# Women's League (Switzerland)

The Women's League, also known as the PostFinance Women's League (PFWL) for sponsorship reasons, is the premier ice hockey league in the Swiss Women's Hockey League (SWHL) system. The league was founded in 1986 as the Leistungsklasse A, abbreviated LKA, and was also officially known as the Ligue nationale A in French and the Lega Nazionale A in Italian, both abbreviated as LNA. During 2014 to 2019, the league was called the Swiss Women's Hockey League A, abbreviated SWHL A; the abbreviation has been used by the league following the 2019 name change. An amateur league, it is organized by the Regio League, an organ of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation.

## History

With the creation of several women's ice hockey clubs in the early 1980s, the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation chose to incorporate women's hockey within the scope of its governance in 1984. During the 1985–86 season, an unofficial club championship was played. The following season, the first official championship tournament, called Leistungsklasse A ('Performance Class A'), was organized and the victors, the Kloten Specials of EHC Kloten, became the first Swiss Champions in women's ice hockey.
With the growing interest and participation in ice hockey among Swiss women, a second tier league, called the Leistungsklasse B (LKB), was established from the 1988–89 season. Two years later, league rules were changed to allow foreign players and several big names in international women's hockey opted to play with Swiss teams, including Canadian national team forwards Andria Hunter and France Saint-Louis, and Finnish national team phenom Riikka Sallinen. The arrival of imports coincided with the rise to dominance of SC Lyss, who won four titles in five years from 1991–92 to 1996–97. The women's section had become an independent club, the DHC Lyss, when they won their fourth title in 1997. In 1995, a third level league, the Leistungsklasse C (LKC), was introduced.
From the 2001–02 season onward, a final four tournament is held to determine the Swiss Champion. SC Reinach, the 2001 champions, retained their title in the league's inaugural final four in 2002 and followed it up with a third consecutive victory in 2003. Playoffs were introduced in the 2005–06 season and the HC Lugano Ladies Team and ZSC Lions Frauen dominated in the playoff era, with one of the two teams winning the championship in all but one year since format change.

## Format

Starting from the 2010–11 season, the participating teams play against each other four times in two home-and-away rounds. At the end of the first round, the each team's total of points is cut by half. Once the second round is completed, the top ranking teams qualify for the play-offs which are in a best-of-five format, excepted the third place game played on a one-off match. The finals winner is declared Swiss Champion. Meanwhile, the teams finishing in the bottom two positions dispute a best-of-five playdown. The loser then faces the second tier champions in a best-of-three games series, the winner getting to play the following season in the top tier.

## Teams

HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies of HC Fribourg-Gottéron joined the league in 2023, increasing the number of teams to eight for the 2023–24 season.
During summer 2023, EV Bomo Thun, a previously independent club, merged into SC Bern and the team was renamed SC Bern Frauen. The HC Thurgau Ladies team left HC Thurgau to move under the oversight of HC Davos and were renamed HC Davos Ladies.
In March 2023, HC Ladies Lugano announced the club had insufficient finances and was ceasing operations but they unexpectedly began pre-season training in August 2023, after securing a sponsorship deal with an investment company. After finishing seventh of eight teams in the 2023–24 season, the club announced its definitive closure, citing "insurmountable financial difficulties."
EV Zug (EVZ) announced the creation of the EVZ Women's Team (German: EV Zug (EVZ) Frauenteam) in November 2022 and the team was officially launched ahead of the 2023–24 season. With a budget of 1.2 million francs for the "EVZ Women and Girls Programm," EV Zug was able to attract elite players and staff, including Swiss ice hockey icon Daniela Diaz and international phenom and Swiss national team captain Lara Stalder. The team made a commanding debut in the SWHL B, claiming ten victories across their first ten games and conceding just one goal while scoring 178 goals during that period. At season's end, the EVZ Women's Team won the SWHL B championship and were poised to face the loser of the SWHL A play-down in the Women's League qualification series but the voluntary relegation of HC Ladies Lugano made it possible for the team to gain automatic promotion.

