UMD Women’s Hockey Team Returns Home After National Championship Appearance

After back-to-back Frozen Four appearances, the hope now is that the UMD women's hockey program will be once again be recognized as one of the best in the country.

DULUTH, Minn. – Sunday, the UMD women’s hockey team came up one game short in their goal of winning their first national championship in over a decade. But that didn’t stop Bulldog fans from waiting at Amsoil Arena to welcome home the team.

A small group of season ticket holders, alumni, friends and family greeted the Bulldogs as they got off the bus after a long trip from Pennsylvania. Head coach Maura Crowell says her players definitely understand the significance of what they were able to accomplish this season.

“I’m looking up at the banners now, excited to put another year up there. We skate here every day. We see those banners. We know the history of this program. A lot of these guys came here to do what we’re doing right now and getting to Frozen Fours and getting to national championship game. Ultimately, we want to be raising that trophy, but boy did we come close,” said Crowell.

And after back-to-back Frozen Four appearances, the hope now is that the UMD women’s hockey program will be once again be recognized as one of the best in the country.

“Just showing people to put some respect on the Bulldog name and we definitely did that and we opened a lot of people’s eyes. No one really expected us to be in that game, in the championship game. And to be there and make a really great statement that whole entire game and be so close was really fun and it was more fun to prove people wrong and show them that we deserve to be there,” said senior center Gabbie Hughes.

And don’t forget: next year’s Frozen Four will take place right here in Duluth at Amsoil Arena.