2016-17 WCHA Women's Season

This is the 2016-17 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Women's season.  This is the league's 18th season.
In July, the conference announced that Katie Million was named a vice-president of the WCHA and Women's League Commissioner. She was previously an executive with the New Yorks State Olympic Regional Development Authority.
==Membership changes==
On March 29, 2017; the University of North Dakota announced that the school is cutting the women's ice hockey program effective the end of the 2016-17 academic year.  The reason stated was a $1.3 million budget shortfall due to the school attempting to meet minimum standards of the Summit League which most of the school's athletic teams are moving to for 2017-18.  The men's and women's swimming and diving programs were also cut at the school.  The school announced UND will honor all athletic scholarships for the discontinued sports “at their present equivalencies for returning student-athletes."
==Membership==
Team 	Location 	Arena 	Capacity
Bemidji State Beavers 	Bemidji, Minnesota 	Sanford Center 	4,700
Minnesota Golden Gophers 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Ridder Arena 	3,400
Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs 	Duluth, Minnesota 	AMSOIL Arena 	6,764
Minnesota State Mavericks 	Mankato, Minnesota 	All Seasons Arena 	1,000
North Dakota Fighting Hawks	Grand Forks, North Dakota	Ralph Engelstad Arena 	11,643
Ohio State Buckeyes 	Columbus, Ohio 	OSU Ice Rink 	1,415
St. Cloud State Huskies 	St. Cloud, Minnesota 	Herb Brooks National Hockey Center	5,763
Wisconsin Badgers 	Madison, Wisconsin 	LaBahn Arena 	2,273
==Standings==
Teams are awarded 3 points for a regulation or overtime win and 1 point for an overtime tie. If the game is tied after the five minute overtime period the game goes to a three round shootout.  The shoot out winning team is awarded an extra point in the standings.
Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Western Collegiate Hockey Association	Overall Record	Overall Record	Overall Record	Overall Record	Overall Record	Overall Record
Team 	GP 	W 	SW 	L 	T 	GF 	GA 	Pts 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	GF 	GA
Wisconsin Badgers 	28 	19 	3 	2 	4 	110 	24 	73 	40 	33 	3 	4 	157 	35
Minnesota Golden Gophers 	28 	16 	3 	4 	5 	88 	46 	65 	39 	26 	8 	5 	124 	69
Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs 	28 	18 	1 	5 	4 	82 	47 	62 	37 	25 	7 	5 	110 	62
North Dakota Fighting Hawks 	28 	8 	3 	12 	5 	62 	57 	41 	38 	16 	16 	6 	84 	73
Ohio State Buckeyes 	28 	5 	2 	16 	5 	40 	73 	28 	37 	14 	18 	5 	69 	82
St. Cloud State Huskies 	28 	5 	2 	18 	3 	43 	82 	26 	36 	9 	23 	4 	61 	113
Bemidji State Beavers 	28 	6 	1 	18 	3 	49 	80 	25 	35 	12 	20 	3 	67 	90
Minnesota State Mavericks 	28 	3 	1 	21 	3 	33 	98 	14 	37 	7 	26 	4 	45 	127
==Conference Tournament==
===Format===
All 8 teams qualify for the conference tournament.  The quarterfinal round is held February 26th to 28th.  The quarterfinals are best-of-three at the higher seeded team.  The semifinals and finals known as the 2017 WCHA Final Face-Off.  Thetournament champion earns the conference's automatic bid to the 2017 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament.
===Quarterfinals===
*Wisconsin Badgers defeated Minnesota State Mavericks 2 games to none
*Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated Bemidji State Beavers 2 games to 1
*Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defeated St. Cloud State Huskies 2 games to none
*North Dakota Fighting Hawks defeated Ohio State Buckeyes 2 games to 1
===Semifinals===
*Wisconsin Badgers defeated North Dakota Fighting Hawks 2-1
*Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defeated Minnesota Golden Gophers  2-1 (2ot)
===Final===
*Wisconsin Badgers defeated Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs 4-1
Category:2017 in hockey
Category:NCAA seasons
Category:Western Collegiate Hockey Association