Michigan Wolverines women's ice hockey
The University of Michigan Women's Ice Hockey team represents the University of Michigan in Women's Division 1 of the American Collegiate Hockey Association and in the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association. The team was founded in 1994 and has been consistently strong throughout its existence, winning a pair of CCWHA playoff titles and qualifying for 13 of the 18 ACHA National Tournaments held for women's teams, a number that ranks third all-time behind Massachusetts and Michigan State.
History
Early years (1994–2002)
The Wolverines were co-founded in 1994 by Sue McDowell, who has remained involved with the team in various capacities throughout its existence. McDowell, a Massachusetts native, moved to Michigan in 1985 and took a job in U-M's IT department as a faculty liaison. She was dismayed at the lack of girls hockey in her new home state, leading to her starting the Wolverines' team and becoming heavily involved in local youth programs.In 1996–97, the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association was formed, featuring Michigan as one of its charter members and the only team that has participated in each league season to date. The CCWHA provided an unprecedented level of organization and structure to an era when teams often filled out hodgepodge schedules with amateur adult teams and often did not have any sort of championship competition at the end of each season. The Wolverines, along with arch rival Ohio State, were among the most immediately successful teams in the CCWHA. At the inaugural 1997 CCWHA tournament, U-M swept a pool including Western Michigan, Bowling Green and Illinois, then beat Michigan State in the semi-finals, before losing to OSU for the championship. The Buckeyes would go on to win the first three CCWHA titles before moving to NCAA Division I in 1999 and becoming a varsity program.
That development would prove beneficial to the Wolverines, who would become the CCWHA's dominant team over the next couple seasons. In 2000–01, U-M smashed their way to a 24–1–1 regular season mark before defeating hosting Lake Superior State, Michigan State and Western Michigan en route to the CCWHA playoff title. There was plenty of credit to go around for the success: Meghan Collier was the team's leading scorer with 49 goals among her 67 points, Jackie Neal led the way with 24 assists, and goalies Dana Aronson and Christine Granger largely split duties, posting goals against averages of 0.94 and 1.19, respectively. Michigan was a inaugural member of the ACHA's first women's division, which began play in that 2000–01 season and received the appropriate national spoils for a strong season. Collier became U-M's initial first team All-American, while the Wolverines received a bid to the ACHA National Tournament after finishing second in the ACHA's East Region.
At nationals, Michigan made history by participating in the opening game of the ACHA's first women's tournament, held in Wentzville, Missouri. Collier scored the first goal in tourney history, although the Wolverines had to settle for a tie with Colorado en route to a disappointing fifth-place finish, thanks largely to a 3–2 loss to Pittsburgh that saw U-M outshoot the Panthers 32–13.
A brief struggle (2002–2004)
Although it turned out to be a two-season blip relative to Michigan's typical success level, the Wolverines struggled during the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons, a period that saw the departure of CCWHA-winning coach Hal Krenkel, and the one-year tenure of Steve Wartecker. In 2002–03, despite a strong first half and a fourth straight trip to the conference championship game, the Wolverines dropped from second in the central region to third in the final ranking period to miss the tournament. Under the selection format used at the time, the top two teams in each region were picked for nationals, with two wild cards rounding out a field of eight. However, for the 2003 tournament, Western Michigan received a hosting autobid, limiting things to just one wild card, the west region's St. Cloud State.Despite the senior years of program legends like Collier and Neal, things went from near-miss to far-miss the following season. The 2003–04 schedule saw a disastrous 4–19–2 mark, with three of the four wins coming against a Notre Dame program that was a year away from going on hiatus.
