casey O'Brien). In the NCAA Regional Final, Wisconsin took down Clarkson 4-1 at LaBahn Arena.
The Gophers and Badgers have faced off five times this season, most recently in the WCHA Final Faceoff Championship game on March 8. Wisconsin has won each contest throughout the season so far, including a narrow 4-3 win to claim the WCHA postseason title.
Multiple Contributors
Redshirt-senior and captain Abbey Murphy leads the nation with 33 goals this season, and ranks fourth in points with 65, a career-high for the Evergreen Park, Ill. native. Murphy has notched at least one point in 31 out of the Gophers' 41 games, including 21 multi-point games. Murphy also leads the team with seven game-winning goals and six power play goals.
Following Murphy is senior forward and fellow captain Ella Huber, who has recorded a career-high 48 points (15g-33a) this season, then fifth-year forward Natalie Mlynkova with 34 points (16g-18a).
Freshman Chloe Primerano leads Minnesota defenders and ranks fifth on the team with 31 points on the season (5g-26a). Following Primerano is junior defender Sydney Morrow with 30 points (11g-19a). Five of Morrow's goals came on the power play. Ranking on the blue line in points is junior defender and captain Nelli Laitinen with 21 points (3g-18a) on the season so far.
Freshman goaltender Hannah Clark holds an 25-9-1 record on the season with a .907 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average. This season, Clark has tallied the most wins for a Gopher freshman goaltender in program history.
Milestones on the Horizon
Abbey Murphy has recorded 103 career goals, sixth all-time in program history, needing three more to tie Krissy Wendell at fifth all-time. Murphy also has tallied 195 career points, just five away from reaching the 200 mark. Josefin Bouveng is also in pursuit of a triple digit milestone, sitting at 98 career points. She looks to become the fifth active Gopher with at least 100 career points, joining Abbey Murphy, Ella Huber, Peyton Hemp, and Natalie Mlynkova.
WCHA Honors
Several Gophers have tallied numerous conference accolades throughout the 2024-25 season.
Abbey Murphy and Sydney Morrow were each named to the All-WCHA Second Team, Chloe Primerano was named to both the All-WCHA Third Team and WCHA All-Rookie Team, and Gracie Graham was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team. Murphy and Primerano were also each named to the WCHA Final Faceoff All-Tournament Team.
Additionally, Sydney Morrow was selected as a WCHA Defender of the Year Finalist, Chloe Primerano was selected as a WCHA Rookie of the Year Finalist, and Audrey Wethington was selected as a WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year Finalist.
Five Gophers earned WCHA Weekly Awards throughout the regular season: Abbey Murphy (Nov. 18, Dec. 9), Hannah Clark (Nov. 18, Feb. 24), Chloe Primerano (Dec. 9, Jan. 20), Sydney Morrow (Jan. 6), and Gracie Graham (Jan. 13).
Three Minnesota student-athletes have been named WCHA Players of the Month: Abbey Murphy (December, January), Chloe Primerano (December), and Sydney Morrow (January).
Murphy Magic Sweeps Nation
For the second-straight season, Abbey Murphy was selected as a Top-10 Finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. She is the 39th Gopher to be named a finalist.
Additionally, this season Murphy was named National Player of the Month by the Hockey Commissioners Association in back-to-back months (December, January). She became the first Gopher to earn multiple National Player of the Month honors in one season since Taylor Heise during the 2022-23 season.
Looking to Repeat History
March 22 marks the ten-year anniversary of the 2015 Minnesota women's hockey's national championship win on home ice. The Maroon & Gold captured their sixth all-time national title with a 4-1 win over Harvard, their second national championship win at Ridder Arena.
Quest for Eighth National Title
Minnesota has won seven national championships (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016) and looks for a historic eighth title national crown in 2025.