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WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021)

TABLE OF CONTENTS WCHA QUICK FACTS Quick Facts ...... 1 WCHA Regular Season History WCHA Through the Years ...... 2 WCHA Regular Season Champions...... 98 Founded ...... 1951 WCHA Commissioners ...... 8 WCHA All-Time Team Records ...... 99 First Season ...... 1951-52 The MacNauhgton Cup ...... 10 WCHA All-Time Standings ...... 100 The ...... 11 WCHA Season Reviews ...... 101 League Name History The Championship Trophy ...... 12 Midwest Collegiate Hockey League ...... 1951-53 WCHA Postseason History Western Intercollegiate Hockey League ....1953-58 Membership History WCHA Playoff Champions ...... 122 Alabama Huntsville ...... 14 All-Time WCHA Playoff Championship ...... 123 Western Collegiate Hockey Association ..1959-2021 Alaska Anchorage ...... 16 WCHA Playoffs Year-by-Year ...... 124 Alaska Fairbanks ...... 18 WCHA All-Tournament Teams/Three Stars ...... 132 Commissioners Bemidji State ...... 20 WCHA Playoff Attendance ...... 134 Burt Smith ...... 1977-81 Bowling Green ...... 22 Otto Breitenbach ...... 1983-94 ...... 24 WCHA NCAA History Bruce McLeod ...... 1994-2014 Denver ...... 26 WCHA NCAA Champions ...... 136 Bill Robertson ...... 2014-21 Ferris State ...... 28 NCAA Championship Results ...... 149 Lake Superior State ...... 30 WCHA NCAA Won-Loss Records ...... 150 Regular Season Trophy ...... 32 NCAA 50th Anniversary Team ...... 150 Michigan State ...... 34 WCHA Year-by-Year NCAA Results ...... 151 MacNaughton Cup .....1951-61, 1966-81, 1985-2021 Michigan Tech ...... 36 ...... 38 WCHA in the NHL Postseason Trophy Minnesota Duluth ...... 40 WCHA NHL Award Winners ...... 160 MacNaughton Cup ...... 1962-65 Minnesota State ...... 42 WCHA NHL Registry ...... 162 Broadmoor Trophy ...... 1985-2017 North Dakota ...... 44 WCHA NHL Draft Picks ...... 166 Jeff Sauer WCHA Championship Trophy....2018-2021 Northern Michigan ...... 46 Notre Dame ...... 48 WCHA International History NCAA History Omaha ...... 50 WCHA at the Olympics ...... 172 NCAA Tournament Teams ...... 183 St. Cloud State ...... 52 WCHA at the World Championship ...... 174 Wisconsin ...... 54 WCHA at the World Junior Championship ...... 177 Frozen Four Teams ...... 100 WCHA Membership by Season ...... 56 NCAA National Champions ...... 37 WCHA Records NCAA Tournament Wins ...... 264 Honors and Awards Team Records (All-Time) ...... 180 WCHA Individual Awards...... 58 Individual Records (All-Time) ...... 190 Honorees All-Americans ...... 60 Goaltending Records (All-Time) ...... 199 All-Americans ...... 408 All-WCHA ...... 62 Coaching Records (All-Time) ...... 205 Hobey Baker Awards ...... 16 WCHA All-Rookie ...... 67 Team Records (2013-21) ...... 206 Spencer Penrose Awards ...... 19 WCHA All-Academic ...... 68 Individual Records (2013-21) ...... 214 NHL Draft Picks (through 2020 Draft) ...... 1,044 WCHA Scholar-Athletes ...... 79 Goaltending Records (2013-21) ...... 220 Otto Breitenbach Award ...... 82 Coaching Records (2013-21) ...... 223 Olympians (Players, 1952-2018 Games)...... 217 70 Years of Excellence...... 86 Postseason Team Records (All-Time) ...... 224 WCHA 50th Anniversary Team ...... 89 Postseason Individual Records (All-Time)...... 228 The WCHA Record Book was produced and edited WCHA Postgraduate Scholarships ...... 92 Postseason Goaltending Records (All-Time) ....231 by Todd Bell, WCHA Marketing & Communications WCHA All-Time Best ...... 93 Postseason Team Records (2013-21) ...... 232 Manager (2019-21). Hobey Baker Award ...... 94 Postseason Individual Records (2013-21) ...... 235 Halls of Fame ...... 95 Postseason Goaltending Records (2013-21) .. 238 Special thanks to the media relations contacts American Hockey Coaches Association ...... 96 at all current and former WCHA schools for their assistance in compiling information and images for this book.

THE MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS BECAME THE ONLY SCHOOL IN WCHA HISTORY TO CAPTURE FOUR CONSECUTIVE REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE TITLES IN 2020-21. 1 WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) THE WCHA WCHA THROUGH THE YEARS Editor’s Note: This article contains information that fi rst appeared in articles written for the WCHA by John Gilbert and Shane Frederick.

Home to 408, All-Americans, 16 Hobey Baker Award winners, 19 Spencer Penrose honorees, 1,044 NHL draft picks, 217 Olympians and 37 NCAA championship teams, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association boasts one of the richest histories in NCAA hockey. Born as the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League in 1951, the original WCHA consisted of Colorado College, Denver, Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota and North Dakota. The circuit was renamed the Western Intercollegiate Hockey League in 1953 and competed under that banner through the 1957-58 season. After a one-season hiatus in 1958-59, the league was reborn as the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in 1959-60 with its Original Seven core programs.