A Winters-era turnaround (2004–2008)
Michigan's struggles would prove to be short-lived, thanks largely to new head coach Adam Winters and a bevy of talented reinforcements. Players arriving at U-M in 2003 and 2004 included greats like Megan Lobeck, Lauren Lobert, Laine Schmid, Cheryl Mervich and Hillary Eagen. Jennifer Barnhart provided steady goaltending through the middle part of the decade, including being named the CCWHA's most valuable player in 2004–05, a season that saw her play every minute in the maize and blue crease.In 2004–05, U-M got off to an inauspicious 1–6–1 start thanks in part to a tough schedule including Michigan State and Western Michigan, but the team's fortunes turned on a dime in early November and the Wolverines would only lose a pair of games through the remainder of the regular season, both to a powerful Northern Michigan team that would go on to the ACHA National Tournament. Key victories in the stretch included a 2–1 overtime result over Penn State on Darcy Utter's winner as well as the 6–0 win over Oakland that began the turnaround and featured two goals each from Schmid, Utter and Stacey Moses. At the end of the year, and following another CCWHA playoff run to the title game, Michigan ranked 11th nationally, but was initially bumped from the now-12-team field thanks once again to autobids - this time a host bid given to Buffalo and another given to the University of Pennsylvania for winning the southeast region title. However, Penn declined their bid, allowing the Wolverines to sneak into nationals for the first time since 2002, although the trip ended quickly following losses to Massachusetts, Lindenwood and NMU. Still, Michigan's standard had been reset, and 2005 turned out to be the first of five straight trips to nationals, and 11 in 12 years through the 2015–16 season.
Subsequent seasons saw a lot of the same, as U-M finished second during the CCWHA regular season in three straight years from 2005–06 through 2006–08, and won exactly 18 games while playing for the CCWHA title in 2004–05, 2005–06 and 2007–08. In both 2005–06 and 2007–08, U-M advanced out of the pool round of the ACHA National Tournament but were defeated in the quarterfinals by, respectively, Rhode Island and Robert Morris, two of the ACHA's powerhouses of the era. In 2007–08, Michigan finished with three All-Americans although Emily Nelson's arrival that year, which included a 23-goal freshman season, signaled a passing of the baton to the next generation of stars.
Blackburn keeps the beat going (2008–2015)
In 2008–09, Rob Blackburn took over as head coach and his seven seasons in charge were marked by continuing success, as he led U-M to five winning records, six ACHA National Tournament appearances, and a pair of CCWHA championship games. As he began, much of the group that had fueled the Wolverines' mid-decade turnaround had moved on, but the squad quickly reloaded with players like Kristin Griebe, who arrived in 2009 and would go on to become Michigan's all-time leading scorer with 90 goals and 73 assists in 116 games. Beyond the point total, Griebe also achieved rarefied status in the accolade department, as she led U-M to a 19–8–4 mark and earned the school's second spot on the ACHA's All-American First Team, following Collier in 2000–01.Blackburn proved adept as a recruiter, particularly in landing players who had begun their collegiate careers in NCAA Division III like Charlotte Hotaling and Monica Korzon. Both Hotaling and Korzon arrived in Ann Arbor in 2011 and would be significant pieces of the team's core over the next couple years.
One of Michigan's best seasons came in 2014–15, a campaign that saw the Wolverines close the regular season with their highest-ever ACHA national ranking, third. A well-balanced squad featuring Jenna Trubiano, Kalli Bates, Jennifer Cusmano, Mercedes Reyes, Karrie Inman and Erin Gregoire made a spirited CCWHA tournament run that included overtime wins against eventual ACHA semifinalists Adrian and Grand Valley State before falling in the final to defending national champion Miami. Although the Wolverines ultimately bowed out of nationals in the pool round, it wasn't before one of the most stirring wins in recent program history. On March 5, 2015 in York, Pennsylvania, U-M trailed Minnesota 3–1 midway through the third period. Bates, with her team facing elimination, willed the game back by scoring twice in a 2:24 span to force overtime, where Gregoire cashed in a power play for the victory. However, that triumph would be one of only three ACHA nationals wins of the Blackburn era, against 15 losses.