### Current teams

The following teams are participating in the 2024–25 season of the Women's League.
| Team | Location | Home venue | Head coach | Captain |
| SC Bern Frauen | Bern | PostFinance Arena | Thomas Zwahlen | |
| HC Davos Ladies | Davos | Eisstadion Davos | Johanna Ikonen | Julina Gianola |
| HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies | Fribourg | BCF Arena | Mathieu Echenard | Alixane Berthod |
| SC Langenthal Damen | Langenthal | Eishalle Schoren [de] | Nicola Minder | Sévérine Zaugg |
| Neuchâtel Hockey Academy | Neuchâtel | Patinoires du Littoral | Yan Gigon | Inès Berset |
| HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls | Quinto | Nuova Valascia | Benjamin Rogger & Christian Augustoni | Nicla Gianettoni |
| EV Zug Women's Team | Zug | Bossard Arena | Daniela Diaz | Lara Stalder |
| ZSC Lions Frauen | Zürich | Kunsteisbahn Heuried Secondary: Swiss Life Arena | Angela Frautschi | Sinja Leemann |

## Swiss Champions

| 1986–87 – EHC Kloten Specials 1987–88 – EHC Kloten Specials 1988–89 – Grasshopper Club Zürich 1989–90 – Grasshopper Club Zürich 1990–91 – Grasshopper Club Zürich 1991–92 – EHC Bülach 1992–93 – SC Lyss 1993–94 – DHC Langenthal 1994–95 – SC Lyss 1995–96 – SC Lyss 1996–97 – DHC Lyss 1997–98 – EV Zug Damen 1998–99 – EV Zug Damen 1999–2000 – DSC St. Gallen | 2000–01 – SC Reinach 2001–02 – SC Reinach 2002–03 – SC Reinach 2003–04 – EV Zug 2004–05 – EV Zug 2005–06 – Ladies Team Lugano 2006–07 – Ladies Team Lugano 2007–08 – DHC Langenthal 2008–09 – Ladies Team Lugano 2009–10 – Ladies Team Lugano 2010–11 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2011–12 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2012–13 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2013–14 – Ladies Team Lugano | 2014–15 – Ladies Team Lugano 2015–16 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2016–17 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2017–18 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2018–19 – Ladies Team Lugano 2019–20 – not finished 2020–21 – Ladies Team Lugano 2021–22 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2022–23 – ZSC Lions Frauen 2023–24 – ZSC Lions Frauen |

### Titles by teams

| | Team | Titles | Years |
| 1 | ZSC Lions Frauen (prev. Grasshopper Club Zürich) | 12 | 1989, 1990, 1991, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| 2 | HC Ladies Lugano (prev. Ladies Team Lugano) | 8 | 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021 |
| 3 | EV Zug | 4 | 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005 |
| – | DHC Lyss | 4 | 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997 |
| 5 | SC Reinach | 3 | 2001, 2002, 2003 |
| 6 | DHC Langenthal | 2 | 1994, 2008 |
| – | EHC Kloten Specials | 2 | 1987, 1988 |
| 8 | DSC St. Gallen | 1 | 2000 |
| – | EHC Bülach | 1 | 1992 |

## Awards
### Woman of the Year

The Woman of the Year award honours the best active Swiss player, whether she plays in the Swiss league or elsewhere. First awarded by the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation in the 2005–06 season.
* 2005–06: Nicole Bullo, Ladies Team Lugano
* 2006–07: Florence Schelling, ZSC Lions
* 2007–08: Christine Meier, AIK Hockey (Riksserien)
* 2008–09: Christine Meier, ZSC Lions
* 2009–10: Claudia Riechsteiner, SC Reinach
* 2010–11: Nicole Bullo, Ladies Team Lugano
* 2011–12: Nicole Bullo, Ladies Team Lugano
* 2013–14: Florence Schelling, ZSC Lions
* 2014–15: Julia Marty, SC Reinach
* 2015–16: Christine Meier, ZSC Lions
* 2016–17: Lara Stalder, Linköping HC (SDHL)
* 2017–18: Alina Müller, ZSC Lions
* 2018–19: Alina Müller, Northeastern Huskies
* 2019–20: Not awarded
* 2020–21: Lara Stalder, Brynäs IF (SDHL) – runners up: Andrea Brändli (Ohio State Buckeyes), Alina Müller (Northeastern Huskies)
* 2021–22: Alina Müller, Northeastern Huskies – runners up: Andrea Brändli (Ohio State Buckeyes), Lara Stalder (Brynäs IF)