Membership History The WCHA stands as one of the cornerstone leagues in the history of college hockey. At the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, 34 percent of the active NCAA Division I programs (21 of 61) had played at least one season in the league. In addition to the Original Seven, the league has included some of the most-storied programs in NCAA history and saw spurts of growth and contraction throughout its history as it would provide the foundation for four other college leagues. The WCHA’s Original Seven would remain unchanged until MINNESOTA’S WAS AMONG THE EARLY STARS OF the league grew by one during the 1960s with the addition of THE WCHA WHEN THE LEAGUE WAS FOUNDED AS THE MIDWEST COLLEGIATE HOCKEY LEAGUE IN 1951-52. THE ONLY PLAYER IN WCHA Minnesota Duluth for the 1965-66 season. Wisconsin (1969-70) HISTORY TO WIN THREE CONSECUTIVE LEAGUE SCORING TITLES, and Notre Dame (1971-72) would push the membership to 10 MAYASICH’S 144 GOALS STILL STANDS AS THE WCHA CAREER RECORD. schools for the duration of the 1970s. - welcomed Alaska Fairbanks, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Eastern members Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech and Superior State and Northern Michigan from the CCHA along with Notre Dame departed for the original Central Collegiate Hockey independent Alabama Huntsville to form a new 10-team WCHA in Association following the 1980-81 season, reducing the WCHA that would last from 2013-14 through 2020-21 when seven teams to a six-team circuit for three seasons from 1981-82 through - Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, 1983-84. CCHA refugee Michigan Tech would return the fold for Michigan Tech, Minnesota State and Northern Michigan broke the 1984-85 season and brought along its Upper Peninsula rival ranks to reform the CCHA. Northern Michigan from the upstart league. The WCHA then held fast as an eight-team league for the duration of the 1980s. 1950s The league welcomed a ninth member - and third from the State No player is more synonomous with the early history of the WCHA of Hockey - when St. Cloud State joined for the 1990-91 season. than Minnesota’s John Mayasich. The league would briefl y grow to 10 teams with the addition of The Eveleth, Minn., native debuted with the Golden Gophers Alaska Anchorage in 1993-94 before dropping back to nine with during the WCHA’s inaugural season in 1951-52 and over the next the departure of Northern Michigan back to the CCHA in 1997-98. four years he established himself as one of the greatest players Minnesota State became the fourth Minnesota university to ice a in college hockey history. WCHA program when the Mavericks were added to the league in Mayasich tallied a staggering 144 goals as time for the 1999-2000 campaign, ushering in an 11-season run a Gopher, a total that still stands as a WCHA as a 10-team league for the WCHA. record seven decades later. His 154 assists That skien ended in 2010-11 when Bemidji State and Nebraska- still ranks as the 12th-best total in league Omaha were admitted as the league’s 11th and 12th members in annals and his 298 career points have 2010-11. only been surpassed by the WCHA’s three The 12-team WCHA was a short-lived creation, lasting just three 300-point career scorers, all of whom played seasons before the announcement of a new hockey conference in the 1970s. sent shockwaves throughout the sport. The WCHA’s fi rst great coach, Michigan’s Vic WCHA stalwarts Minnesota and Wisconsin joined with Michigan, Heyliger was instrumental in the founding Michigan State and Ohio State from the CCHA and the newly- of the league as the Midwest Collegiate formed program at Penn State to bring the sport to the Big Ten Hockey League, a name that lasted for two for the 2013-14 season. seasons before it was changed to the Western The move led to a shake-up that eventually led to the dissolution Michigan Intercollegiate Hockey League in 1953 and of the CCHA and a radical change to the WCHA. Colorado lasted for the duration of the decade. College, Denver, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, Omaha and St. Heyliger had already led the Wolverines to a pair of national Cloud State departed the league to join with Western Michigan championships before the formation of the MCHL, capturing the and Miami of the CCHA to form the National Collegiate Hockey inaugural NCAA crown in 1948 and another title in 1951 following Conference. back-to-back third place fi nishes in 1949 and 1950. With the defections, the remaining WCHA programs - Alaska The Maize and Blue would go on to capture four of the fi rst fi ve Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech and Minnesota State NCAA championships after the formation of the league (1952, 2 THE WCHA WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) WCHA THROUGH THE YEARS 1953, 1955, 1956), defeating fellow league members Colorado The decade also saw the debut of the WCHA’s fi rst expansion College (twice), Minnesota and Michigan Tech to claim the crowns. team as Minnesota Duluth joined the circuit for the 1965-66. CC would exact a measure of revenge in 1957, beating the While the Bulldogs would struggle during their early years in the Wolverines in the national championship game. Denver and North league, UMD did feature one of the WCHA’s stars of the era in Keith Dakota would fi nish the decade with national championships in “Huffer” Christiansen. The Fort Frances, Ont., native captured the 1958 and 1959, respectively, with the Fighting Sioux’s title coming league’s scoring championship and earned MVP honors in 1966- during the WCHA’s one-year hiatus in 1958-59. 67, the Bulldogs’ second campaign in the league. Christiansen Despite its postseason dominance, Michigan could only manage would also equal what is still the WCHA single-game assist mark one WCHA regular season championship during the decade - with six in a contest with Minnesota in 1966. 1955-56 - en route to the school’s fi nal NCAA victory of the 1950s. Colorado College proved to be the dominant team of the league’s 1970s fi rst decade, winning three of the fi rst seven championships The 1970s arrived, and the look of college hockey and the WCHA contested. Minnesota claimed a pair with Michigan and North changed as Minnesota, under coach , made its move Dakota each winning one. to become a solid annual contender by playing virtually an entire The 1950s also saw the debut of legendary Minnesota head homestate roster, while Bob Johnson turned the new Division I coach in 1952. Mariucci would etch his name in program at Wisconsin into a national power. Those two emerging WCHA history after establishing the Golden Gophers as a largely contenders became the most ferocious rivals of the next two Minnesota-only program. Mariucci’s squad annually included decades. exclusively Minnesota high school products in an era when teams In addition to Wisconsin in 1969-70, the 1970s saw Notre Dame were icing older, Canadian junior league-heavy squads. join the WCHA in 1971-72 as the league grew to 10 teams in what can only be described as a very offensive decade as 12 of the 1960s top 25 scorers in league history dotted WCHA rosters during Murray Armstrong’s Denver the era, including six of the top-10 and four of the top fi ve. The dynasty took command incomparable John Mayasich, who sits fourth, is the lone WCHA when the WCHA played top-fi ve scorer to not play in the 1970s. its fi rst offi cial season All three of the WCHA’s career 300-point scorers called the under its new name in league home during the era with the trio all hailing for Michigan 1959-60, with the Pioneers schools. winning both the league Michigan State’s Tom Ross (324) and Steve Colp (300) teamed and NCAA titles behind Bill together for the Spartans from 1972-76 to rank No. 1 and No. 3, Masterton’s scoring, Marty respectively, while Michigan Tech’s Mike Zuke tallied 310 points Howe’s defense and George during the same four-year period to sit at No. 2 all-time, followed Kirkwood’s goaltending. by Mayasich and Colorado College’s Dave Delich, who posted 285 Michigan Tech and North career points from 1975-79. Dakota were the closest But perhaps the top scorer of the decade sits at No. 11 on the challengers, as Tech battled WCHA career list. Wisconsin’s Mark Johnson ended his Badger the Pioneers to the national career with 256 points but reached that total in just three seasons fi nals before yielding 5-3 at as opposed to the four played by the men in front of him. Johnson in . averaged 85 points per season in his three years with the Badgers, Masterton, who won the which would add up to a remarkable 341 points over a four-year league scoring title that career. Johnson of course had good reason to forego his senior season, helped lead Denver season as he was busy winning a gold medal at the 1980 Winter to a 27-4-3 overall record. Olympics. The victory ushered in MINNESOTA DULUTH’S KEITH “HUFFER” Minnesota secured its place as the team of the decade, winning a Pioneer decade as DU CHRISTIANSEN WON THE WCHA national titles in 1974, 1976 and 1979 and fi nishing as the national captured four NCAA titles SCORING TITLE & MVP HONORS IN runner-up to Michigan Tech in 1975 and in 1971. 1966-67, UMD’S SECOND SEASON IN THE and four league crowns LEAGUE. All but the 1971 NCAA trip came under the leadership of Herb during the 1960s. Denver Brooks, who guided the Golden Gophers for the bulk of the decade would reach two other national championship games during the decade and fi nished third in its seventh appearance in the NCAA postseason between 1960 and 1969. The four crowns bookended the decade as Denver followed up the 1960 title with another crown in 1961 in what is considered by many as the most dominant season in NCAA history. The Pioneers skated to a 30-1-1 record en route to the crown with the lone loss coming at the hands of Michigan Tech in December. Denver would scored double-digit goals nine times against collegiate competition and once in an exhibition contest that season. The two crowns were the fi rst of seven in a row for the WCHA during the decade as Michigan Tech (1962), North Dakota (1963), Michigan (1964), Michigan Tech (1965) and Michigan State (1966) would keep the streak alive before Cornell ended the run in 1967. WISCONSIN’S 6-5 OVERTIME WIN OVER MICHIGAN IN THE 1977 NCAA The Pioneers then closed the decade with national championships CHAMPIONSHIP GAME MARKED WAS THE FIFTH OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE in 1968 and 1969. ALL-WCHA NCAA TITLE GAMES IN THE 1970S. LEAGUE TEAMS WON SIX NATIONAL CROWNS DURING THE DECADE AND 17 OF THE 20 Armstrong was the decade’s dominant coach, leading Denver to a CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SPOTS DURING THAT ERA WERE FILLED BY 229-70-17 mark (.751) in the 1960s. WCHA TEAMS.