Recent seasons (2015–present)
After Blackburn's departure following 2014–15, program founder McDowell stepped into the head coaching role and was then joined by Terry Mathews for one season. The result in 2015–16 was a somewhat uneven year epitomized by a pair of early upsets. The first, on October 4, 2015, saw an unheralded Davenport team undo 2–0 and 3–2 Michigan leads to win 4–3 behind Lexie Boydston's three-point morning, including a shorthanded game-winning goal for the Panthers' first-ever victory against their cross-state rivals. A more encouraging outcome for the Wolverines came just four days later when U-M toppled third-ranked Adrian on the road and in overtime. With Michigan trailing 2–1 in the game's dying moments, Cusmano pushed home a rebound with just one second showing on the clock to force the extra period. Then, 19 seconds from a tie, Sarah Lather potted the winner in support of Bailey Hamill's 31 saves.Goal scoring would rarely prove that timely for most of the year though, as Michigan only managed 61 over 25 ACHA games, 2.4 per contest. The efforts of Cusmano, Reyes and Inman along with strong goaltending from Hamill and Julia Chenoweth, did wind up being just enough to push the Wolverines to their 13th nationals bid. However, thanks in part to Trubiano's long-term injury and an upset loss to Robert Morris at the CCWHA playoffs, U-M finished ninth in the ACHA rankings in 2016–17 to miss ACHAs for the first time since 2009–10. One season highlight came on February 18, 2017, when the Wolverines spoiled the senior night of eventual national champion Miami and the celebration of a class that would end up with the 2014, 2016 and 2017 ACHA titles, the 2014, 2015 and 2017 CCWHA titles, along with a host of individual honors. Nevertheless, goals by Camilla Vercollone, Rachel Hysong and Inman staked Michigan to an early 3–0 lead, and although the RedHawks rallied to force overtime, Reyes found a maize and blue winner there.
Potential NCAA status and criticism
The state of Michigan is notable for the fact that despite ranking fourth among the U.S. states in the total number of female players, it does not have a single NCAA Division I women's program. Because of this, and thanks largely to the historic success of the university's famed NCAA Division I men's program, U-M has often been the subject of speculation concerning varsity status for women's hockey. The closest women's hockey came to becoming an NCAA program was early in the team's existence when, in 1997, the university considered the possibility but decided to make two other sports—women's soccer and women's water polo—varsity sports instead, citing the expense of women's hockey as the rationale for the decision. Another bid occurred in 2011, but U-M again declined women's hockey, this time in favor of women's lacrosse. In 2014, former Wolverines athletic director Dave Brandon said that financial considerations remain the primary obstacle for NCAA women's hockey at the school. Among the major expenses would be the construction of a new ice facility to supplement the single-sheet Yost Ice Arena and help meet that level's demands for available ice time and locker space.Given the aforementioned realities concerning U-M's and the state of Michigan's stature in the hockey world, as well as the lack of NCAA Division I women's programs in the state, the school is often held up as a symbol of women's hockey growth struggles. On May 6, 2017, the New York Times published an article spotlighting the differences between U-M's top men's and women's hockey teams. The piece, most notably, cited the fact that the team receives none of its budget directly from the university's athletic department while requiring team members to pay $1600 each season to play. Players also conduct numerous fundraisers to meet expenses, including selling t-shirt, soliciting sponsorship money from local businesses and occasionally sweeping up the Crisler Center after U-M men's basketball games to defray expenses including travel, an annual ice bill of $20,000 from Yost Ice Arena and a $3000 stipend paid to the squad's head coach. Beyond financial concerns, the team does not have a permanent locker facility at their cramped, nearly-century-old rink, and even requests for more feasible space, like a display case, have been denied.
