# Austria women's ice hockey Bundesliga

The Ladies' Ice Hockey Bundesliga (German: Dameneishockey-Bundesliga, lit. 'Ladies' Ice Hockey Federal League') or DEBL is a multi-national ice hockey league. It was founded in 1998 and is organized by the Austrian Ice Hockey Association (ÖEHV). Originally established as the Austrian Championship league in women's ice hockey, the national championshup (German: Staatsmeisterschaft) has been contested in a separate tournament since the introduction of international teams to the DEBL in the 2008–09 season. Austria had 652 female players in 2013.

## History

Founded in 1998, the league uses a format of home and away matches. In the 2004–05 season, the best Austrian teams additionally also competed in the international Elite Women's Hockey League (EWHL). From the following season onward, the top teams only played in the EWHL, making the Bundesliga in a sense the second-level league of Austrian Women's ice hockey. As a result, the title of Austrian champion is decided in a separate tournament titled Staatsmeisterschaft (National Championship), featuring the three teams that play in the EWHL and the top DEBL team. Exceptions were the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons where EWHL clubs were the only competing teams. Since 2008, following the example of the men's Austrian Hockey League, the DEBL has also featured teams from Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Turkey.

## Format
### 2017–18 season

The nine teams of the DEBL are assembled into one division. The teams play each other three times a year.
The top DEBL team qualifies for the Staatsmeisterschaft where it meets the three Austrian teams from the EWHL. The tournament uses a home- and away-game format. The two top teams contest the final, using a best-of-three format. The better-placed team has the right to contest the first game in its home ground. The other two teams contest the third-place play-off, also using a best-of-three format.

## Teams
### 2024–25 season

| Team | Location | Home venue | Head coach |
| DHC IceCats Linz | Linz | LINZ AG Eisarena | Harald Fülöp |
| EAC Women Capitals | Vienna | Steffl Arena | Jan Lebis |
| EC Graz Huskies II | Graz | Merkur Eisstadion | Paul Mocher |
| EC-KAC Klagenfurt | Klagenfurt | Heidi Horten-Arena | Kurt Koschart |
| Ferencvárosi TC | Budapest | FTC-Telekom Rink | Bernadett Holzer |
| HDK Maribor | Maribor | Ledna dvorana Tabor | Rene Zernko |
| HK Budapest II | Budapest | Tüskesator | Vivien Somogyi |
| MAC Marilyn Budapest | Budapest | Kisstadion | Kristóf Schmál |
| Rampage Veszprém | Veszprém | Jégcsarnok Veszprém | Máté Pukli |
| Villach Lady Hawks | Villach | Stadthalle | Rene Lang |

### Past participants

Austria
* EC Grazer Eishexen (Graz), 2001–2004
* EC Kitzbühel (Kitzbühel), 2012–13
* SpG Kitzbühel/Kufstein (Kitzbühel), 2015–2022
* EHC Kundl Crocodiles (Kundl), 2002–2004
* KSV Neuberg Highlanders (Neuberg an der Mürz), 2005–2013 & 2019–2021
* DEHC Red Angels Innsbruck (Innsbruck), 1998–2010
* EHV Sabres (Vienna), 1999–2005
* EHV Sabres II (Vienna), 2006–07 & 2010–2016
* EC The Ravens Salzburg (Salzburg), 2002–2005
* EHC Wildcats St. Johann (St. Johann in Tirol), 1998–2002
* WE-V Flyers II (Vienna), 2005–2008
* SpG WE-V Flyers/KSV Neuberg Highlanders, 2016–2019
Croatia
* Grič Zagreb (Zagreb), 2012–2019
Hungary
* Angels Dunaújváros (Dunaújváros), 2023–24
* Hokiklub Budapest II (Budapest), 2015–2023
** KMH Budapest II, 2015–2022
* KSI SE Budapest (Budapest), 2021–2023
* Óbudai Hockey Academy (Budapest), 2017–18
Slovenia
* HDK Maribor (Maribor), 2011–2015
* HK Celje (Celje), 2009–2011
* HK Triglav (Kranj), 2008–2014
* Slovenia Select (Ljubljana), 2022–23
* SpG Triglav/Olimpija, 2015–16
Turkey
* Turkey women's national team, 2011–12

