NCAA women’s hockey is hurdling toward the holiday break with familiar faces atop the national rankings.
Wisconsin and Ohio State have combined to win the past six championships, with the two schools facing off against each other in the Frozen Four final in each of the past three years. All signs point to another all-WCHA match up this spring with a sizable gap forming between the WCHA’s power programs and the rest of the nation.
This past week did nothing to change that with Ohio State and Wisconsin combining to outscore non-conference teams 45-3. While they remain the teams to beat at the top, the rest of The Hockey News’ top 10 continue to make their push.
Here’s a look at the top 10 NCAA women’s hockey programs this week.
Women’s college hockey power rankings
1. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
The star power in Wisconsin’s lineup is hard to combat. Caroline Harvey took the national scoring lead this week, with the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft also becoming the WCHA’s all-time leading scorer among defenders. This past week, Wisconsin won a pair of lopsided decisions at the SMASHVILLE Showcase where they outscored Mercyhurst and Stonehill by a combined 22-3 margin.
2. Ohio State (WCHA)
Ohio State continues to get better, probably because they’re a program that is not led by seniors — but by underclass players like U.S. national team member Joy Dunne, and Swedish rookie sensation Hilda Svensson. Ohio State easily disposed of nationally ranked Clarkson and Colgate by a combined 13-0 score, outshooting their opponents 111-26 and proving that even the best ECAC teams remain a step behind.
3. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
After a nightmare week that saw Minnesota drop a pair of games to Minnesota State, the Golden Gophers entered a much needed bye week to regroup. Abbey Murphy, who leads the WCHA with 18 goals in 16 games, and teammates remain one of the most talented groups in NCAA women’s hockey. But this team will need more consistency to challenge Ohio State and Wisconsin.
4. University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA)
Another powerhouse on a bye week, UMD’s only blemishes this season have come against Wisconsin, Ohio State and Minnesota. To be a top team, the 10-6-0 Bulldogs need to beat a top team. With the Olympics around the corner, they also have the extra challenge of All-American goaltender Eve Gascon and reigning NCAA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Kraemer being pulled in multiple directions as members of Canada’s national program.
5. Penn State (Atlantic Hockey America)
Before dropping the first of their two-game series against Northeastern this weekend — Penn State won the second game — the Nittany Lions were the only undefeated program in the nation. Tessa Janecke continues to dominate this high octane offense that trails only Wisconsin with a +69 goal differential. They’ve been rolling over opponents in Atlantic Hockey America, but have a tougher schedule ahead including games against Cornell and Ohio State (twice).
6. Cornell (ECAC)
Cornell can win on any given night with Annelies Bergmann in net. She is near the top of NCAA statistical leaders with 10 wins, as well as a 1.56 goals-against average and .942 save percentage. In 14 games this season, Cornell has allowed 23 only goals against, an unrivaled mark in the ECAC. What makes Cornell susceptible to upsets, such as the one they suffered last Friday against Vermont, is the absence of a true offensive star.
7. Northeastern (Hockey East)
Captain Lily Shannon, who already surpassed her career-high point total from last season, led the Huskies to a 3-2 upset win over Penn State this weekend with a two-point night. Northeastern had their nine-game winning streak snapped against the Nittany Lions, but they remain the best team in Hockey East. With Swedish stopper Lisa Jönsson in the crease, Northeastern is hard to beat.
8. Connecticut (Hockey East)
Connecticut is a low-scoring team up front, but with netminder Tia Chan back there to clean up any mess, UConn keeps winning. If Connecticut can find a way to spark Julia Pellerin and Claire Murdoch, who are off to uncharacteristically slow starts, they’d be a threat to move up. Edging Quinnipiac 4-3 and Yale 3-2 on the weekend increased their winning streak to four games.
9. Quinnipiac (ECAC)
No one has found a way to cool off Kahlen Lamache who leads the nation in goals with 21 through 18 games. But after splitting games against Connecticut and Sacred Heart over the weekend, the program has its biggest weekend of the season coming up, with key games against nationally ranked Colgate and Cornell.
10. Clarkson (ECAC)
This is not the same Clarkson team that relied on top-10 PWHL draft picks Haley Winn, Nicole Gosling and Anne Cherkowski last season. However, what they do have is a group of bright young rookies in Sara Manness, and French national team member Manon le Scodan. Clarkson has lost to opponents they shouldn’t have this season. They also lost to Ohio State last weekend, but bounced back with a hard-fought 2-0 win against St. Cloud State in non-conference play.