A first-period goal by Kirsten Simms stood up as the game-winner on Sunday as the University of Wisconsin claimed its record seventh NCAA Division I women's ice hockey national title with a 1-0 victory over defending champion Ohio State University.
Simms' wrist shot high to the stick side 13:28 into the contest, assisted by Claire Enright, was all the scoring the Badgers needed before 3.940 on-lookers at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, Minn. Wisconsin goaltender Cami Kronish made 31 saves for the shutout, earning her Most Outstanding Player accolades for the 2023 NCAA Frozen Four. Amanda Thiele made 21 stops for the Buckeyes, who won their first-ever NCAA title last season and were seeking to become the first repeat national champion since Clarkson in 2017-2018.
The title marked Wisconsin's seventh national championship overall, breaking a tie with another WCHA rival in Minnesota, whom the Badgers bested in overtime in this year's national semifinals on St. Patrick's Day. All seven crowns have come under the tutelage of head coach Mark Johnson, a Wisconsin alumnus, 1980 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, and retired NHL player. Wisconsin also has three national titles in the last four seasons, winning in 2019 and 2021, while the 2020 championship was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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