Badgers' title defense hinges on youth, analytics, and a new core
The University of Wisconsin women's hockey team opens its 2026-27 season Friday against St. Lawrence in Canton, New York, carrying the weight of a three-peat bid and the most ambitious roster rebuild in program history. Ranked No. 1 in both the USCHO and USA Hockey preseason polls, the Badgers are chasing their third consecutive NCAA championship and sixth in eight years.
The challenge is structural. Wisconsin lost five players in the first 11 picks of the 2026 PWHL draft, including Olympic MVP Caroline Harvey, NCAA points leader Lacey Eden, former point leader Kirsten Simms, and goal-scoring champion Laila Edwards. Replacing that nucleus, all at once, has no precedent in the program's modern era.
What does the new-look Badgers roster look like?
The defensive unit is the most exposed. Senior Ava Murphy and Laney Potter return, but the blue line will lean on sophomore Mackenzie Jones, junior Emma Venusio, and transfer Lauren Johnson, a Sun Prairie native who arrived from Union College. The group will benefit from senior goaltender Ava McNaughton, who enters the year with an 84-6-4 record and a 1.33 career goals-against average, and is chasing the 100-win milestone.
Offensively, newly minted captain Kelly Gorbatenko is the projected leading scorer after posting 28 goals last season. Senior forward Cassie Hall, who has logged back-to-back 20-goal campaigns, is expected to eclipse 50 points in an expanded role. Sophomore center Adéla Šapovalivová, a Czechia Olympian who tallied five points in last year's Frozen Four, will be central to the team's puck movement and transition play.
Who are the key newcomers to watch?
The most anticipated arrival is Nela Lopušanová, the Slovakian forward who committed to Wisconsin two years ago after a standout World Junior Championship. She has played above her age group throughout her career, but the WCHA will test her pace and physicality. Other additions include Rosalie Tremblay, a Canadian under-18 national champion and MVP; Maddy Kimbrel, Minnesota's 2026 Ms. Hockey winner; and Haley Box, a Wyoming native known for her speed.
How does Wisconsin stack up against Ohio State?
The season-long rivalry with Ohio State remains the defining storyline. The two programs have met in the last four national championship games, and both enter 2026-27 as the clear favorites to meet again. Wisconsin's path depends on how quickly its new core absorbs the system, particularly in transition defense and power-play execution, where Harvey's absence will be most visible.
What is the early season schedule?
Wisconsin opens with two games at St. Lawrence before returning home in week two to raise the 2026 championship banner against Boston University. The early slate offers a testing ground for a roster that will be measured against its own recent standard, not just its opponents.
The data suggests this is a reload, not a rebuild. McNaughton's consistency in net, Gorbatenko's finishing, and Šapovalivová's playoff pedigree give Wisconsin a competitive floor. The ceiling depends on how quickly the newcomers adapt to the fastest, most physical hockey they have ever played.