Season by season results
Sources:| Won Championship | Lost Championship | Regular Season Conference Champions |
| Year | Coach | W | L | T | Conference | Conf. W | Conf. L | Conf. T | Finish | Conference Tournament | ACHA Tournament |
| 2018-19 | Gary Quitiquit | CCWHA | |||||||||
| 2017-18 | Joe Kolet | 11 | 13 | 2 | CCWHA | Lost First Round vs. Miami | Did not qualify | ||||
| 2016–17 | Joe Kolet | 11 | 11 | 0 | CCWHA | 8 | 6 | 0 | 4th | Lost First Round vs. Robert Morris | Did not qualify |
| 2015–16 | Terry Mathews | 10 | 11 | 4 | CCWHA | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4th | Won First Round vs. Michigan State Lost Semifinals vs. Miami | Lost Pool Round vs. Liberty Lost Pool Round vs. Grand Valley State Lost Pool Round vs. Lindenwood-Belleville |
| 2014–15 | Rob Blackburn | 16 | 9 | 1 | CCWHA | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2nd | Won Upper Semifinals vs. Adrian Lost Upper Final vs. Miami Won Lower Final vs. Grand Valley State Lost Championship vs. Miami | Lost Pool Round vs. Adrian Won Pool Round vs. Minnesota Lost Pool Round vs. Miami |
| 2013–14 | Rob Blackburn | 14 | 8 | 5 | CCWHA | 12 | 3 | 3 | Won Pool Round vs. Michigan State Tied Pool Round vs. Davenport Tied Pool Round vs. Robert Morris | Lost Pool Round vs. Rhode Island Lost Pool Round vs. Miami Lost Pool Round vs. Michigan State | |
| 2012–13 | Rob Blackburn | 19 | 8 | 4 | CCWHA | 2nd | Lost Pool Round vs. Grand Valley State Tied Pool Round vs. Ohio State Won Pool Round vs. Miami | Lost Pool Round vs. Liberty Lost Pool Round vs. Minnesota Won Pool Round vs. Rhode Island | |||
| 2011–12 | Rob Blackburn | 15 | 10 | 2 | CCWHA | Lost Pool Round vs. Rhode Island Lost Pool Round vs. Robert Morris Lost Pool Round vs. Massachusetts | |||||
| 2010–11 | Rob Blackburn | 11 | 14 | 2 | CCWHA | 7 | 6 | 1 | Tied Pool Round vs. Robert Morris Lost Pool Round vs. Michigan State | Lost Pool Round vs. Lindenwood Lost Pool Round vs. Rhode Island Lost Pool Round vs. Grand Valley State | |
| 2009–10 | Rob Blackburn | 11 | 9 | 1 | CCWHA | 7 | 4 | 1 | Lost Pool Round vs. Lindenwood Won Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Lost Pool Round vs. Michigan State | Did not qualify | |
| 2008–09 | Rob Blackburn | 12 | 14 | 1 | CCWHA | 5 | 6 | 1 | 4th | Lost Pool Round vs. Grand Valley State Lost Pool Round vs. Lindenwood Won Consolation vs. Northern Michigan | Lost Pool Round vs. Lindenwood Won Pool Round vs. Ohio State Lost Quarterfinals vs. Robert Morris |
| 2007–08 | Adam Winters | 18 | 10 | 2 | CCWHA | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2nd | Won Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Won Semifinals vs. Michigan State Lost Championship vs. Lindenwood | Lost Pool Round vs. Rhode Island Won Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Lost Quarterfinals vs. Robert Morris |
| 2006–07 | Adam Winters | 11 | 15 | 2 | CCWHA | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2nd | Lost Pool Round vs. Ohio State Won Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Lost Pool Round vs. Western Michigan | Lost Pool Round vs. Robert Morris Lost Pool Round vs. Massachusetts Lost Consolation vs. Western Michigan |