### Most Valuable Player

First awarded in the 2009–10 season to the most valuable player of each team in the Swiss Championship playoff final.
* 2009–10: Jessica Müller (Ladies Lugano), Jaclyn Hawkins (ZSC Lions)
* 2010–11: Christine Meier (ZSC Lions), Iveta Koka (Ladies Lugano)
* 2013–14: Sophie Anthamatten (Ladies Lugano), Christine Meier (ZSC Lions)
* 2014–15: Céline Abgottspon (Ladies Lugano), Livia Altmann (ZSC Lions)
* 2015–16: Sasha Ronchi (Ladies Lugano), Isabel Waidacher (ZSC Lions)
* 2016–17: Evelina Raselli (Ladies Lugano), Caroline Baldin (ZSC Lions)

## Others women's competitions in Switzerland
### Second division (SWHL B)

The SWHL B, previously known as the Leistungsklasse B (LKB) in German, the Ligue nationale B (LNB) in French and the Lega Nazionale B in Italian, is the second tier of the Swiss Women's Hockey League system.
The team finishing first is declared SWHL B champion and qualifies for a best-of-three playoff against the loser of the top league playdown. The team finishing last is relegated in the lower division.
The ten teams taking part in the 2023–24 season are:
* Brandis-Juniors Ladies
* DHC Lyss
* EHC Bassersdorf Ladies
* EHC Sursee Damen
* EHC Zunzgen-Sissach Damen
* EV Zug Women
* GCK Lions Frauen
* HC Thurgau Ladies
* HC Tramelan Ladies
* Lausanne HC Féminin
* SC Rapperswil-Jona Lady Lakers

### Third division (SWHL C)

The SWHL C, previously known as the Leistungsklasse C (LKC) in German, the Ligue nationale C (LNC) in French and the Lega Nazionale C in Italian, is the third tier of the Swiss Women's Hockey League system.
The team finishing first is declared SWHL C champion and is promoted to SWHL B.
For the 2023–24 season, there are fifteen participating teams:
* Ass. Genève-Servette HC Féminin
* Basel Hockey Ladies 2020
* Dragon Queens
* EHC Post Bern Damen
* EHC Schaffhausen Damen
* EHC Wallisellen Damen
* EHC Worb Ladies
* HC Eisbären St. Gallen Queens
* HC Saint-Imier Féminin
* HC Sierre Féminin
* HCAP Girls
* Hockey Chicas Engiadina
* Neuchâtel Hockey Academy 1999
* SC Celerina Frauen
* ZSC Lions Frauen

### Fourth division (SWHL D)

The SWHL D is the fourth tier of the Swiss Women's Hockey League system.
For the 2023–24 season, there are fifteen participating teams:
* Lausanne HC Féminin
* SC Rapperswil-Jona Lady Lakers
* EHC Schaffhausen Damen
* Neuchâtel Hockey Academy 1999
* Argovia Stars Frauen
* CP Fleurier Féminin
* CP Meyrin Équipe Féminine
* EHC Rot-Blau Bern-Bümpliz Damen
* EHC Thun Damen
* EHC Zuchwil Regio Ladies
* HC Ajoie Les Panthères
* HC La Chaux-de-Fonds Féminin
* HC Luzern Damen
* HC Monthey-Chablais Féminin
* HC Prilly-Lausanne Féminin

### Swiss Women's Cup

It is also called Ochsner Hockey Swiss Women Cup for sponsorship reasons.
* 2005–06 – Ladies Team Lugano
* 2006–07 – No cup
* 2007–08 – DHC Langenthal
* 2008–09 – ZSC Lions Frauen
* 2009–10 – DHC Langenthal
* 2010–11 – ZSC Lions Frauen
* 2011–12 – ZSC Lions Frauen
* 2012–13 – ZSC Lions Frauen
* 2013–14 – ZSC Lions Frauen
* 2014–15 – No cup
* 2015–16 – ZSC Lions Frauen
* 2016–17 – Ladies Team Lugano / ZSC Lions Frauen
* 2017–18 – ZSC Lions Frauen