3 WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) THE WCHA WCHA THROUGH THE YEARS 1983. Boston University’s 1978 squad was the only non-WCHA champion during that run. The make-up of the WCHA changed radically during the North Dakota-Wisconsin title run as four of the league’s eastern members - Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech and Notre Dame - departed for the fl edgling Central Collegiate Hockey Association following the 1980-81 season. The WCHA would persevere as a six-team circuit for three seasons until Tech returned to the fold for the 1984-85 season and brought along Northern Michigan from the CCHA as well. The 1980s also saw the rise of Minnesota Duluth as a WCHA power under head coach Mike Sertich. Sertich tooks the reins at UMD at the start of the 1982-83 campaign and over the next three seasons led the Bulldogs to two WCHA regular season titles, two WCHA postsesaon crowns, three NCAA tournament appearances, two national semifi nal trips and a spot in the 1984 national championship game. The title tilt with Bowling Green is still considered one of the greatest national championship games in NCAA history as the Bulldogs and Falcons battled into a fourth overtime before Bowling Green skated off with a 5-4 win in Lake Placid. Sertich’s dazzling array of stars in 1983-84 included the league’s top scorer in Bill Watson, the league’s best goaltender in freshman Rick Kosti, and the league’s best defenseman in Tom Kurvers, who won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award that season. Watson would follow Kurvers as the Hobey Baker winner a season THE 1986-87 NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING SIOUX STORMED TO THE WCHA AND NCAA TITLES WITH A REMARKABLE 40-8-0 RECORD WITH A LINE- later to join his Bulldog teammate and Minnesota’s UP THAT INCLUDED 1987 HOBEY BAKER WINNER TONY HRKAC (L) AND (1981) as the third WCHA Hobey winner in the award’s fi rst fi ve BOB JOYCE. seasons. before leading a U.S. squad that featured Johnson and 13 other Denver, under coach Ralph Backstrom, performed a remarkable WCHA players to one of the greatest upsets in sports history in turnaround to win the 1985-86 regular season title at 25-9 (34- Lake Placid. 13-1 overall). Dallas Gaume led the Pioneers and the conference In addition to the trio of Gopher titles and the Tech crown in in scoring, while led Northern Michigan and Brett 1975, Wisconsin would win its fi rst two NCAA crowns under Bob Hull blossomed for UMD. Minnesota and Denver advanced to the Johnson in 1973 and 1977. NCAA Frozen Four, but both lost in the semifi nals at Providence, What makes the six WCHA national championships of the decade as Michigan State beat Harvard, 6-5, for the title. so remarkable is that all of the winners faced a WCHA opponent The 1986-87 season would see legendary team and individual with the national title on the line. League teams held 12 of the 14 performances turned in by North Dakota and its high-scoring spots in the seven national championship games held between ringleader Tony Hrkac. 1973 and 1979. The 1978 Boston University-Boston College title The Sioux rewrote the WCHA record book that season, storming match-up won by the Terriers was the lone championship without to a league-record 40 victories in a 40-8-0 season and won two WCHA squads. the WCHA with a 29-6 mark to set a record for wins in a league season. The Sioux also set marks for goals (200), assists (319) 1980s and points (519) in WCHA play that still stand today. With Brooks and fi ve Gopher underclassmen busy taking down Hrkac won the league scoring title with 86 points in 35 WCHA the mighty Soviets in upstate New York, North Dakota won the games, part of a 116-point campaign that earned him the Hobey WCHA and NCAA titles in 1979-80 to open a new decade Baker Award at season’s end. Both marks along with his WCHA Minnesota under former Brooks assistant was a (50) and full-season (70) assist totals stand as league records. surprising second in the WCHA. The Gophers still featured Tim After collecting the WCHA regular season and postseason Harrer, who set a Gopher record by winning the scoring race with crowns, North Dakota capped its legendary season with a 5-3 win 69 points on 45 goals and 24 assists in WCHA play, plus Don over Michigan State in the NCAA championship game in Detroit. Micheletti, Steve Ulseth and freshman brought Minnesota back to the WCHA winner’s circle North Dakota beat Dartmouth 4-1 in the NCAA semifi nals and took over the next two seasons to end a run of down Northern Michigan, 5-2, in the title game at Providence, R.I. three-straight runner-up campaigns, winning The Sioux’s national championship began a four year run that saw the MacNaughton Cup in 1987-88 and 1988- UND and Wisconsin alternate as the national champions to open 89 and reaching the national semifi nals both the decade. The Badgers downed another strong Gopher squad, years. 6-3, in Duluth to win the 1981 championship at a Frozen Four that In 1987-88, brilliant goaltending by Robb also included Michigan Tech. Stauber carried the Gophers to fi nish 11 points North Dakota took the top spot in 1982, and denied the Badgers ahead of Wisconsin, and after winning in the a repeat title, with a 5-2 championship game win over Wisconsin league’s fi rst try at best-of-three playoffs, the in Providence. Gophers reached the NCAA fi nal four in Lake But Wisconsin rebounded in 1983 to down Providence and Placid. Stauber became the fi rst goalie to win Harvard in the fi nal four and skated the national championship the Hobey Baker, but St. Lawrence dealt the trophy on the Sioux’s home ice in Grand Forks. Doug Woog Gophers a 3-2 loss in the semifi nals. The 1983 Badger title ended a remarkable 11-season run that saw Minnesota The next year, Stauber improved his statistics WCHA teams win 10 of 11 national championships from 1973 to

