# List of WCHA men's ice hockey tournament champions

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) is the oldest active NCAA Division I ice hockey-only conference beginning in 1959–60, and based in Denver, Colorado. At the conclusion of each regular season, it holds the WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament to determine its conference champion(s), which it has done since the foundation of the conference.
The tournament has had many variations over the course of its history, starting with four teams and naming two regional champions. The modern format of the tournament, where only one champion was crowned, wasn't codified until 1981–82 after four teams left to join the CCHA and the NCAA began to offer automatic bids to the National tournament rather than inviting finals participants.
Denver has won the most WCHA championships with 15. Murray Armstrong has won the most titles (10), all with Denver, and appeared in the second most title games. John MacInnes has appeared in the most title games (15) and won the second most, all with Michigan Tech. These numbers are, however, misleading as the WCHA had named two tournament champions for most of its first 22 years rather than offering a game(s) to decide a single champion, the era that both Armstrong and MacInnes coached in. Had this policy continued unabated Doug Woog would be tied with Armstrong for most titles as well as winning 5 consecutive (1990–1994) and appearing in 12 consecutive finals (1986–1997).

## Champions

| Year | Winning team | Coach | Losing team | Coach | Score | Location | Venue |
| 1960 | Michigan Tech† Denver‡ | John MacInnes Murray Armstrong | North Dakota Colorado College | Barry Thorndycraft Tony Frasca | 9–7* 12–3* | Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado | Dee Stadium DU Arena |
| 1961 | Minnesota† Denver‡ | John Mariucci Murray Armstrong | Michigan Michigan Tech | Al Renfrew John MacInnes | 6–4* 17–3* | Minneapolis, Minnesota Denver, Colorado | Williams Arena DU Arena |
| 1962 | Michigan Tech | John MacInnes | Michigan | Al Renfrew | 6–4 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Weinberg Coliseum |
| 1963 | Denver | Murray Armstrong | North Dakota | Barry Thorndycraft | 5–4 (OT) | Denver, Colorado | DU Arena |
| 1964 | Denver | Murray Armstrong | Michigan | Al Renfrew | 6–2 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Weinberg Coliseum |
| 1965 | Michigan Tech | John MacInnes | North Dakota | Bob Peters | 6–4 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Winter Sports Building |
| 1966 | Michigan State† Denver‡ | Amo Bessone Murray Armstrong | Michigan Tech North Dakota | John MacInnes Bob Peters | 4–3 5–4 (OT) | Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado | Dee Stadium DU Arena |
| 1967 | Michigan State† North Dakota‡ | Amo Bessone Bill Selman | Michigan Tech Denver | John MacInnes Murray Armstrong | 2–1 (OT) 3–2 | Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado | Dee Stadium DU Arena |
| 1968 | North Dakota† Denver‡ | Bill Selman Murray Armstrong | Michigan Tech Minnesota | John MacInnes Glen Sonmor | 3–2* 16–3* | Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado | Dee Stadium DU Arena |
| 1969 | Michigan Tech† Denver‡ | John MacInnes Murray Armstrong | Michigan Colorado College | Al Renfrew John Matchefts | 7–4 3–1 | Ann Arbor, Michigan Denver, Colorado | Weinberg Coliseum DU Arena |
| 1970 | Michigan Tech† Wisconsin‡ | John MacInnes Bob Johnson | Minnesota Denver | Glen Sonmor Murray Armstrong | 6–5 3–2 | Duluth, Minnesota Denver, Colorado | Duluth Arena Auditorium DU Arena |
| 1971 | Minnesota† Denver‡ | Glen Sonmor Murray Armstrong | North Dakota Minnesota-Duluth | Rube Bjorkman Terry Shercliffe | 5–2 9–3 | Madison, Wisconsin Denver, Colorado | Dane County Coliseum DU Arena |
| 1972 | Wisconsin† Denver‡ | Bob Johnson Murray Armstrong | North Dakota Michigan State | Rube Bjorkman Amo Bessone | 6–2* 11–4* | Madison, Wisconsin Denver, Colorado | Dane County Coliseum DU Arena |
| 1973 | Wisconsin† Denver‡ | Bob Johnson Murray Armstrong | Notre Dame Michigan Tech | Lefty Smith John MacInnes | 8–7* 7–3* | Notre Dame, Indiana Denver, Colorado | Edmund P. Joyce Center DU Arena |
| 1974 | Michigan Tech† Minnesota‡ | John MacInnes Herb Brooks | Michigan State Denver | Amo Bessone Murray Armstrong | 12–10* 5–4* | Houghton, Michigan Minneapolis, Minnesota | Student Ice Arena Williams Arena |
| 1975 | Michigan Tech† Minnesota‡ | John MacInnes Herb Brooks | Michigan State Michigan | Amo Bessone Dan Farrell | 15–8* 8–5* | Houghton, Michigan Minneapolis, Minnesota | Student Ice Arena Williams Arena |
| 1976 | Minnesota† Michigan Tech‡ | Herb Brooks John MacInnes | Michigan State Michigan | Amo Bessone Dan Farrell | 9–9* 10–7* | East Lansing, Michigan Houghton, Michigan | Munn Ice Arena Student Ice Arena |
| 1977 | Wisconsin | Bob Johnson | Michigan | Dan Farrell | 9–4* | Madison, Wisconsin | Dane County Coliseum |
| 1978 | Wisconsin† Colorado College‡ | Bob Johnson Jeff Sauer | Michigan Tech Denver | John MacInnes Marshall Johnston | 11–7* 9–7* | Madison, Wisconsin Denver, Colorado | Dane County Coliseum DU Arena |
| 1979 | Minnesota† North Dakota‡ | Herb Brooks John Gasparini | Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin | Gus Hendrickson Bob Johnson | 8–4* 11–9* | Minneapolis, Minnesota Grand Forks, North Dakota | Williams Arena Ralph Engelstad Arena |
