# 2020–21 Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey season

The Wisconsin Badgers represented the University of Wisconsin in WCHA women's ice hockey during the 2020-21 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. In the WCHA Final Faceoff championship game, the Badgers defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes by a 3–2 mark in overtime, as Lacey Eden scored the game-winning goal. Appearing in the 2021 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament versus the Northeastern Huskies, Daryl Watts scored the game-winning goal in a 2−1 overtime win.

## Offseason

* September 3: Mercyhurst Lakers goaltender Kennedy Blair has transferred to the Badgers.

### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Jane Gervais | Goaltender | Canada | As a sophomore and junior, she led the Stanstead College Varsity Girls Hockey team to gold medals at the NAPHA Playoff Championships. As a senior, she posted 14 shutouts. |
| Casey O'Brien | Forward | United States | She skated for Team USA in 2018 and 2019 at the IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championships |
| Makenna Webster | Forward | United States | She led Team USA in scoring at the 2018 and 2019 IIHF U-18 World Championships. At the 2020 edition of the event, she was named an alternate captain and captured the gold medal. |
| Maddi Wheeler | Forward | Canada | She scored the gold medal-winning goal for Canada, in overtime, at the 2019 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championships. |
| Mayson Toft | Defense | United States | As a high school varsity hockey player for Alexandria High School, she gained Defensive Player of the Year honors for four consecutive years. |

## Regular season
### Standings

2020–21 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| #1 Wisconsin † * | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 62 | 25 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 79 | 33 |
| #4 Minnesota Duluth | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 50 | 23 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 55 | 33 |
| #3 Ohio State | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 42 | 32 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 56 | 42 |
| #6 Minnesota | 19 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 62 | 40 | 20 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 65 | 45 |
| Minnesota State | 20 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 38 | 56 | 20 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 38 | 56 |
| St. Cloud State | 19 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 18.5 | 32 | 62 | 19 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 32 | 62 |
| Bemidji State | 20 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 12.5 | 24 | 72 | 20 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 24 | 72 |
| Championship: March 8, 2021 † indicates conference regular season champion; * indicates conference tournament champion Rankings: USCHO.com; updated March 25, 2021 ||||||||||||||||

### Schedule

| Date | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||
| November 27 | at Ohio State | #1 | Columbus, OH | Andrea Braendli | L 2–3 | 0–1–0 (0–1–0) |
| November 28 | at Ohio State | | Columbus, OH | Kennedy Blair | W 5–0 | 1–1–0 (1–1–0) |
| January 2 | at MSU Mankato | | Mankato | Kennedy Blair | W 3–2 | 2–1–0 (2–1–0) |
| January 3 | at MSU Mankato | | Mankato | Kennedy Blair | W 1–0 | 3–1–0 (3–1–0) |
| January 8 | Ohio State | | La Bahn Arena • Madison, WI | Kennedy Blair | W 2–1 | 4–1–0 (4–1–0) |
| January 9 | Ohio State | #1 | La Bahn Arena • Madison, WI | Andrea Braendli | L 1–2 | 4–2–0 (4–2–0) |
| January 15 | Minnesota | #2 | La Bahn Arena • Madison, WI | Kennedy Blair | W 5–0 | 5–2–0 (5–2–0) |
| January 16 | Minnesota | #2 | La Bahn Arena • Madison, WI | Kennedy Blair | W 6–3 | 6–2–0 (6–2–0) |
| January 22 | at St. Cloud State | #1 | St. Cloud, MN | Kennedy Blair | W 10–0 | 7–2–0 (7–2–0) |
| January 23 | at St. Cloud State | #1 | St. Cloud, MN | Kennedy Blair | W 4–2 | 8–2–0 (8–2–0) |
| February 5 | at Minnesota | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Kennedy Blair | W 4–3 | 9–2–0 (9–2–0) |
| February 6 | at Minnesota | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Kennedy Blair | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 9–2–1 (9–2–1) |
| February 12 | Bemidji State | #1 | La Bahn Arena • Madison, WI | Kennedy Blair | W 4–0 | 10–2–1 (10–2–1) |
| February 13 | Bemidji State | #1 | La Bahn Arena • Madison, WI | Kennedy Blair | W 7–0 | 11–2–1 (11–2–1) |
| February 26 | Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs | | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Emma Soderberg | L 2–4 | 11–3–1 (11–3–1) |
| February 27 | Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs | | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Kennedy Blair | W 4–3 | 12–3–1 (12–3–1) |
| WCHA Frozen Faceoff |||||||
| March 6 | vs. Minnesota | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Kennedy Blair | W 5–3 | 13–3–1 (13–3–1) |
| March 7 | vs. Minnesota | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Kennedy Blair | W 3–2 $^{OT}$ | 14–3–1 (14–3–1) |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||
| March 16 | vs. Providence | | Erie Insurance Arena • Erie, PA | Kennedy Blair | W 3–0 | 15–3–1 (14–3–1) |
| March 18 | vs. Ohio State | | Erie Insurance Arena • Erie, PA | Kennedy Blair | W 4–2 | 16–3–1 (15–3–1) |
| March 20 | vs. Northeastern | | Erie Insurance Arena • Erie, PA | Kennedy Blair | W 2–1 $^{OT}$ | 17–3–1 (15–3–1) |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||

## Awards and honors

* Grace Bowlby, WCHA Defensive Player of the Month (February 2021)
* Grace Bowlby, WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (awarded on March 1, 2021)
* Grace Bowlby, 2020–21 All-USCHO.com Second Team
* Lacey Eden, Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Month for February
* Lacey Eden, WCHA Rookie of the Month (February 2021)
* Mark Johnston, WCHA Coach of the Year
* Daryl Watts, 2020–21 Preseason WCHA Player of the Year.
* Daryl Watts, WCHA Player of the Year
* Daryl Watts, WCHA scoring champion (31 points)
* Daryl Watts, 2020–21 All-USCHO.com First Team
* Makenna Webster, Most Outstanding Player, 2021 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

### All-America honors

* Grace Bowlby, 2020–21 CCM/AHCA First Team All-American
* Daryl Watts, CCM/AHCA 2020–21 First Team All-American

### HCA Awards

* Daryl Watts, Hockey Commissioners Association Women's Player of the Month (March 2021):
* Makenna Webster, Hockey Commissioners Association Women's Rookie of the Month (March 2021)
* Lacey Eden, Hockey Commissioners Association Women's Rookie of the Month (February 2021)