Defending Champs Wisconsin Badgers Women's Hockey Team Gear Up for Season Opener

Wisconsin Badgers Women's Hockey Team Kicks Off Season with High Hopes and New Faces

Wisconsin's Casey O'Brien (26) and Maddi Wheeler (28) embrace after the Badgers defeated Ohio State, 1-0, in the NCAA Division I women's hockey national final Sunday March 19, 2023 at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn. Uwice Ohio State 4 March 19 2023 :: © Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

A Fresh Start to Defend the Crown: Season Opener Details

The Wisconsin Badgers Women's Hockey team, the reigning national champions, are set to kick off their new season on September 28 in St. Charles, MO. They'll face the Lindenwood Lions at 7:10 p.m. CT. The team will also play their second game of the series on Friday, September 29, at 3 p.m. CT. Fans can tune in to station 1070 AM to catch all the action live. Looking ahead, their first home series will be a showdown against the Boston College Eagles on October 5 and 6.

A Season to Remember

The Badgers had an exceptional run last season, notching up 29 wins and capping it off with a victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2023 NCAA National Championship game. This championship was their 7th NCAA title, underlining a history of excellence in women's collegiate hockey.

Wisconsin's Claire Enright (16) tries to shoot the puck past Ohio State's Amanda Thiele during the NCAA Division I women's hockey final on Sunday March 19, 2023 at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn. Uwice Ohio State 11 March 19 2023 :: © Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Coach Johnson's Media Briefing: The Road Ahead

Yesterday, Head Coach Mark Johnson met with the press to share some insights about the upcoming season. One of the significant changes this year is the addition of seven new players to the roster. He noted, "I think we're excited on a lot of different venues. ... Coming off last season, what the girls have done over the course of the summer as far as conditioning and strength training. ... We had an extra week of practice, has just been nice. And so, the next step is to play a game and and see where we're at and how we compare to our opponent. So, a lot of excitement in the air, we'll bring seven new players into our roster from last year."

Johnson believes their summer efforts will pay off.

"What they've done over the summer, you know, how they've conducted their business, they spent eight weeks in summer school, they get a chance to work at the game not only on the ice, but physically get stronger and in good shape. And what I've seen up to this point has been very positive."

Eyes on the Prize

For the Badgers, looking back is not an option. As Johnson put it, "Right now it's all business. We're looking ahead, not in the past." With the opening game just around the corner, the team's full attention is on writing the next chapter in their already stellar history.

Full media conference below:

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