Wisconsin Badgers
Minnesota State
Five things to know: No.1 Badgers prep for final road trip in Mankato
February 11, 2026 | Women's Hockey
UW faces Minnesota State Friday, Saturday
MADISON, Wis. - The No.1 Wisconsin women’s hockey team contests the Minnesota State Mavericks in Mankato, Minn. this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 14. Friday’s game will be at 3 p.m and Saturday’s at 2 p.m. (CT)
Fans can watch the action on Big Ten Plus or listen to Aidan Michaels on U100.9 (Friday) and The Game 1070 AM (Saturday).
Here are five things to know about the series
1. REVERSING THE SCORE
The Badgers faced the No. 2 Ohio State at La Bahn Arena on Saturday and Sunday, Feb 7 and 8. In game one of the series, the Badgers fell short with a 4-1 loss, with junior Ava Murphy tallying the goal for UW.
Wisconsin came back the next day to secure a 4-1 win over the Buckeyes. Captain Lacey Eden had a multi-point game, scoring one goal and two assists. Cassie Hall and Laney Potter added to the Badger's total before sophomore Finley McCarthy punctuated the game with a power play goal in the third period.
Freshman goaltender Rhyah Stewart stayed in the net for the entirety of both games and recorded 55 saves.
2. JUST LACEY THINGS
After Lacey Eden’s three-point game against the No. 2 Buckeyes, she collected the WCHA Forward of the Week honor.
This is Eden’s second time winning the distinction this season, the first being on Dec. 1, after her outstanding performance at the SMASVILLE Showcase in November. Eden had eight points over the weekend, collecting three goals and five assists.
The Badger Captain currently has 97 career goals, just three away from tying the record with Badger icons, Hilary Knight, Meghan Duggan, and Brianna Decker
3. AGAINST MANKATO
Wisconsin last met Mankato at LaBahn Arena on Oct. 25 and 26, where the Badgers swept the Mavericks 4-0 and 8-0.
In game two of the series against Mankato, eight different Badgers found the back of the net: Hannah Halverson, Lacey Eden, Kelly Gorbatenko, Cassie Hall, Claire Enright, Maggie Scannell, Adéla Šapovalivová and Vivian Jungels.
Overall, Wisconsin is 113-3-3 with the Mavericks and is on a 22-game winning streak against them, dating back to Feb. 8, 2020.
4. OLYMPIC UPDATE
The Badgers have been on a heater since entering the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
In the USA vs Canada game on Feb. 10, current UW standouts Caroline Harvey, Laila Edwards and Kirsten Simms all found their way onto the scoring tab, each scoring one goal for USA. Harvey had two more assists that game as well.
Goaltender Ava McNaughton saw the ice in the United States’ game against Switzerland and Adéla Šapovalivová recorded an assist against Czechia’s game against Switzerland.
Former Badger Captain Hilary Knight has now tied the U.S. Olympic point record with 32. Her most recent point was an assist on Harvey’s goal on Feb. 10 against Canada.
5. HOSTEST WITH THE MOSTEST
Wisconsin officially became one of the hosts for the first round of WCHA playoffs on Feb 27-March 1.
The Ohio State Buckeyes, Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs will also be hosting the first round of play.
The Badgers could potentially clinch the WCHA regular season championship this weekend under these scenarios:
- Wisconsin takes six points, and Ohio State takes 0 points
- Wisconsin takes six points, and Ohio State takes 1 point
- Wisconsin takes six points, and Ohio State takes 2
- Wisconsin takes five points, and Ohio State takes 0
- Wisconsin takes five points, and Ohio State takes 1