| 2005–06 | Adam Winters Andrea Shear | 18 | 13 | 3 | CCWHA | 10 | 5 | 2 | 2nd | Won Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Ohio State Won Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Michigan State Lost Championship vs. Western Michigan | Lost Pool Round vs. Robert Morris Won Pool Round vs. Maryland Lost Quarterfinals vs. Rhode Island |
| 2004–05 | Adam Winters Andrea Shear | 18 | 12 | 3 | CCWHA | 11 | 7 | 2 | 3rd | Won Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Michigan State Won Pool Round vs. Ohio State Lost Championship vs. Western Michigan | Lost Pool Round vs. Massachusetts Lost Pool Round vs. Lindenwood Lost Consolation vs. Northern Michigan |
| 2003–04 | Steve Wartecker | 4 | 19 | 2 | CCWHA | 3 | 15 | 2 | 5th | Lost Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Lost Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Won Consolation vs. Notre Dame | Did not qualify |
| 2002–03 | Hal Krenkel | CCWHA | 3rd | Won Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Lost Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Won Semifinals vs. Oakland Lost Championship vs. Michigan State | Did not qualify | ||||||
| 2001–02 | Hal Krenkel | 20 | 7 | 4 | CCWHA | 12 | 4 | 4 | 2nd | Won Pool Round vs. Northern Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Oakland Lost Championship vs. Michigan State | Lost Pool Round vs. St. Cloud State Lost Pool Round vs. Boston University Won Pool Round vs. Colorado Lost Fifth Place vs. Michigan State |
| 2000–01 | Hal Krenkel | 30 | 3 | 2 | CCWHA | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1st | Won Pool Round vs. Lake Superior State Lost Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Michigan State Won Championship vs. Western Michigan | Tied Pool Round vs. Colorado Lost Pool Round vs. Pittsburgh Won Pool Round vs. St. Cloud State Won Fifth Place vs. Wisconsin |
| 1999–00 | MaryBeth Collins | CCWHA | 1st | Won | - | ||||||
| 1998–99 | MaryBeth Collins | CCWHA | - | ||||||||
| 1997–98 | Kate Pinhey | CCWHA | - | ||||||||
| 1996–97 | Kate Pinhey | 9 | 6 | 2 | CCWHA - full season | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2nd | Won Pool Round vs. Bowling Green Won Pool Round vs. Western Michigan Won Pool Round vs. Illinois Won Semifinals vs. Michigan State Lost''' Championship vs. Ohio State | National Tourney not yet ACHA event: 0-3-0: Lost to North Country Comm College, St. Cloud State and MIT |
| 1995–96 | Bill Petrere | 6 | 7 | CCWHA exhibition: First recorded game 12/1/95 | - |
Program records
As of May 9, 2017. ACHA games only, beginning with the 2003-04 season.Sources:
Career scoring leaders
| Name | Years | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
| Kristin Griebe | 2009–14 | 116 | 90 | 73 | 163 |
| Joslyn Neal | 2007–12 | 119 | 58 | 66 | 124 |
| Emily Nelson | 2007–11 | 94 | 71 | 41 | 112 |
| Monica Korzon | 2012–15 | 72 | 43 | 56 | 99 |
| Jennifer Cusmano | 2012–16 | 108 | 48 | 42 | 90 |
| Megan Lobeck | 2004–08 | 96 | 34 | 55 | 89 |
| Kris Vaclavek | 2009–13 | 106 | 43 | 37 | 80 |
| Jenna Trubiano | 2013–present | 76 | 43 | 27 | 70 |
| Lauren Lobert | 2004–08 | 93 | 38 | 31 | 69 |