4 THE WCHA WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) WCHA THROUGH THE YEARS to win league goaltending honors as the Gophers won the 1988- In 1993, the league 89 WCHA chase by a league-record 14 points over runner-up invited Alaska Anchorage Northern Michigan. The Gophers, with Dave Snuggerud and Tom to participate in the Chorske back from the 1988 U.S. Olympic team, ran up a 27-6-2 playoffs one year before league record, and headed to the NCAA tournament in St. Paul. it was set to enter the After beating Maine 7-4 in the semifi nals, Minnesota lost to conference as a full-time Harvard, in a brilliantly played, high-speed 4-3 overtime classic. member. That put the WCHA at 10 teams for 1990s the playoffs. All teams By the end of the 1990s, the WCHA was a 10-team league. played a best-of-three Between the 1989-90 season until the turn of the century, more fi rst-round series with than half of the WCHA’s teams opened new rinks. the fi ve winners going St. Cloud State, which joined the league during the decade, moved to an event the WCHA into the National Hockey Center during the 1989-90 season. began calling the Final Minnesota moved into the new Mariucci Arena in 1993. Minnesota Five. State, which also joined the WCHA during the decade, opened The fi rst Final Five, held the Mankato Civic Center in 1995. Denver moved into Magness in St. Paul’s Civic Center, Arena in 1996. Colorado College’s World Arena opened in 1998. featured Northern And Wisconsin’s opened in 1998. Michigan, Michigan Tech, North Dakota also began the planning process for building the Minnesota, Wisconsin new Ralph Engelstad Arena, which opened in 2001. and Minnesota Duluth. The decade also launched an era of Olympic-sized rinks taking NORTHERN MICHIGAN CAPTURED THE 1991 The Gophers beat over the WCHA. NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A TRIPLE- Northern Michigan 5-3 OVERTIME WIN OVER BOSTON UNIVERSITY By the end of the century, more than half of the league’s teams AT THE ST. PAUL CIVIC CENTER. in the championship played on Olympic-sized ice sheets: Minnesota, Alaska Anchorage, with Minnesota’s Travis Colorado College, St. Cloud State, Minnesota State and Wisconsin. Richards winning MVP honors. Technically, Wisconsin’s Kohl Center was three feet shy of 100, The following year, the Final Five was held at Milwaukee’s Bradley but it was close enough that most considered it an Olympic sheet. Center for the fi rst time. It set an attendance record of 61,367. The only WCHA arena built in the 1990s to have an NHL-sized The Final Five alternated between those two locations until 1999, sheet was Magness Arena at Denver. when it was held at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The decade featured a couple of resurgent programs in Colorado The WCHA had three NCAA national championship-winning College and North Dakota. teams in the 1990s. All three won the MacNaughton Cup as In 1992-93, the Tigers fi nished dead last in the league standings regular-season champions and the Broadmoor Trophy as playoff with a 6-26 record. Colorado College then hired that champions before winning the Frozen Four. offseason, and he took CC from worst-to-fi rst in his debut season. It started with Wisconsin winning its third championship in 10 In 1993-94, Colorado College went 18-9-5, fi nishing one point years in 1990. ahead of Minnesota to win the MacNaughton Cup. It was Colorado Led by WCHA MVP Gary Shuchuk, NCAA Most Outstanding College’s fi rst WCHA title since 1957. Player Chris Tancill, forward John Byce, defenseman Sean Hill The Tigers, however, were left out of the NCAA tournament that and goaltender Duane Derksen, the Badgers took out Maine in a year, prompting the short-lived ‘CC rule,’ where the NCAA began quarterfi nal series, topped Boston College 2-1 in the semifi nals giving automatic bids to both the regular-season and tournament and hammered Colgate 7-3 in the championship game in Detroit’s champions of each league. Joe Louis Arena. Colorado College went on to win three consecutive MacNaughton The following year produced one of the NCAA’s wildest national Cups, running away with the league title in 1994-95 (22-9-1, seven championship games. points ahead of Denver and Wisconsin) and 1995-96 (26-2-4, 12 Northern Michigan beat Boston University 8-7 in triple overtime – points ahead of Minnesota). the second-longest national title game of all time – at the St. Paul It marked the fi rst time in WCHA history that a team won the Civic Center. regular-season title in three-straight years. The Wildcats led Boston University by three goals with eight But it didn’t take long for it to happen again. minutes to go in the third period, but the Terriers rallied with goals North Dakota, which won three NCAA national championships in by three future NHLers – Tony Amonte, Shawn McEachern and the 1980s under coach Gino Gasparini, fell on hard times at the . start of the 1990s. Darryl Plandowski fi nished off a feed from Mark Beaufait at 1:57 In 1994, North Dakota turned to former assistant coach Dean of the third overtime to win the game for the Wildcats. Blais, who played at Minnesota. Northern Michigan, coached by , fi nished the season Blais recruited to the philosophy of “speed kills,” and loaded up on a 26-game unbeaten streak. on smaller, dynamic players like Jason Blake, David and Kevin Although Michigan was the heavy favorite to win the 1997 Hoogsteen, Curtis Murphy and Jeff and Jay Panzer. NCAA national championship, North Dakota came away from They turned North Dakota into a high-fl ying offensive team and it Milwaukee’s Bradley Center with the prize. immediately returned to prominence. North Dakota beat Cornell 6-2 in the regional fi nal and knocked North Dakota shared the MacNaughton Cup with Minnesota in out Colorado College by that exact score before taking out Boston 1996-97, then won it outright in 1997-98 and 1998-99, despite not University, which stunned Michigan in the semis. having many NHL prospects outside of Blake. The Terriers led North Dakota 2-0 after the fi rst period, but North The WCHA also cemented Minnesota as the center of the league Dakota blew the game open in the second period with fi ve goals. by adding St. Cloud State in 1990 and Minnesota State in 1999. In the span of just over fi ve minutes, Murphy, David Hoogsten and These moves, perhaps, had the most signifi cant impact on the Matt Henderson scored to put North Dakota ahead. Hoogsteen league’s postseason tournament. and Henderson scored again later in the period as goalie Aaron

