Wisconsin Badger hockey could be at the highest level it’s ever been, and that’s saying something.  

For the women’s team, the 2023-24 season is business as usual. The defending champs are 12-0 and have been ranked No. 1 in the polls for the entire season up to this point.  

They are a modern dynasty, as they’ve won seven championships since 2006, including three in the past five seasons. Head coach Mark Johnson has led his alma mater for 20 years after spending 10-plus years in the NHL.  

As for the men’s side, the story is a bit more complicated. They had their dynasty run in the ‘70s and ‘80s, winning five championships out of six appearances from 1973-1990. But since then, things have slowed down for the program. Their only championship in the last 30 years came in 2006, the same year the women’s team won their first, and since that point has been a slow decline.  

Coach Mike Eaves, who led the team to the ’06 title and then to a runner up appearance in 2010, was let go in 2016 after back-to-back losing seasons. Badger alum Tony Granato seemed to be the home run hire for Barry Alverez and in 2021 he led the Badgers to their first tournament appearance since 2014 and was named coach of the year. Unfortunately, that success was short lived, as he would also get fired after putting up back-to-back losing seasons in ’22 and ’23.  

In the offseason, AD Chris McIntosh hired Minnesota State head coach Mike Hastings to lead the program going forward, and the start the team has had to the 2023-24 season is the turnaround people expected from the football program. They are 9-1 so far and are ranked No. 3 in the nation, their highest ranking in 10 years. Hastings has done an incredible job so far and Wisconsin Hockey is in a very good place this winter.