| 1980 | Minnesota† North Dakota‡ | Brad Buetow John Gasparini | Colorado College Notre Dame | Jeff Sauer Lefty Smith | 13–4* 17–8* | Minneapolis, Minnesota Grand Forks, North Dakota | Williams Arena Ralph Engelstad Arena |
| 1981 | Michigan Tech† Minnesota‡ | John MacInnes Brad Buetow | Colorado College Michigan | Jeff Sauer John Giordano | 13–4* 17–8* | Houghton, Michigan Minneapolis, Minnesota | Student Ice Arena Williams Arena |
| 1982 | Wisconsin | Bob Johnson | North Dakota | John Gasparini | 12–1* | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Ralph Engelstad Arena |
| 1983 | Wisconsin | Jeff Sauer | Minnesota | Brad Buetow | 8–3* | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Williams Arena |
| 1984 | Minnesota-Duluth | Mike Sertich | North Dakota | John Gasparini | 12–6* | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Williams Arena |
| 1985 | Minnesota-Duluth | Mike Sertich | Minnesota | Brad Buetow | 10–8* | Duluth, Minnesota | Duluth Arena Auditorium |
| 1986 | Denver | Ralph Backstrom | Minnesota | Doug Woog | 6–2* | Denver, Colorado | DU Arena |
| 1987 | North Dakota | John Gasparini | Minnesota | Doug Woog | 10–6* | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Ralph Engelstad Arena |
| 1988 | Wisconsin | Jeff Sauer | Minnesota | Doug Woog | 3–2 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1989 | Northern Michigan | Rick Comley | Denver | Ralph Backstrom | 9–4 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1990 | Wisconsin | Jeff Sauer | Minnesota | Doug Woog | 7–1 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1991 | Northern Michigan | Rick Comley | Minnesota | Doug Woog | 4–2 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1992 | Northern Michigan | Rick Comley | Minnesota | Doug Woog | 4–2 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1993 | Minnesota | Doug Woog | Northern Michigan | Rick Comley | 5–3 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1994 | Minnesota | Doug Woog | St. Cloud State | Craig Dahl | 3–2 (OT) | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Bradley Center |
| 1995 | Wisconsin | Jeff Sauer | Colorado College | Don Lucia | 4–3 (OT) | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1996 | Minnesota | Doug Woog | Michigan Tech | Bob Mancini | 7–2 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Bradley Center |
| 1997 | North Dakota | Dean Blais | Minnesota | Doug Woog | 4–3 (OT) | St. Paul, Minnesota | Civic Center |
| 1998 | Wisconsin | Jeff Sauer | North Dakota | Dean Blais | 3–2 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Bradley Center |
| 1999 | Denver | George Gwozdecky | North Dakota | Dean Blais | 4–3 | Minneapolis | Target Center |
| 2000 | North Dakota | Dean Blais | Wisconsin | Jeff Sauer | 5–3 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Target Center |
| 2001 | St. Cloud State | Craig Dahl | North Dakota | Dean Blais | 6–5 (OT) | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2002 | Denver | George Gwozdecky | Minnesota | Don Lucia | 5–2 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2003 | Minnesota | Don Lucia | Colorado College | Scott Owens | 4–2 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2004 | Minnesota | Don Lucia | North Dakota | Dean Blais | 5–4 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2005 | Denver | George Gwozdecky | Colorado College | Scott Owens | 1–0 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2006 | North Dakota | Dave Hakstol | St. Cloud State | Bob Motzko | 5–3 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2007 | Minnesota | Don Lucia | North Dakota | Dave Hakstol | 3–2 (OT) | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2008 | Denver | George Gwozdecky | Minnesota | Don Lucia | 2–1 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2009 | Minnesota-Duluth | Scott Sandelin | Denver | George Gwozdecky | 4–0 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2010 | North Dakota | Dave Hakstol | St. Cloud State | Bob Motzko | 5–3 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2011 | North Dakota | Dave Hakstol | Denver | George Gwozdecky | 3–2 (2OT) | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2012 | North Dakota | Dave Hakstol | Denver | George Gwozdecky | 4–0 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2013 | Wisconsin | Mike Eaves | Colorado College | Scott Owens | 3–2 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2014 | Minnesota State | Mike Hastings | Ferris State | Bob Daniels | 4–1 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Van Andel Arena |
| 2015 | Minnesota State | Mike Hastings | Michigan Tech | Mel Pearson | 5–2 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2016 | Ferris State | Bob Daniels | Minnesota State | Mike Hastings | 2–1 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Van Andel Arena |
| 2017 | Michigan Tech | Mel Pearson | Bowling Green | Chris Bergeron | 3-2 (2OT) | Houghton, Michigan | MacInnes Student Ice Arena |
| 2018 | Michigan Tech | Joe Shawhan | Northern Michigan | Grant Potulny | 2–0 | Marquette, Michigan | Berry Events Center |
| 2019 | Minnesota State | Mike Hastings | Bowling Green | Chris Bergeron | 3–2 (OT) | Mankato, Minnesota | Mankato Civic Center |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic |
| 2021 | Lake Superior State | Damon Whitten | Northern Michigan | Grant Potulny | 6–3 | Mankato, Minnesota | Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center |
† East regional champion ‡ West regional champion * Champion decided by a total goal sum in multiple games