5 WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) WCHA THROUGH THE YEARS Schweitzer backstopped North Dakota to its fi rst national title in (’03, ’04, ’07), while 10 years. Colorado College won The WCHA had two Hobey Baker Award winners in the 1990s after three regular-season having fi ve in the 1980s – Minnesota Duluth’s Chris Marinucci and titles (’03, ’05, ’08). St. Minnesota’s , who also won the league’s player of the Cloud State (’01) and year award twice. Minnesota Duluth (’09) The league had an arsenal of new buildings, a growing fan base also won playoff titles. and a big stage set for a league where top recruits wanted to play Six winners of the as a new century dawned. Hobey Baker Award, which goes to college 2000s hockey’s top player, The Frozen Four is supposed to be a coast-to-coast celebration, came from the WCHA in with all of college hockey coming together to see a champion that decade: Minnesota crowned. defenseman Jordan In 2005, though, the WCHA had its own private party in Columbus, Leopold, Colorado Ohio — perhaps to the dismay of the rest of the country. College forward Peter The midway point of the fi rst decade of the 2000s was a pinnacle Sejna, Minnesota for the WCHA, as the fi nal four teams still alive at season’s end Duluth forward Junior all hailed from the storied conference. It was the fi rst time in Lessard, CC forward NCAA history — in any sport — that all of the national-tournament , Denver semifi nalists came from the same conference. defenseman Matt Denver won the championship, defeating North Dakota 4-1 in the Carle and North Dakota GEORGE GWOZDECKY LED DENVER TO A fi nal. Colorado College and Minnesota were the other two teams forward Ryan Duncan. PAIR OF NCAA TITLES IN 2005 AND 2006. in Columbus. There were also players THE CROWNS WERE TWO OF SIX WON BY WCHA TEAMS IN THE 2000S. The WCHA was the king of college hockey. who would go on to The decade lasting from 2000 to 2010 was indeed a heyday for become household names in the NHL: North Dakota’s Jonathan the WCHA in terms of growth, talent and popularity. Denver’s Toews, Zach Parsie and T.J. Oshie; Wisconsin’s Joe Pavelski 2005 championship was the second in a row for the Pioneers. Ryan Suter and Ryan McDonagh; Minnesota’s , That followed two straight national titles by Minnesota. Wisconsin and Phil Kessel; Denver’s ; Minnesota won the 2006 crown to make it fi ve in a row for the WCHA. Duluth’s Matt Niskanen; and Minnesota State’s David Backes — Besides the fi ve championships, WCHA teams took second in the just to name a few. nation three times (North Dakota in 2001 and ’05 and Wisconsin For anyone who followed the WCHA, 2000-1 to 2009-10 was a in ’10) and, in all, 14 teams made it to the Frozen Four. Only once special time to be a college hockey fan. in those 10 years did a Frozen Four take place without a WCHA representative. 2010s/2020s Minnesota started the run of national titles right in its backyard Over the course of its history, the WCHA has featured plenty of with a 4-3 overtime victory over Maine in St. Paul, Minn., with fi erce, fun rivalries that made the sport a major passion among future WCHA head coach scoring the game-winner. its fans. Minnesota and Wisconsin. Denver and Colorado College. A year later, the Gophers beat New Hampshire, 5-1, in Buffalo, North Dakota and, well, just about everybody. N.Y. There were still overtime heroics, as Thomas Vanek scored to Those rivalries defi ned the conference, even as it underwent a knock off Michigan in the Frozen Four semifi nals. few membership changes over its fi rst six decades. Denver edged Maine 1-0 in Boston the following year, as goalie But a conference shake-up that rocked nearly all of college hockey got the shutout and Gabe Gauthier scored the in 2013 and created a dramatically different-looking WCHA out of lone . The Pioneers had to beat WCHA foe Minnesota Duluth the ashes left many wondering if any of the new rivalries could in the semis. compare to what the league had seen in previous years. Denver pulled off the trifecta in 2005, winning the MacNaughton Any fears about conference realignment’s impact on those Cup as WCHA regular-season champion (sharing it with Colorado rivalries were quelled on the weekend of Jan. 17-18, 2014 in College), the Broadmoor Trophy as the conference’s postseason Mankato, Minn., when Ferris State rolled into town to play winner and the national title. Minnesota State. The Pioneers defeated North Dakota, 2-1, in the Final Five A year earlier, the teams were in separate leagues — Minnesota semifi nals on a Gauthier overtime goal and then goaltender Peter State in the WCHA and Ferris State in the CCHA — and they hadn’t Mannino shut out Colorado College, 1-0, in the championship played each other in 15 seasons. But the visiting Bulldogs were game. Three weeks later in the Frozen Four, Denver played its the No. 2 team in the country, and Mavericks fans fi lled the arena two biggest rivals again but got to breathe a little easier in the to see a battle for the top of the conference standings. process, beating CC, 6-2, in the Frozen Four semifi nals and North And a battle they saw. The rough-and-tumble series included a Dakota, 4-1, for the national championship. crowd-pleasing, old-time hockey fi ght and ended with an MSU North Dakota knocked off one of its main rivals to get to the fi nal, sweep and a tight championship chase that would last until the defeating Minnesota, 4-2. fi nal week of the regular season. Wisconsin, led by coach and goaltender , Ferris State went on to win the MacNaughton Cup that season as carried the mantle for the WCHA, in 2006, defeating Boston the WCHA’s regular-season champion, holding off the Mavericks College 2-1 just down the road with the Frozen Four in Milwaukee. by a point, but Minnesota State won the Broadmoor Trophy as the Denver won three MacNaughton Cups during the decade (’02, playoff champ and defeated the Bulldogs in the fi nal (Ferris State ’05, ’10) and three Broadmoor Trophies (’02, ’05 ’08) before big would avenge that loss to MSU two years later). crowds at Final Five in St. Paul. North Dakota also won three With Ferris State and Minnesota State holding that prestigious MacNaughton Cups (’01, ’04, ’00) and two Broadmoors. Minnesota hardware for the next year, it was clear that the WCHA was in a captured two MacNaughtons (’06, ’07) and three Broadmoors new, unfamiliar era.

