MADISON, Wis. – The top-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team opens its 25th season with a series this Thursday and Friday at Lindenwood. Puck drop on Thursday is set for 7:10 p.m., while the series finale on Friday is slated for 3 p.m. 

Both games can be seen online through FloHockey, while fans can listen to the games on WTSO 1070 AM as Noah Clark and Aidan Michaels will have the call on the radio. 

1. LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN: The Badgers completed the 2022-23 season 29-10-2, going from unseeded to coming home with the program's seventh national championship title. UW captured the title in a thrilling 1-0 win over WCHA rival and top-ranked Ohio State. Thanks to the title, Wisconsin now leads all NCAA women's hockey teams in NCAA titles, passing Minnesota, who has six NCAA titles. 

2. POSITIVE PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Wisconsin tied for first with Ohio State, last year's WCHA regular-season champion and national runner-up, in the 2023-24 WCHA Coaches Poll. WCHA Rookie of the Year and second-team All-American Caroline Harvey was named the WCHA Preseason Player of the Year, becoming the first Badger blueliner to garner that title. Senior Casey O'Brien and sophomore Kirsten Simms also earned preseason honors, as they were named to the Preseason All-WCHA Team alongside Harvey. The Badgers also found themselves atop of the USCHO.com Poll, receiving 15 first place votes to pace conference rivals Ohio State and Minnesota. 

3. BADGERS HELP MAKE HISTORY: Seven former Wisconsin women's hockey players were drafted in the inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League Draft, in addition to the six that signed contracts in the free-agency period. Kristen Campbell, Jesse Compher, Daryl Watts, Natalie Buchbinder, Mellissa Channell, Sophie (Shaver) Kunin and Sophie Shirley each heard their names called in the league's first-ever draft. Meanwhile, Emily Clark, Ann-Renée Desbiens, Hilary Knight, Sarah Nurse, Abby Roque and Blayre Turnbull found spots in the newly created league during the initial free-agency period. 

4. AGAINST LINDENWOOD: Wisconsin is undefeated in the all-time series against Lindenwood, holding a 21-0-0 record. This weekend's series will be the Badgers' first time visiting the Lions since September 24-25, 2021. UW has outscored Lindenwood 34-1 in their last four meetings, with seven of those goals belonging to Casey O'Brien. Goalie Jane Gervais picked up her first career shutout against the Lions in last year's series, stopping all 11 shots she faced. 

5. NEW BADGERS ON THE BLOCK: The Badgers welcome in grad transfer Anna Wilgren to their roster this season. A captain at Minnesota State for three straight seasons, Wilgren collected 42 points on 12 goals and 30 assists throughout 91 games for the Mavericks. Joining Wilgren as newcomers on the UW squad this year are Kelly Gorbatenko, Cassie Hall, Ava McNaughton, Ava Murphy, Laney Potter and Bella Vasseur. Gorbatenko, Hall, McNaughton, Murphy and Potter all participated in the 2022 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship at LaBahn Arena. Murphy won gold with Canada while leading the team in scoring.