| Hilliary Inger | 2006–10 | 81 | 36 | 33 | 69 |
| Cheryl Mervich | 2003–07 | 93 | 34 | 34 | 68 |
| Hillary Eagen | 2004–08 | 95 | 35 | 32 | 67 |
| Laine Schmid | 2003–08 | 117 | 29 | 30 | 59 |
| Amy Cauzillo | 2005–09 | 93 | 22 | 37 | 59 |
| Mercedes Reyes | 2014–present | 70 | 21 | 30 | 51 |
| Elizabeth Novak | 2008–13 | 130 | 20 | 31 | 51 |
| Kalli Bates | 2011–15 | 103 | 20 | 30 | 50 |
| Karrie Inman | 2013–17 | 100 | 21 | 26 | 47 |
| Jessie Buckley | 2010–15 | 134 | 10 | 36 | 46 |
| Kate Zemenick | 2007–11 | 80 | 20 | 24 | 44 |
| Rachel Reuter | 2006–11 | 121 | 13 | 29 | 42 |
| Charlotte Hotaling | 2011–13 | 44 | 20 | 19 | 39 |
| Leah Krieger | 2013–16 | 75 | 18 | 19 | 37 |
| Jennifer Chronis | 2008–12 | 101 | 15 | 22 | 37 |
| Ana Harris | 2011–14 | 78 | 14 | 23 | 37 |
Single season scoring leaders
| Name | Year | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
| Monica Korzon | 2012–13 | 29 | 21 | 24 | 45 |
| Kristin Griebe | 2012–13 | 23 | 25 | 17 | 42 |
| Kristin Griebe | 2010–11 | 27 | 16 | 21 | 37 |
| Cheryl Mervich | 2005–06 | 33 | 18 | 18 | 36 |
| Emily Nelson | 2007–08 | 26 | 23 | 12 | 35 |
| Jenna Trubiano | 2013–14 | 26 | 21 | 14 | 35 |
| Monica Korzon | 2013–14 | 26 | 15 | 20 | 35 |
| Emily Nelson | 2010–11 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 34 |
| Joslyn Neal | 2007–08 | 28 | 17 | 15 | 32 |
| Joslyn Neal | 2010–11 | 27 | 16 | 16 | 32 |
| Megan Lobeck | 2005–06 | 25 | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Kristin Griebe | 2009–10 | 20 | 20 | 11 | 31 |
| Charlotte Hotaling | 2012–13 | 29 | 17 | 14 | 31 |
| Kris Vaclavek | 2010–11 | 27 | 17 | 13 | 30 |
| Lauren Lobert | 2007–08 | 28 | 18 | 11 | 29 |
| Kristin Griebe | 2011–12 | 23 | 17 | 11 | 28 |
| Jenna Trubiano | 2014–15 | 26 | 16 | 9 | 25 |
| Jennifer Cusmano | 2012–13 | 29 | 13 | 12 | 25 |
| Kristin Griebe | 2013–14 | 23 | 12 | 13 | 25 |
| Kris Vaclavek | 2011–12 | 31 | 16 | 8 | 24 |
| Hilliary Inger | 2007–08 | 28 | 13 | 11 | 24 |
| Joslyn Neal | 2011–12 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 24 |
| Megan Lobeck | 2007–08 | 28 | 7 | 17 | 24 |
| Jennifer Cusmano | 2013–14 | 28 | 14 | 9 | 23 |
| Emily Nelson | 2009–10 | 20 | 12 | 11 | 23 |
Notable goaltenders
| Name | Years | Minutes | Saves | Save Pct. | GAA | Shutouts |
| Kelsey Duggan | 2011–15 | 3974.03 | 1152 | 0.888 | 2.20 | 14 |
| Hannah Robbins | 2008–11+ | 3521.62 | 1038 | 0.845 | 3.24 | 10 |
| Kathy Ross | 2010–13 | 3087.63 | 1131 | 0.913 | 2.10 | 6 |
| Jennifer Barnhart | 2003–06^ | 2118.23 | 859 | 0.853 | 4.19 | 2 |
| Bailey Hamill | 2015–present | 1611.32 | 597 | 0.892 | 2.68 | 3 |
| Julia Chenoweth | 2015–16 | 985.00 | 250 | 0.847 | 2.74 | 0 |
| Maggie Wagner | 2005–09+ | 713.58 | 186 | 0.861 | 2.52 | 1 |
| Madeline Chen | 2016–present | 269.08 | 110 | 0.887 | 3.12 | 1 |
| Katie Caskey | 2005–06+ | 255.00 | 77 | 0.885 | 2.35 | 0 |
| Hayley Facca | 2009–11 | 74.83 | 20 | 0.870 | 2.41 | 0 |
| Brooke Pierce | 2016–present | 11.80 | 2 | 1.000 | 0.00 | 0 |
^ Career includes games prior to the 2003–04 season.
+ Career includes games in the 2006–07 and/or 2007–08 seasons, during which the ACHA did not accurately track goaltending statistics.