6 WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) WCHA THROUGH THE YEARS The 2010s were indeed an era of change for the WCHA, and the NCAA tournament that change actually started well before major realignment. The as the No. 1 overall decade began with the conference expanding to 12 teams, as it seed and again in brought in Bemidji State and Omaha to join a powerhouse lineup 2021 as MSU reached for the 2010-11 season. its fi rst Frozen Four. The 2010-11 season saw a mighty North Dakota team, led by Michigan Tech, one of All-Americans Matt Frattin and Chay Genoway, win both the the great programs MacNaughton Cup and the Broadmoor Trophy. The latter was won of the 1960s and in dramatic fashion when Frattin scored in double-overtime of ’70s, experienced a the Final Five championship game against rival Denver at the Xcel renaissance in the Energy Center. post-realignment era. North Dakota returned to St. Paul three weeks later for the NCAA In 2015, led by All- Frozen Four and a at a national championship. But it was American forward another WCHA team that had the overtime magic that weekend. Tanner Kero, the Inspired, perhaps, by an upset overtime loss to 10th-place Bemidji Huskies qualifi ed for State in the Final Five quarterfi nals, Minnesota Duluth went on an the NCAA tournament impressive run that ended with Kyle Schmidt’s goal in overtime for the fi rst time since against Michigan. It was the fi rst national championship for the 1981, and in 2016, with Bulldogs and the 37th for the WCHA. another All-American, The following season, Minnesota won the fi rst of back-to-back Alex Petan, leading MacNaughton Cups (the Gophers shared the trophy with St. the way, they shared Cloud State in 2013), and North Dakota captured its third straight the league’s regular- MINNESOTA STATE’S DRYDEN MCKAY SET Final Five title. Meanwhile, the WCHA picked up two more Hobey season championship WCHA RECORDS FOR SHUTOUTS, GOALS Baker Awards to up its total to 16 in 33 years, with Wisconsin’s with MSU, bringing the AGAINST AVERAGE AND SAVE PERCENTAGE DURING THE LEAGUE’S FINAL THREE SEASONS. receiving the award in 2010, Minnesota Duluth’s fabled MacNaughton Jack Connelly lifting the Hobey in 2012 and St. Cloud State’s Drew Cup back to Houghton for the fi rst time in 40 years. Tech then LeBlanc taking the honor in 2013. It looked like the WCHA was well went on to win back-to-back WCHA playoff titles in 2017 and 2018. on its way to another historic decade. All-American goalie Michael Bitzer all but carried Bemidji State However, after Wisconsin defeated Colorado College in the to its fi rst WCHA regular-season championship in 2017, leading championship game of the 2013 Final Five, the conference would the Beavers on a 13-game unbeaten streak (12-0-1) to start their never be the same. conference schedule. In the summer of 2013, Minnesota and Wisconsin departed Bowling Green had a bit of tough luck, fi nishing no lower than fourth the WCHA as the Big Ten added hockey as a conference sport. place in the WCHA’s fi nal regular-season standings but never Colorado College, Denver, Minnesota Duluth, Omaha, Minnesota winning a championship and losing two playoff title games — both in Duluth and St. Cloud State followed them out the door for another heartbreaking fashion in overtime, once to Michigan Tech (in double new conference. OT on a Shane Hanna goal) and once to Minnesota State (on a Nick The remaining WCHA teams —Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Rivera goal after a late third-period comeback by the Mavericks). Michigan Tech and Minnesota State — took on the leftovers All-American defenseman Alec Rauhauser was a big part of from the CCHA, which was going belly-up after losing most of its the Falcons’ resurgence, while Northern Michigan also started membership in the shakeup. Alaska Fairbanks, Bowling Green, to make a splash, hiring former Minnesota Gophers hero Grant Ferris State and Lake Superior State joined the WCHA, and Potulny as head coach in 2017 and getting great performances Northern Michigan returned to the conference after 16 years away. from the likes of forward Troy Loggins, defenseman Philip The league restarted as a 10-team conference when it admitted Beaulieu and goalie Atte Tolvanen, the latter of whom, in 2017, previously independent Alabama Huntsville to the group. strung together fi ve consecutive shutouts — a WCHA-record 339 But the so-called “new” WCHA turned out to be as competitive minutes, fi ve seconds. as the old one, not only with the new rivalries but with some new The end of the 2010s saw more changes, as the league coped with commitments from programs that had been wallowing a bit in a global pandemic. COVID-19 shut down the 2019-20 season prior their old conferences. to the conference tournament semifi nals and not only delayed the Coaching changes at Minnesota State, Bowling Green and start of the following season but caused the two Alaska teams to Michigan Tech, a beautiful new arena in Bemidji and plans for opt out of the 2020-21 campaign. fi xes at several other rinks all seemed to give a boost to the Minnesota State would make history that season, becoming the WCHA’s teams. fi rst program in WCHA history to win four consecutive outright Minnesota State became the conference’s regular season titles. The Mavericks also made their fi rst Frozen new power, winning six MacNaughton Cups Four appearance, downing former league rival Minnesota in the (2015, ’16, ’18, ’19, ’20, ’21) and three playoff West Region championship game to advance. Lake Superior State championships (2014, ’15, ’19) as the 2021 also achieved a program fi rst as the Lakers captured the WCHA postseason moves into its fi nal weekend, with postseason crown with wins over Bemidji State and Northern a fi ne collection of All-Americans, including Michigan on championship weekend in Mankato. high-scoring forwards Matt Leitner, C.J. Suess Individually, Minnesota State netminder Dryden McKay established and Marc Michaelis; do-it-all defensemen himself as one of the top goaltenders in league history, setting Zach Palmquist, Daniel Brickley and Connor league records for career shutouts (24), goals against average Mackey and record-setting goaltender Dryden (1.53) and save percentage (.932). McKay. Hastings was named WCHA Coach of The 2020-21 season saw the curtain lowered on the WCHA with the Year four times, including his fi rst season Minnesota State’s loss in the Frozen Four at the hands of former in the “old” WCHA and was national coach of Mike Hastings league member St. Cloud State, ending the longest-running and the year in 2015 after taking the Mavericks into Minnesota State most successful league in NCAA history.

