Wisconsin Badgers
Mercyhurst
Five things to know: UW competes in SMASHVILLE Showcase
November 26, 2025 | Women's Hockey
Badgers take on Mercyhurst on Friday, Stonehill on Saturday
MADISON, Wis. - The No.1 Wisconsin women’s hockey team will compete in the SMASHVILLE Women's Collegiate Hockey Showcase on Saturday and Sunday, Nov.29 and 30 at the Ford Ice Center in Nashville. Saturday's game will be at 3:00 p.m. against Mercyhurt, and Sunday's will be at 12:00 p.m. CT. against Stonehill.
Fans can watch the action on YouTube Live or listen to Aidan Michaels on The Game 1070 AM.
Here are five things to know about the series.
1. ONE OF ONE
After a series sweep against No.15 St. Thomas, including an overtime win on Friday's game, the Badgers remain on top of both the USCHO and USA Hockey Polls.
In game one of the series, Wisconsin garnered an 8-0 shutout against the Tommies, where seven Badgers scored. Lacey Eden, Caroline Harvey, Kelly Gorbatenko, Claire Enright, Laney Potter, Charlotte Pieckenhagen, and Grace Bickett all found the back of the net. This was sophomore Bickett's first career goal.
Trailing 3-2 In the second game of the series, Kirsten Simms tied the game up with a minute and a half remaining to send it into overtime. Cassie Hall secured Wisconsin the win in sudden-death scoring the game-winner for the 4-3 victory.
2. KK THREE-PEAT
For the third time this season, captain Caroline Harvey was awarded Defender of the Week by the WCHA.
Harvey now has 167 points after the Badgers' series against No. 15 St. Thomas. She is tied with Ronda Curtin (Minnesota) for the most points by a defender in WCHA history.
The senior collected six points from one goal and five assists.
Harvey was the 2024-25 WCHA Defender of the Year, AHCA First-Team All-American, and Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-3 Finalist.
3. SMASHVILLE Showcase
For the first time in Badger history, the Wisconsin women's hockey team will play in the SMASHVILLE Women's Collegiate Hockey Showcase.
The teams will play at the Ford Ice Center in Nashville.
Mercyhurst, Stonehill and Wisconsin will fight for the Gutair Trophy.
This will be Wisconsin's second in-season tournament appearance. In October, the Badgers played in New York, where they won the Ice Breaker tournament after beating Vermont and Union College.
4. ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Wisconsin is 13-0 against Mercyhurst but has never played Stonehill.
The Badgers last faced Mercyhurst in October of 2018, where Wisconsin collected a 5-3 win and a series sweep. So far in the 2025-26 season, Mercyhurst is 9-7-2
While the Badgers have no history with Stonehill, the squad is now 6-7-1 overall this season. Wisconsin will be Stonehill's only Big Ten opponent this season.
5. UP AND COMING
After the SMASHVILLE matchup, Wisconsin’s final faceoff of 2025 will be against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes on Dec. 5 and 6 in Columbus, OH.
The Badgers and the Buckeyes have met in the last three NCAA National Championships including the most recent tournament, when Wisconsin won it all.
In Wisconsin's last game against Ohio State in the tournament, the Badgers secured a 4-3 overtime championship win, where Kirsten Simms scored the game-winner.