ACHA ranking history
National rankings
The ACHA began compiling a national ranking in 2003–04, issued four times per season, with the top twelve or eight in the fourth ranking, released in February, receiving a bid to the ACHA National Tournament. A preseason ranking was initiated beginning with 2014–15. Beginning with the 2016–17 season, the ACHA tabulated rankings each week during the season and issued them on Tuesdays following weekends including games.Regional rankings
From 2000–01 through 2002–03, regional rankings were the sole method for determining ACHA National Tournament bids. The inaugural 2000–01 season featured teams divided into East and West Regions, with the top four from each in February's final ranking invited to nationals. For 2001–02 and 2002–03, the setup was expanded to include East, Central and West Regions, with U-M moved to the Central Region that it would occupy through 2009–10. Under that system, the top two from each region were invited to nationals, along with two wild card teams. In 2003–04, the tournament field was expanded to 12 teams, and a national ranking was introduced. The latter development diminished the importance of the regional rankings, as the national rankings were used to determine nationals bids. Regional champions were still awarded an autobid, however, even if ranked outside of the top 12 nationally. In 2004–05, growth in the number of ACHA women's teams resulted in an increase to four regions - Northeast, Southeast, Central and West - although things reverted to East, Central and West in 2007–08. The 2009–10 season was notable both for the fact that the tournament field was reduced back to eight teams and as the final year of the regional system, which had become largely antiquated as regional champions generally had little issue placing highly in the national rankings.ACHA national honors
Annual awards
All-Americans and All-Tournament selections including all seasons except 2008–09. Academic All-Americans including all seasons except 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2015–16.Sources:
Academic All-American
- Mary Catherine Finney - 2005–06
- Hillary Eagen - 2006–07
- Joslyn Neal - 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
- Kate Zemenick - 2009–10, 2010–11
- Mackenzie Melvin - 2009–10, 2010–11
- Hannah Robbins - 2009–10, 2010–11
- Hilliary Inger - 2009–10
- Aubrey Scott - 2010–11, 2011–12
- Jennifer Chronis - 2010–11, 2011–12
- Karrie Inman - 2016–17
- Ania Dow - 2016–17
- Caroline Hurd - 2016–17
- Carolyn Andonian - 2016–17
- Anna Mondrusov - 2016–17
- Carolyn Andonian - 2017–18
- Jane Dow - 2017–18
- Caroline Hurd - 2017–18
- Emma Kaznowski - 2017–18
- Mady McEachern - 2017–18
- Brooke Pierce - 2017–18
- Meghan Collier - 2000–01
- Kristin Griebe - 2012–13
- Amy Cauzillo - 2007–08
- Emily Nelson - 2010–11
- Kalli Bates - 2014–15
- Cheryl Mervich - 2005–06
- Mary Catherine Finney - 2005–06
- Lauren Lobert - 2007–08
- Lauren Haverly - 2007–08
- Maggie Wagner - 2007–08
- Monica Korzon - 2013–14
- Meghan Collier - 2000–01, 2001–02
- Tory DeLeeuw - 2000–01
- Jackie Day - 2001–02
- Jennifer Barnhart - 2004–05
- Stacy Moses - 2004–05
- Amy Cauzillo - 2005–06
- Megan Lobeck - 2006–07
- Lauren Lobert - 2006–07
- Katie Caskey - 2006–07
- Emily Nelson - 2007–08
- Kate Zemenick - 2007–08
- Maggie Wagner - 2007–08
Monthly awards
Sher-Wood Freshman Spotlight
- Jenna Trubiano - December 2013
Conference honors
Sources:
CCWHA Most Valuable Player
- Jennifer Barnhart - 2004–05
- Corie D'Angelo - 2001–02
- Corie D'Angelo - 2001–02
- Stacy Moses - 2004–05
- Megan Lobeck - 2005–06
- Mary Catherine Finney - 2005–06
- Monica Korzon - 2014–15
- Meghan Collier - 2001–02
- Darcy Utter - 2004–05
- Ashley Wright - 2004–05
- Mary Catherine Finney - 2004–05
- Kristin DeLong - 2005–06
- Jennifer Barnhart - 2004–05, 2005–06
- Jenna Trubiano - 2013–14
- Kalli Bates - 2014–15
- Jennifer Cusmano - 2015–16
- Grace Nardiello - 2017–18
- Meghan Collier - 2002–03
- Jackie Neal - 2002–03
- Emily Nelson - 2007–08
- Amy Cauzillo - 2007–08
- Charlotte Hotaling - 2012–13
- Jennifer Cusmano - 2014–15, 2015–16
- Emily Roland - 2002–03
- Katie Pawlik - 2007–08
- Monica Korzon - 2012–13, 2013–14
- Jessie Buckley - 2013–14