7 WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) THE WCHA WCHA COMMISSIONERS

BURT SMITH OTTO BREITENBACH 1977-81 1983-94

The fi rst man to hold the title of WCHA One of the true giants in the annals of the Commissioner, Burt Smith served in that role Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Otto from 1977-81, one of the most successful Breitenbach served as WCHA Commissioner eras in WCHA history. for 10 seasons from 1983-84 through 1993- 94. During Smith’s tenure, league programs captured national titles in 1977 (Wisconsin), Under his leadership, the league continually 1979 (Minnesota), 1980 (North Dakota) and improved upon its high caliber of competition 1981 (Wisconsin) and Minnesota’s Neal Broten captured the fi rst and integrity as well as its stature as one of the nation’s of the WCHA’s 16 Hobey Baker Memorial Awards in the fi rst year premier collegiate conferences. WCHA teams won three of the honor’s existence in 1981. NCAA championships during his tenure (North Dakota in 1987, Wisconsin in 1990, Northern Michigan in 1991). The league In all, nine WCHA teams reached the Frozen Four in Smith’s produced fi ve Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners, nearly time as commissioner, with the 1977, 1979 and 1981 national 70 players earned All-American honors, and the conference championship games feature a pair of league teams vying for unveiled new awards for a Student-Athlete of the Year and a the NCAA crown. Defensive Player of the Year.

Ever a proponent of growing the game, Breitenbach oversaw the return of Michigan Tech and the addition of Northern Michigan to the league family in 1984, developed a new postseason playoff format and an annual playoff championship held at one site for the 1987-88 season, forged a unique inter-locking scheduling agreement with , added St. Cloud State as the league’s ninth member in 1990 and Alaska Anchorage as the 10th member in 1993-94.

Breitenbach fashioned numerous playing tours of the WCHA by international teams, and he was a key fi gure in the expansion of the NCAA tournament to a 12-team, two-regional tournament format in 1992.

During his tenure, league revenues also grew signifi cantly, there was a marked increase in national exposure, and attendance soared to more than 1,000,000 home fans per season. His tenure as the WCHA’s guiding force culminated in the league naming its most prestigious honor – the WCHA Distinguished Service Award – in his honor.

In 1993, Breitenbach was honored for his longtime devotion to the sport of college hockey with the prestigious Jim Fullerton Award, presented by the AHCA.

8 THE WCHA WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) WCHA COMMISSIONERS

BRUCE MCLEOD BILL ROBERTSON 1994-2014 2014-21

The longest-serving commissioner in Longtime and popular sports executive WCHA history, Bruce McLeod served a Bill Robertson served as the WCHA highly-successful 20-year tenure as WCHA commissioner for seven seasons from 2014- Commissioner from 1994-2014. 2021. During his tenure, the noted developer McLeod led league to unprecedented and longtime champion of college hockey successes as WCHA teams won eight NCAA fostered a culture that enhanced the titles during his tenure (1997- North Dakota, student-athlete and fan experience. 2000- North Dakota, 2002- Minnesota, 2003- Minnesota, 2004- Denver, 2005- Denver, 2006- Wisconsin, 2011- Robertson’s initiative to bring playoff hockey back to campus in Minnesota Duluth). 2017 was a rousing success over the league’s fi nal fi ve seasons, with epic tournament contests and title games being played Off the ice, McLeod built WCHA Final Five into the premier in front of standing-room-only crowds prior to the CoVID-19- conference tournament championship in NCAA ice hockey, as impacted 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. the event played to packed houses at the St. Paul Civic Center, the Target Center in Minneapolis, Milwaukee’s Bradley Center Robertson also championed safety provisions for the WCHA and and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. was a major proponent of overtime in college hockey. Robertson’s tenure took on special meaning in 2018, as he McLeod oversaw development the league’s digital presence, introduced the Jeff Sauer WCHA Championship Trophy as a and expansion of its media footprint with the launch of the tangible reminder of the late coaching icon’s enduring impact WCHA’s fi rst website and the development of This Week in the on the league and sport. The league also – for the fi rst time in its WCHA, the league’s weekly radio show. history – introduced the popular 3-on-3 overtime and shootout format to its regular season games for the 2016-17 campaign. McLeod also directed the Association’s successful 50th Anniversary Season celebration and spearheaded the fi rst Under Robertson’s stewardship, the Men’s League executed league-wide video streaming partnership with America ONE a fan-friendly overhaul of its digital platforms – including Sports. an unprecedented partnership with FloSports that provided extensive live streaming coverage of the WCHA and college hockey on FloHockey.tv over the league’s fi nal three seasons.

Robertson and his staff successfully expanded existing partnerships and brought new collaborations, overseen successful returns of the WCHA Final Five to both the Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul, Minn.) in 2015 and the Van Andel Arena (Grand Rapids, Mich.) in 2016 prior to the beginning of the on- campus playoff format.

9 WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) THE WCHA

THE MACNAUGHTON CUP The Western Collegiate Hockey Association men’s regular season championship, as has proven time and time again over the past 68 seasons, has traditionally been one of the toughest titles to win in collegiate sports.

Since the Association’s founding in 1951-52, the number of games that have made up the league’s regular season championship race have fl uctuated as well as the methods of determining the champions. The number of league games have ranged from a low of 12 in the founding season of 1951-52 to a high of 35 that ran from 1986-87 through 1988-89. Since 1997-98, the conference schedule has consisted of 28 games per team.

Methods of determining the annual regular season team champion have included points accumulated (1951-58, 1973-79 and 1980-present) and winning percentage (1959-73, 1979-80).

The conference regular season title includes the awarding of the fabled MacNaughton Cup to the team champion.

Minnesota State is the lone school to win four consectuive MacNauhgton Cups. The Mavericks turned the trick with titles in 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Dating back 106 years to its original purchase in 1913, handcrafted of pure silver, standing three- feet high, and weighing more than 40 pounds, the MacNaughton Cup is the shining symbol of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and its distinguished tradition as a premier collegiate hockey conference since the league’s founding in 1951.