## Championship record
### DEBL Champions by season

| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Third Place |
| 1998-99 | Gipsy Girls Villach | Vienna Flyers | DEHC Red Angels Innsbruck |
| 1999-2000 | Gipsy Girls Villach | EHV Sabres Vienna | not contested |
| 2000-01 | Vienna Flyers | EHV Sabres Vienna | not contested |
| 2001-02 | EHV Sabres Vienna | Vienna Flyers | not contested |
| 2002-03 | EHV Sabres Vienna | EC The Ravens Salzburg | DEC Dragons Klagenfurt |
| 2003-04 | EHV Sabres Vienna | EC The Ravens Salzburg | DEC Dragons Klagenfurt |
| 2004-05 | EHV Sabres Vienna | EC The Ravens Salzburg | DEC Dragons Klagenfurt |
| 2005-06 | DEHC Red Angels Innsbruck | Gipsy Girls Villach | 1. DEC Devils Graz |
| 2006-07 | Gipsy Girls Villach | DEHC Red Angels Innsbruck | 1. DEC Devils Graz |
| 2007-08 | DEC Dragons Klagenfurt | SPG Kitzbühel/Salzburg | Gipsy Girls Villach |
| 2008-09 | HK Triglav Kranj | DEC Dragons Klagenfurt | Neuberg Highlanders |
| 2009-10 | SPG Kitzbühel/Salzburg | HK Celje | HK Triglav Kranj |
| 2010-11 | Neuberg Highlanders | HK Triglav Kranj | EHV Sabres Vienna II |
| 2011-12 | Neuberg Highlanders | EHV Sabres Vienna II | HDK Maribor |
| 2012-13 | Neuberg Highlanders | HDK Maribor | Grič Zagreb |
| 2013-14 | KHL Grič Zagreb | Gipsy Girls Villach | HK Triglav Kranj |
| 2014-15 | EHV Sabres Vienna II | KHL Grič Zagreb | HDK Maribor |
| 2015-16 | SpG HK Triglav/HK Olimpija | KMH Budapest II | SpG Kitzbühel/Kufstein |
| 2016-17 | KMH Budapest II | SpG Vienna/Neuberg | SpG Kitzbühel/Kufstein |
| 2017-18 | Óbudai Hockey Academy | KMH Budapest II | SpG Kitzbühel/Kufstein |
| 2018-19 | Ferencvárosi TC | KMH Budapest II | SpG Kitzbühel/Kufstein |
| 2019-20 | Neuberg Highlanders | KMH Budapest II | not contested |
| 2020-21 | KMH Budapest II | Neuberg Highlanders | 1. DEC Devils Graz |
| 2021-22 | MAC Marilyn Budapest | Hokiklub Budapest II | Villach Lady Hawks |
| 2022-23 | Villach Lady Hawks | 1. DEC Devils Graz | Ferencvárosi TC |
| 2023-24 | EAC Women Capitals | Villach Lady Hawks | EC Graz Huskies II |

## DEBL II

In 2004, due to the increasing number of teams, a second division titled DEBL II was created. There was no match play in this league in the 2007–08 and 2008–09 seasons.
The team that finishes at the bottom of the DEBL league table at the end of the season meets the top team of the DEBL II over a best-of-three series. The winner of that contest then plays in the DEBL during the next season, while the loser is relegated to the second DEBL.

### Teams for 2017–18 season

* DEC Dragons Klagenfurt
* EHC Lustenau
* EHV Sabres II
* Red Angels Innsbruck
* SPG Salzburg/Linz
Regular season champions :
| Season | Champion |
| 2004-05 | Kundl Crocodiles |
| 2005-06 | EHV Sabres II |
| 2006-07 | Ravens Salzburg II |
| 2007-09 | not contested |
| 2009-10 | FTC Eagles Budapest |
| 2010-11 | EC "Die Adler" Kitzbühel |
| 2011-12 | Neuberg Highlanders II |
| 2012-13 | DEC Devils Graz |
| 2013-14 | SPG Kitzbühel/Salzburg |
| 2014-15 | SPG Kitzbühel/Salzburg |
| 2015-16 | HDK Maribor |
| 2016-17 | Red Angels Innsbruck |