Wisconsin Women's Hockey Coach Previews Trip to Frozen Four

Madison, WI - "If you win, you go on. If you don't, your season's over." It has become as plain as that at the end of a year in which the Wisconsin women's hockey team has won 36 of 39 games. 

Wisconsin Badgers (36-1-2) head coach Mark Johnson is used to these do-or-die NCAA Tournament moments. At the helm of the Badgers, Johnson has become the all-time leader in wins for a Division I women's ice hockey coach with 665 victories, led UW to an NCAA-record seven national championships, and put his program in a tie for the most Frozen Four appearances all-time with 16. 

The only other program in the country with as many appearances in the national semifinal is located a brief four-hour drive from Madison. It is hosting this year's Frozen Four and is Wisconsin's next opponent: the Minnesota Golden Gophers (29-11-1). 

In these late-season moments, Johnson has always emphasized the need for his players to "eliminate the distractions. You know, early part of the week that we're in, you know, get everything that you need to get done.

"If you need to get tickets for family, or people are coming, figure out how that's all gonna work. And, so, by the time we get on the bus tomorrow afternoon and head up there, they're more relaxed."

Before Johnson and the Wisconsin women's hockey team boarded the bus, the 2025 national coach of the year finalist addressed the media. The media conference, in its entirety, can be viewed in the video below.