DENVER WAS A REGULAR RECIPIENT OF THE MACNAUGHTON CUP IN The MacNaughton Cup THE 1960S. is awarded annually In 1951, the cup was donated by Calumet and Hecla, Inc., through to the winner of the the generosity of Mr. & Mrs. Endicott R. Lovell, to the newly- league’s regular season founded Midwest Collegiate Hockey League, forerunner of the championship and, as WCHA. Lovell, president of the company at that time and the son- a traveling trophy, is on in-law of James MacNaughton, was also a ardent supporter of display each season at amateur hockey. the home of the reigning champion. Beginning The MCHL chose – in the original spirit – to award the trophy to in 2005-06, the WCHA its regular season champion. The MacNaughton Cup remained

MACNAUGHTON CUP also began awarding a a part of the MCHL/WIHL until the league disbanded in March replica MacNaughton Cup 1958 for one year. In 1959-60, the seven original teams resumed to the regular season champion each season. formal competition under the name Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The MacNaughton Cup has traveled a long and winding road since its initial purchase in 1913 by the Calumet (Mich.) and Hecla The MacNaughton Cup has gone to the league’s regular season Mining Company, but it offi cially settled into a home with the winner on all but seven occasions since 1951. From 1962-65, the original WCHA (MCHL/WIHL) in 1951. MacNaughton Cup was presented to the league playoff winner.

In 1913, James MacNaughton, then president of Calumet and With seven WCHA regular season titles, Michigan Tech (1962, Hecla, Inc., and an avid supporter of amateur ice hockey, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1976, 2016) has won or shared the most authorized the president of the American Amateur Hockey MacNaughton Cups among current league members. Minnesota Association to purchase a cup (he said the price didn’t matter) State (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020) is second with fi ve. Northern and present it to the Association’s championship team at the end Michigan (1991), Ferris State (2014) and Bemidji State (2017) have of the season. The fi rst winner was a team from the Cleveland each won one title. (Ohio) Athletic Club. The MacNaughton Cup remained with the AAHA until it ceased operations in 1920. In 1981-82, 1982-83 and 1983-84, the trophy left with Cup custodian Michigan Tech and was presented to the champion From 1921 to 1950, the Cup was fought for by semi-pro and of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association for those three intermediate hockey aggregations in Michigan’s Copper Country. seasons.

10 THE WCHA WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) THE BROADMOOR TROPHY The Broadmoor Trophy symbolized both regular season and postseason excellence in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association from 1982-2017.

The trophy is named after The Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which has a long history of supporting college hockey.

The Broadmoor Trophy was commissioned as a replacement for the MacNaughton Cup, held in trust by Michigan Tech. In 1981, Michigan Tech left the WCHA for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, taking the Cup with them.

To fi ll the void, The Broadmoor Resort presented a new trophy to the WCHA to award to their regular season champion.

North Dakota (1982), Minnesota (1983) and Minnesota Duluth (1984) were the three recipients of the Broadmoor as WCHA regular season titlists.

Broadmoor Trophy Winners*

Year Champion THE REDESIGNED BROADMOOR TROPHY WAS PRESENTED TO THE 1982 North Dakota* WCHA POSTSEASON CHAMPION FROM 2011-17. 1983 Minnesota* 1984 Minnesota Duluth* Upon the return of Tech and the MacNaughton Cup to the WCHA 1985 Minnesota Duluth in 1984, the MacNaughton again became the league’s regular 1986 Denver season award and the Broadmoor came to serve as the WCHA 1987 North Dakota postseason trophy. 1988 Wisconsin 1989 Northern Michigan The trophy was redesigned in 2010. The new bronze cast trophy, 1990 Wisconsin created by Blue Ribbon Trophies & Awards of Colorado Springs, 1991 Northern Michigan Colo., was a recreation of the Broadmoor Resort. 1992 Northern Michigan 1993 Minnesota North Dakota became the lone WCHA program to win the 1994 Minnesota Broadmoor in three consecutive seasons when the Fighting Sioux 1995 Wisconsin took home the Final Five championship in 2010, 2011 and 2012. 1996 Minnesota 1997 North Dakota 1998 Wisconsin 1999 Denver 2000 North Dakota 2001 St. Cloud State 2002 Denver 2003 Minnesota 2004 Minnesota 2005 Denver 2006 North Dakota 2007 Minnesota 2008 Denver 2009 Minnesota Duluth 2010 North Dakota 2011 North Dakota 2012 North Dakota ORIGINAL BROADMOOR TROPHY 2013 Wisconsin 1982-2010 2014 Minnesota State 2015 Minnesota State 2016 Ferris State 2017 Michigan Tech

*- From 1982-84, the WCHA regular season champion received the Broadmoor Trophy NORTH DAKOTA CAPTURED THREE CONSECUTIVE BROADMOOR TROPHIES FROM 2010-2012 AS THE FINAL FIVE CHAMPION.

11 WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1951-2021) THE WCHA THE JEFF SAUER CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY

The beginning of each season brings with it the hope and promise that the late Jeff Sauer gave to all. Each day carries the love of hockey that shone through with his ever-present smile. At season’s end, a championship – the ultimate symbol of teamwork and unity that Coach Sauer exemplifi ed - is decided.

The WCHA is truly honored to award the JEFF SAUER Jeff Sauer WCHA Championship Trophy to the WCHA Postseason Tournament Champion as a tangible reminder of the man who meant so much to our league and to the sport of hockey.

Sauer’s association with the JEFF SAUER WON TWO WCHA REGULAR SEASON TITLES AND SIX WCHA PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 31 SEASONS AT COLORADO WCHA spanned six decades, COLLEGE AND WISCONSIN. beginning with his playing career at Colorado College A two-time WCHA Coach of the Year, Sauer guided his CC and in the 1960s, continuing UW teams to a pair of league regular season titles and six WCHA through 31 years as head playoff championships. coach at Colorado College and Wisconsin, and for 14 Jeff Sauer was a legendary coach, a tremendous ambassador for seasons in various consulting the game of hockey and, above all, a wonderful person who brought capacities to the WCHA great joy to all. From the WCHA to his extensive involvement with Commissioner and the WCHA the U.S. National Sled Team and the American Hearing Impaired offi ce. The only WCHA head Hockey Association, Jeff embodied the kindness, generosity and coach with 30 years behind heart that makes our sport truly special. the bench, he is the league’s all-time winningest coach with All who knew Coach Sauer, on and off the ice, are better for the JEFF SAUER WCHA CHAMPIONSHIP 665 victories – the 10th most TROPHY experience. We are blessed that he was – and always will be – in NCAA men’s hockey history. part of the WCHA family.

MICHIGAN TECH WAS THE FIRST WCHA SCHOOL TO SKATE THE JEFF SAUER CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY AFTER THE HUSKIES DOWNED NORTHERN MICHIGAN, 2-0, IN THE 2018 WCHA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. 12