- Jenna Trubiano - 2014–15, 2015–16
- Sarah Girard - 2016–17
- Bailey Hamill - 2017–18
World University Games selections
Five different Michigan players and one coach have been picked for Team USA a total of seven times. Emily Nelson represented U-M on the 2011 squad, the first women's team USA Hockey sent to the tournament, and potted a pair of goals for the fourth-place finishers, both in a rout of host team Turkey. In 2013, the selections expanded to include then-head coach Rob Blackburn, along with Monica Korzon, Kristin Griebe and Kalli Bates. Those Wolverines were part of a history-making squad that became the first Americans to medal at WUG in the modern era and using ACHA players. Korzon scored twice during the event, and while one came late in a blowout of Spain, the other was the opening goal in the bronze medal game, a 3–1 win over Japan. Another key win by Team USA in 2013 was a tourney-opening 4–2 victory over a Russian squad featuring several players who have been members of the senior Russia women's national ice hockey team.
In 2015, Korzon became the first Wolverine to be picked for WUG a second time, and she captained Team USA to a fifth-place finish while lodging a trio of assists in a consolation-round-clinching victory over Spain, with stateside teammate Eleanor Chalifoux scoring in the game.
| Year | Location | Player | Result |
| 2011 |  Erzurum, Turkey |  Emily Nelson | Fourth Place |
| 2013 |  Trentino, Italy | Kalli Bates | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Kristin Griebe | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Monica Korzon | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Rob Blackburn | Bronze Medal |
| 2015 |  Granada, Spain | Monica Korzon | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Eleanor Chalifoux | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | - | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | - | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | - | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | - | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | - | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | - | Fifth Place |
Rivalries
Michigan State
When two of the pre-eminent, most successful and groundbreaking programs in non-varsity women's hockey are located 65 miles apart from each other and already enjoy a healthy and ongoing feud in other sports, a rivalry is more or less a foregone conclusion.Michigan and Michigan State are two of the ACHA's top three schools in all-time national tournament appearances, although MSU has twice claimed the national championship that has proven elusive for the Wolverines. U-M has faced the Spartans twice at nationals, with both ending in MSU overtime wins. The more recent of the pair came in 2014 with both teams already eliminated from advancement out of the pool stage, while 2002's fifth-place game saw an Andrea Deshong winner. The teams have also met twice with the CCWHA title on the line. Third-period goals by Mindy McCarthy and Susan Schutter delivered the 2002 crown to the Spartans, who then repeated with a 1-0 victory the next year.
The series was hindered for a brief time beginning in 2004–05 when Michigan State pulled its top team out of the CCWHA to play an independent schedule while placing its second team in its spot. MSU White was generally far less of a factor in the league, as evidenced by U-M's 10–0–0 record and aggregate 61–4 scoreline against that squad over its two CCWHA seasons. In 2007–08, the Spartans A team re-joined the CCWHA and remains in the conference today.
On December 6, 2010, Michigan and Michigan State played an outdoor game at Michigan Stadium, U-M's football venue. The contest, won 4–3 by the Spartans, was part of the festivities leading up to The Big Chill at the Big House between the schools' men's NCAA Division I hockey teams. Another wrinkle enhancing the rivalry relates to former U-M coach Rob Blackburn, who accepted the head coaching position with the Spartans in 2015–16, immediately following his departure from Michigan.
In 2016–17, Michigan and Michigan State split two scheduled games, with the Wolverines win coming on a Mercedes Reyes overtime goal on February 11, 2017.