UMDBulldogs.com National Championship Weekend Preview

Already the owners of three NCAA Division I national championship trophies, the University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team is sitting on the doorstep of its fourth national title as the Bulldogs will face Boston College this Friday (March 16) in an NCAA Frozen Four semifinal matchup in Lake Placid, N.Y. The puck is set to drop at 7 p.m. (CST) with the winner advancing to the Sunday's title game (12 p.m.) against either defending champion University of Wisconsin or St. Lawrence University.

The Bulldogs (23-10-4) enter the Frozen Four as one of the most storied Division I women’s hockey programs in the country. UMD skated off with inaugural NCAA I title in 2001 and preceded to capture the next two national championships, becoming, in the process, the first -- and only -- team to win three consecutive NCAA women's hockey titles.

During the 1999-2000 season, the first year of the intercollegiate program at UMD, the Bulldogs advanced to the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance Finals, finishing fourth. The championship that season was run by USA Hockey, which brought in only the four top teams in the country.

The following year, the NCAA took control of the championship tournament for Division I women’s hockey, naming the new event the Frozen Four.

The Bulldogs then rattled off three straight national titles before enduring what can only be described as a "down" year in 2003-04. UMD ended that campaign with a 20-12-2 record and ranked No. 5 nationally, while missing out on the Frozen Four for the first time.

Then, during the 2004-05 season, the NCAA expanded the playoff field to eight teams that would compete now first compete in regional play. UMD advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals and hosted St. Lawrence University, which ended up defeating the Bulldogs in overtime.

UMD's season came to a similar end one year ago ago as St. Lawrence once again defeated the Bulldogs in NCAA regional play to advance to the Frozen Four.

The Bulldogs immediately made a name for themselves after their three-year NCAA title run, but have fallen short of their ultimate goal -- namely a return to the Frozen Four -- in recent years. Eighth-year head coach Shannon Miller and her Bulldogs are understandably anxious and eager to once again be back in national championship spotlight this weekend.

“This team has so much heart, spirit and such a great worth ethic,” said Miller. “We have a tremendous amount of fun together and they [team] deserve all the good that is coming to them.”

UMD punched its ticket to the Frozen Four after knocking off No. 2-ranked Mercyhurst College 3-2 in overtime in its NCAA Regional game in Erie, Pa. last Friday night, snapping the Lakers' 24-game unbeaten streak.